Paediatric Occupational Therapy Technician

Job summary

We are recruiting to a full time Paediatric Occupational Therapy Technician, Band 4 position based in Bury St Edmunds.

Occupational Therapists work with children and young people who have difficulties or a disability, providing assessment, advice and intervention to enable children from birth to 19 years to participate safely and as fully as possible in activities and education as part of their daily life.

We work closely with other NHS therapy services, education, social care and a wide range of other care providers to ensure that children receive the support they need.

As a technician with the Paediatric OT Team the role will focus on undertaking specific skilled support work directed by the therapists to aid the management of complex children with a wide range of physical, long term and deteriorating disabilities. All necessary training will be offered to the new post holder.

The role is based in the community working within homes, clinics, special and mainstream schools and nurseries with children aged 0-19 years.

Frequent Travel is an essential part of this role - You will need to travel across a wide area of rural West Suffolk, so you must either hold a full, current driving licence or meet the mobility requirements of the role through other reasonable and suitable means.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be a part of the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Team, and will work independently under the supervision of qualified therapists, supporting clinicians to provide occupational therapy to children and families. Close patient contact, and communication within the Occupational Therapy and wider multi-disciplinary team is fundamental to the role. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a positive attitude to self-directed learning. Some experience in a health or care or educational environment would be advantageous. The role requires empathy, sensitivity and excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

The post-holder will regularly be required to set up and adjust specialist equipment used by children and young people as part of a programme of 24 hour postural management, and will keep accurate records of work undertaken using our online electronic record keeping system.

All necessary training will be offered to the new post holder. We offer a strong supervision structure with regular training opportunities, including access to external courses.

About us

#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the full job description for more information

Key Tasks & Responsibilities:

1. Communication:

To work as a member of the multidisciplinary/interagency team establishing effective communication with colleagues, children and families /carers.

Encourage children and their carers in an active approach to maintaining personal independence and developing motor and play skills. This requires empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills, as there will often be significant barriers to understanding, learning disability, behavioural issues, sensory impairment, pain, fear, denial and unrealistic expectations.

To communicate complex and sensitive information, as agreed with the qualified therapist, to parents carers and children in order to gain co-operation during treatment sessions.

Ensure on-going communication with the therapist regarding assessment and treatment of individual children, reporting any changes.

To recognise any potential barriers and enable effective communication. Modify communication in response.

To plan, discuss and maintain therapy management programmes/documentation for complex cases.

2. Clinical Duties:

To visit the childs setting to review and set up complex equipment for postural management and moving and handling. To adjust equipment and inform carers how to use equipment safely seating, hoists and slings.

Review and assess childrens progress, adapting programmes, ordering equipment as requested and reporting back accurately and fully to the Occupational Therapist.

Develop knowledge of specialist equipment and make suggestions for children and the application. To arrange electronic ordering and returns of equipment to Community Equipment Service.

To research new products and report back to Occupational Therapy staff. This will also involve organising and liaising with company representatives who will demonstrate specialist equipment and to feedback to Occupational Therapists following visits.

To resource play and therapeutic activities to help complex children maximise their abilities and develop these resources for children. Plan programmes and modify as necessary, reporting back fully to the Occupational Therapist.

To undertake activities and manage the participation of children as delegated by an Occupational Therapist. To be responsible for modifying programmes based on observations and reviewing equipment as necessary, reporting back to the Occupational Therapist.

Assist children, their carers and education staff, providing direction and guidance on a range of therapy interventions and activities, as part of own clinical work, or as directed as necessary adapting to suit specific environmental factors.

Assist the therapists in the management and rehabilitation of complex children by establishing and maintaining postural management programmes.

To set up equipment in a range of settings, in special schools and childs home. To be able to have the physical ability to transfer from the floor to standing with ease, to be able to move inanimate objects, to hold positions for extended periods.

To liaise with the therapists as necessary regarding and in particular highlighting any variations to expected outcomes from intervention programmes you help deliver.

To report any changes in condition, relevant observations, information and any variations of expected treatment outcomes regarding patients to the appropriate therapist.

3.Planning and organisational Skills:

Prioritise own workload and organise own work to meet these priorities and reduce risk.

Actively participate in own development and review in order to identify personal development plans and training needs.

Monitor and develop own performance, aiming to achieve and maintain a high standard.

To participate in regular supervision

Manage and prioritise own time and tasks to be done

4.Governance:

Keep accurate records of work undertaken, as required, including documenting patient contacts in line with trust directives and service standards.

To ensure electronic records are timely and kept in order.

To undertake patient related clerical duties updating resources, phone calls, scanning and filing.

Person Specification

Education and qualifications

Essential

oGood general level of education to GCSE level or equivalent (particularly English & Maths) oComputer literate with good basic IT skills

Desirable

oNVQ level 3 or equivalent in a care/health related subject oKnowledge of child development and safeguarding

Experience and knowledge

Essential

oExperience of working with children and families oAbility to communicate with children with impaired social communication skills oGood communication skills with children and adults

Desirable

oAble to demonstrate an understanding of Health & Safety legislation for self and others including manual handling legislation oAwareness of local services, voluntary organisations etc

Personal Qualities

Essential

You will need to travel, so you must either hold a full, current driving licence and have access to personal transport or meet the mobility requirements of the role through other reasonable and suitable means.

Skills and abilities

Essential

oAbility to work in a Multi-disciplinary team oAbility to work under pressure oFlexible approach oAble to use own initiative and work alone

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