Senior Neurological Rotational Occupational Therapist

Job summary

We are very excited about our Neurology Band 6 rotation and we hope you will be too.

Our Band 6 Senior Occupational Therapists play a crucial role in our organisation. They are viewed within the OT service as future clinical leaders who will receive investment and support to become the best clinicians that they can.

The Neurology service which hosts this rotation consists of the Acute Stroke Unit, Complex Care and Neurology Outpatients.

Our novice to expert framework has been designed to recognise that staff new to Band 6 roles will need a period of development and consolidation. It offers a clear demarcation between the expectations for a novice Band 6 and someone who is meeting the expectations and carrying the responsibilities of and experienced Band 6 OT.

You will be working with and supported by a very experienced, skilled workforce. These include our Clinical Strategic Lead OT's and Clinical Specialists. Our service also has a Clinical Practice and Education lead who works with our Band 6 clinicians, developing robust training and development.

The aim of this rotational programme will be to provide excellent learning and opportunities to complete:

Care aims

Leadership

Coaching

Mentoring

Masters modules

Main duties of the job

12 month rotations within the Acute Stroke, Complex Care and Neuro Outpatient service. Based at Worcestershire Acute Hospital and the Alexandra Hospital Redditch.

Acute Stroke Unit: Hyper acute and acute Stroke assessment, early rehabilitation and discharge planning. Cognitive assessment and application to occupational performance. MDT working. 7 day working (weekend work and bank holidays)

Complex Care: Critical care and ward based assessment and early intervention with a variety of complex conditions. Complex manual handling, identifying ongoing rehabilitation needs and discharge destinations. Mental capacity and complex discharge planning.

Outpatients: ABI and Neurology caseload. Cognitive assessments and management, functional splinting, liaison with community teams.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients Best use of resources Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Post Title: Senior Occupational Therapist ForStroke, Neurology, Complex Care

Pay Band: 6

Hours: Full Time hours per week (across7 days)

Location/ Department: Worcestershire Royal Hospital /Occupational Therapy

Accountable to: Occupational TherapyClinical Specialist

Reportsto: Occupational Therapy Manager

Ref:

Key Working Relationships:

Occupational Therapy Manager, OccupationalTherapy Clinical Specialists, all members of the Occupational Therapy Team,Physiotherapy, and community based colleagues both within Occupational Therapyand in other professions, consultants from the employing Trust, GPs, Nursingstaff, Social Workers, relatives/carers, voluntary and statutory agencies.

Risk Assessment:

This post involves thedaily manual handling activities within the workplace including patienthandling such as hoisting, pushing/moving wheelchairs, positioning patients fortreatment and to encourage function, static stooping and limb holding whilst splinting.

It includes assistingpatients with standing, walking and transferring between bed, chair,wheelchair, toilet, and bath/shower. The above manual handling activities maybe carried out within the patients home environment, frequently in less thanideal circumstances.

On occasions the postholder will be required to lone work within the patients home environment whichwill include manual handling including the delivery and fitting of equipment aswell as driving.

Physical effort isrequired to ensure patient and staff safety mobilising or transfers, thisfrequently includes the handling and transportation of patient relatedequipment in and out of a vehicle, commodes, toilet frames, wheelchairs etc.and the moving and rising of furniture and equipment within the patients homeenvironment. The ability to safely use a variety of tools is required,including, cutting and heating equipment.

A high level ofclinical analysis is required to ensure the safety of self, patients and otherstaff.

Frequent close contactwith patients therefore exposes the post holder to infection, bodily fluid sputum, urine, faeces, blood or vomit and a high awareness of infection controlsafety is required.

The post holder will beinvolved in and may need to instigate difficult discussions with patients andcarers under difficult circumstances following a life changing event orillness. This will be around a patients functional ability and be around theirprospects of returning to home, work or some life skills driving.

All qualified staffwill be required to take therapeutic risks during the assessment and treatmentof patients, both in the hospital and the patients home environment asrequired, to ensure accurate assessment of a patients functional ability andsafety levels.

The post holder will berequired to analysis the risks involved during the fabrication of bespokesplints and ensure the safety of patients when applying a medical device. (thiswill also involve the teaching and supervision of more junior staff carryingout the activity) The post holder will be required to safely use and manipulatethe tools required to produce splints and therapeutic pattern making.

There is a need forprolonged concentration and involvement in emotionally stressful situations, terminally ill patients or those with poor recovery or functionalprognosis. This will include occasional contact with patients and/or carers whoare aggressive or abusive.

