Occupational Therapist

Job summary

This is an excitingopportunity to be part of our new Occupational Therapy Rotational posts in acommunity setting. Initially these band 5 rotations will include Halton Wheelchairservices, Warrington Community Neurorehabilitation, and Driving Assessment Teamswith the possibility of further rotations including Childrens Therapies beingadded in the future.

The post holders willgain experience in each service of between 6 and 9 months during theserotations, and develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of OccupationalTherapy interventions relevant to specialist services in a community setting. Thesuccessful candidates will need an Occupational Therapy qualification; however,we would like to open the invitation to apply to students who are currentlystudying for a degree in Occupational Therapy and who are scheduled to qualifylater this year

Main duties of the job

To competentlycarry out full consultations with patients under your care to establish baseline data.

To effectivelyexamine and assess patients, identify their problems, and needs and ensure thatpatients medical, psychological, social, environmental, and cultural factorsare taken in to account.

To identify areasof occupational performance and skill deficit in all functional activities ofdaily life.

Utiliseexamination and assessment findings to competently plan and carry out realisticprogrammes of treatment from a range of therapeutic options appropriate to eachpatient using evidence-based practice working towards clearly defined goals.

To be able torelate finding of assessment to presenting disease/pathology or underlyingcause.

To setappropriate treatment aims and objectives in negotiation with the patient.

To be able togive appropriate advice ensuring patients understanding, cooperation,compliance, and consent.

To be able toadjust your approach if the patient has communication or cognitive problems.

To facilitatesafe and timely patient discharge where required and to determine outcome ofoccupational therapy management of the patient.

Plan andprioritise your own workload.

Access advice andsupport from senior therapists as required as part of training and ContinuingProfessional

To concentratefrequently when undertaking patient assessments and providing care.

About us

Flexible working will be considered for all roles.

Unfortunately, we do not hold a sponsor licence for working Visas.

At Bridgewater, our PEOPLE values shape how we deliver ourNHS services in your local community.

They help us deliver our mission to improve local health andpromote wellbeing in the communities we serve.

After all, values are about people and they werecreated in partnership with our staff to reflect what they felt was importantto them

Here at Bridgewater our shared values flow through the organisation.

P - Person-centred-We are passionate about individual needs andpromote independence in the healthcare we provide..

E - Empowered- We empower our people and encourage new ideas to deliver and create improvements in community care.

O - Open and Honest -We behave in a way that develops relationshipsbased on trust, openness, honesty and respect.

P - Professional-We support our people, so everyone has the rightskills and training to deliver outstanding patient care.

L - Locally Lead -We are always learning about our communities andshow great pride in being a local provider of health and care.

E - Efficient -We use our resources wisely to providesustainable and value for money healthcare for our patients.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Tocompetently carry out full consultations with patients under your care toestablish base line data.

Toeffectively examine and assess patients, identify their problems, and needs andensure that patients medical, psychological, social, environmental, andcultural factors are taken in to account.

Toidentify areas of occupational performance and skill deficit in all functionalactivities of daily life.

Utiliseexamination and assessment findings to competently plan and carry out realisticprogrammes of treatment from a range of therapeutic options appropriate to eachpatient using evidence-based practice working towards clearly defined goals.

To beable to relate finding of assessment to presenting disease/pathology orunderlying cause.

To setappropriate treatment aims and objectives in negotiation with the patient.

To beable to give appropriate advice ensuring patients understanding, cooperation, compliance,and consent.

To beable to adjust your approach if the patient has communication or cognitiveproblems.

Tofacilitate safe and timely patient discharge where required and to determineoutcome of occupational therapy management of the patient.

Planand prioritise your own workload.

Accessadvice and support from senior therapists as required as part of training andContinuing Professional

Toconcentrate frequently when undertaking patient assessments and providing care.

Tosensitively impart unwelcome or bad news with regards to care outcomes, whichmay involve treating distressed patients.

