Senior Occupational Therapy Assistant

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has 300+ therapy staff from occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. Each service has a head of profession accountable to the chief of therapies who represents therapies across the trust. We focus on equitable provision and shared decision making with our patients.

We value continuing professional development and promote access to internal and external learning opportunities, including the on-site training facilities and medical school library. This ensures all staff develop skills and knowledge to reach their full potential. We have very supportive teams across all of our services who will help you to learn and develop in this role.

You will assist the occupational therapists with various tasks to support rehabilitation and discharge planning. You will also completed administrative and clerical tasks to assist with the smooth running of the service, meet legal requirements and support timely discharges.

You need to have good communication skills, both verbally to work with colleagues and patients but also good written communication to write up sessions. You also need to have good computer literacy.

The post holder requires a flexible approach to working and must be able to undertake weekend commitments as part of a 7-day working rota.

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King’s College Hospital (KCH) in Denmark Hill, the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) in Bromley, Orpington Hospital and services at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and the Beckenham Beacon.

The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

CLINICAL
1. To identify risks, complete basic risk assessments prior to sessions and raise concerns to other members of staff.

1. Once inducted, to work with patients with mínimal or no direct supervision of an occupational therapist and deliver the recommended occupational therapy rehabilitation programme.

1. To carry own caseload of patients, with straightforward occupational therapy problems, as delegated by the occupational therapist.

1. To assist with the care and wellbeing of patients including receiving them, transporting to treatment area, preparing drinks, supervising or assisting with drinking, toileting, dressing and undressing as part of their treatment programme.

1. To provide treatment to patients following a pre-prescribed treatment plan utilising a variety of basic occupational therapy techniques such as assisting a patient to carryout activities of daily living.

1. To recognise any change in the condition of the patient and alter treatment accordingly or escalate to medical teams as required.

1. To monitor patients’ physical and cognitive function whilst undertaking a range of activities and report changes to the occupational therapist.

1. To assist the occupational therapist with individual/ group treatments progressing to independent routine treatment sessions and supervision of groups where maintenance of function is the objective.

1. To measure, adjust and supply equipment to patients in their homes before discharge. To teach the patient and carers safe usage of equipment. Develop clinical judgement skills regarding routine supply of equipment for independence using a protocol or instruction from the occupational therapist.

1. To assess the safety of patients whilst carrying out activities of daily living in line with agreed protocol, documenting safety in patients’ clinical notes.

1. To collect data from patients for recognised outcome measures and document for the occupational therapist to interpret.

1. To organise delegated work tasks and activities being flexible to the needs of the service as indicated by the occupational therapist.

COMMUNICATION

1. To take and relay messages accurately on the telephone and face to face with patients, relatives, health care professionals and others e.g. company representatives.

1. To provide and receive information from patients, carers and other professionals regarding a patient’s condition and treatment progress.

1. To develop skills in participating in meetings and handovers, taking and receiving occupational therapy information about known patie