Job Purpose:

Toprovide Occupational Therapy assessment, treatment and discharge planning topatients within the acute service with a special emphasis on patients with adiagnosis of stroke or with neurological conditions, complex care (includingmedical conditions), within the acute hospital setting which will includeworking within tight timeframes for patient discharges.

Toprovide guidance and supervision to less experienced staff and students.

Totake a proactive role within the Occupational Therapy team within your basehospital, with the ability to provide advice or cover on other Trust sites asrequired.

Toliaise with senior Occupational Therapists to ensure the smooth and effectiverunning of the Occupational Therapy service at an operational level on a dailybasis.

Youwill gain mentorship and support from the Occupational Therapy ClinicalSpecialists, especially those within stroke and complex care

The job role includesworking bank holidays and 7 day working as part of a roster system as required.

Key Duties:

To hold an activecaseload within Stroke, Neurology, Complex Care, within Occupational therapyacross both in and outpatient services.

This will include veryacute assessment and treatment of inpatients and providing advice and guidancefor less experience staff as well as less acute outpatient clinic based work.

To provideadvice/mentorship for bands 5 Occupational Therapists and assistants andstudents carrying an acute caseload, within stroke, neurology and complex care.

To be actively involvedin both direct and indirect supervision and teaching of junior staff.

To ensure that theOccupational Therapy service to patients trust wide maintains high professionalstandards, using evidence based assessment whenever possible.

To liaise regularlywith other agencies/professions as shown under key working relationships.

To attend andcontribute to relevant meetings both clinical and managerial, providingaccurate verbal or written reporting as appropriate.

To ensure all equipmentor written documentation is provided in a timely manner to facilitate patientsafety.

To carry out assessmentand treatment programmes for patients this will include the administration andinterpretation of standardised assessments.

To ensure that alldocumentation and data regarding patient care is completed in accordance withlocal, HCPC and College of Occupational Therapy standards.

To be able to safelyand effectively undertake the manual handling aspects of the role. This willinclude loading/unloading and transportation and fitting of equipment. Thiswill include lifting items up/down, pushing, pulling, stooping and bending. Theuse, handling and safety of hand tools and thermoplastics will also berequired.

To undertake any otherduties commensurate with the level/expertise of the post to ensure the smoothrunning of the Occupational Therapy service, this will include the treatment ofpatients on the wards, within the department or within the patients homeenvironment.

To be involved, asrequired, in the education of colleagues and students. To be a PracticeEducator and train Occupational Therapy students regularly.

To ensure yourprofessional/clinical knowledge is kept updated and attend appropriatetraining, demonstrating continued professional development and competency andencourage evidence based practice where appropriate

To participate in workstreams or audit, via the Occupational Therapy Clinical Governance group asrequired.

To apply nationalguidelines to the clinical setting.

To take an active rolein the maintenance of professional standards and the provision of a qualityservice using resources responsibly.

To work in liaison withthe Occupational Therapy manager and the Occupational Therapy ClinicalSpecialist to implement any agreed changes to service provision.

To be actively involvedin the recruitment of staffing within Occupational Therapy across the Trust asrequired.

To ensure safe workingpractice by adherence to Trust wide policies and procedures.

To comply with theHealth Care Professions Council registration requirements and maintain activeHCPC registration, and work to the Royal College of Occupational TherapistsStandards of Professional Practice.

To be able to traveland work countywide in support of the Occupational Therapy Service and workflexibly around core service hours.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy HCPC Registered Evidence of post graduate training in Neurology

Desirable

Practice educator Institute of leadership and Management Level 3/Coaching

Experience

Essential

Evidence of varied acute hospital experience Evidence of experience within acute NHS hospital based or community neurology/ stroke Experience of the administration and interpretation of commonly used standardised cognitive assessments. Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team. Experience of working with patients on fast track discharge/ complex discharge Evidence of experience of undertaking formal supervision with staff.

Desirable

Experience of administering and interpreting cognitive assessments such as the Rookwood driving screening Experience of upper limb bespoke splinting Experience in facilitating patient group work Experience of promoting the Occupational Therapy role within an MDT clinic setting

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Ability to clinically analyse and act appropriately on professional and ethical issues. Ability to administer and interpret standardised assessments. Ability to assess and form a treatment plan appropriate to the acute setting for patients with acquired brain injury.

Desirable

Practical application to splint patients with abnormal tone. Experience of working with Head injury patients. Experience of working with neurological conditions other than Stroke.

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