To communicate information from the assessmentand treatment to clients, carers, other family members, members of themulti-disciplinary team and other professions and partner agencies.

Tomonitor and review occupational therapy care plans against outcome measures andadjust care plans to facilitate achievement of goals.

Toattend patient related meetings as appropriate , case conferences,discharge planning meetings and patient review meetings, education reviews,ensuring effective communication of the patients occupational therapy needs,thus ensuring a well-co-ordinated and comprehensive care plan.

Toparticipate in the weekend and/or 7day working rota if appropriate for thatteam.

To becompetent in treating patients on an individual basis as well as in a group/class setting.

Withinrehabilitation (if assigned into this team) be the key worker for individualpatients, acting as a main point of contact and information giver for thepatient, their family and carers, coordinating delivery of care plan includingorganisation and leading goal setting meetings, case conferences and dischargeplanning, often involving agencies outside of the Trust where applicable.

To beresponsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive records of assessmentand treatment in line with British Association of Occupational Therapy andRoyal College of Occupational Therapy national standards and local policy.

To befamiliar with the Trust and Directorate organisational structure and lines ofcommunication.

Toestablish a rapport and demonstrate empathy towards patients and carers andgive effective advice to patients, staff, and carers who maybe under stress.

To beable to effectively communicate complex condition related information topatients and relatives/carers.

Toensure understanding of conditions, prognosis, consent to treatment andrehabilitation outcomes, these will include explanations re chronic/disablingconditions and possible poor outcome and response to treatment.

Tomaintain up to date written/electronic records and statistical data,documenting and registering these in line with professional and Trustrequirements.

To beable to sensitively impart unwelcome news/information of a difficult /sensitivenature to patients and relatives/carers.

Tomaintain a calm, professional approach to all duties.

Toexhibit a committed attitude to all aspects of their work.

Tocontribute to the development of a range of evidence based educational resources.

Tocommunicate with patients and their families/carers to gain consent totreatment and to agree/inform expected treatment outcomes.

Tocommunicate effectively both verbally and in writing with internal and externalagencies, , consultants, GPs, schools, community staff, nurses, socialservices and support services about patient care, including professionalclinical reports.

Todeal with initial complaints sensitively avoiding escalation where possible,seeking advice and referring to senior staff as required.

Towork with link workers or interpreters as necessary during assessment andtreatment to overcome barriers of communication.

To produce with supportof senior staff information/advice/exercise information based on evidence-basedpractise for patients/relatives/carers in accordance with the Trust informationgroup and line manager.

To overcome barriers tocommunication using a range of verbal, non-verbal and listening skills. Thiswill include patients with hearing difficulties, visual difficulties, memoryloss and confusion, behavioural problems, limited English, and patients/carersunable to accept diagnosis.

Monitorand supervise therapy assistants as delegated by senior staff with access toadvice as required.

Contributeto the development and supervision of occupational therapy students on clinicalplacement in the absence of their designated supervisors or as delegated.

Toexplain the role of occupational therapy to visitors, students, volunteers andat events , career conventions.

Toprovide peer support and contribute to peer support meetings.

Tocontribute to the implementation of service objectives/business plan.

Delegatepatients treatment programmes to occupational therapy assistants andundergraduate students in consultation with senior therapists.

Providecover for senior specialist occupational therapy staff during absence andorganising the caseload.

Tomanage and prioritise a defined caseload independently, seeking advice fromsenior staff within the specialty as appropriate.

Tomanage workload and time appropriately with occasionally support.

Tofacilitate and plan for discharge as appropriate and liaise withmultidisciplinary colleagues within own organisation and with external agenciesto achieve a safe discharge and provision of continued treatment and care whererequired.

Tocontribute with multidisciplinary team, colleagues, and managers to the AHPservice wide initiatives which address specific issues relating to overallservice delivery , teaching and development group, improving working lives.

Education/Development

Tomaintain up to date Health and Care Professions Council registration.

Toidentify and achieve personal development objectives set in conjunction withthe supervisor as part of the Continuing Professional Development/appraisalprocess, maintaining an up to date Continuing Professional

Development portfolio.

Tomaintain the skills and knowledge required of a rotational occupationaltherapist through reflective practice and attendance at team in-servicetraining, informal teaching, relevant national courses, clinical specialistinterest groups and other clinical meetings.

Participatein the development and delivery of formal and informal training to other healthcare professionals, other agencies, and service users.

Toundertake Trust and local mandatory training.

Management of Resources

Beresponsible for the safe issue of equipment for patient use under your care

Tohave delegated responsibility for the security and safe use of equipment andmedical devices within treatment sessions, reporting and removing from use anyfaulty equipment.

Tohave responsibility for own personal safety and that of patients and personnelwithin the department.

Tomaintain up to date knowledge of local policies and best practice guidancepertaining to equipment provision and personal competence in the use of thisequipment , walking aids/wheelchairs/hoists/ADL equipment /patientappliances.

Contributeto stock control system in own service area.

Toobserve lone working policy when working as a lone practitioner in thecommunity

Research and Audit Clinical Effectiveness

Toparticipate in service research, clinical effectiveness, and audit projectsunder guidance of senior staff.

Togather data for other research projects, clinical audits, quality assurancestandards etc in line with the service/team clinical effectiveness agenda.

Utiliseevidence-based practice, audits and published research to inform practice.

Policy

Towork within the Health and Care Professions Council standards of conduct andproficiency

Toadhere to Trust and departmental health and safety policies.

Tocomply with the Royal College of Occupational Therapy Professional standardsfor Occupational Therapy practice, conduct and ethics.

Toobserve patient confidentiality in compliance with the Data Protection Act andCaldicott recommendations.

Tocomply with the Trust Risk Management policies

Tooperate within local and national policies and procedures

Tocomply with all infection control policies and procedures as set out in theTrust Infection Control manual.

To ensurethat Child Protection, Vulnerable Adult and Mental Health legislation isadhered to in accordance with Safeguarding policies.

Administrative

Tocomplete manual and computerised statistical returns which meet both legal andservice standards.

Toundertake routine administrative tasks , booking appointments, arrangingpatient transport, booking vehicles to ensure smooth service delivery.

Toattend and contribute to relevant team/service meetings.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Recognised BSC Honours degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent Health and Care Professions Council registration

Desirable

Registered member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists

Experience

Essential

Experience of the NHS healthcare system (or equivalent healthcare system) Experience within acute, rehabilitation and community settings Evidence of Continual Professional Development Experience of and commitment to interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary team working as well as with partner agencies. Aware of the principles of audit, research, clinical effectiveness and evidence-based practice.

Desirable

Ability to carry out risk assessments

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge and experience of occupational therapy assessment and treatment approaches and techniques Knowledge of local and national policies and procedures , Manual Handling, Royal College of Occupational Therapists Professional standards for Occupational Therapy practice, conduct and ethics/Health and Care Professionals Council standards of conduct, performance and ethics, Information Governance, Health and Safety, Infection Control, CPR, Equality and Diversity, SEND Demonstrate knowledge of safeguarding practices relevant to the clinical areas

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills Good organisational / planning / prioritisation skills Demonstrate complex dexterity and therapeutic handling skills Ability to motivate and negotiate to encourage reluctant and challenging patients Ability to work as part of a team Flexible attitude Able to handle sensitive situations Well-developed concentration, analytical and problem-solving skills where there may be a range of different straight forward options. Able to work autonomously with ability to seek guidance appropriately with individuals or in a group setting Ability to reflect and critically appraise own practise. Effective written communication skills , clinical records, reports to other health care professionals and external agencies. Empathetic and able to deliver unpleasant news to patients and their families Able to adapt to working in different specialties and different environments (, community working, paediatrics Able to maintain sustained regular manual handling skills and therapeutic manoeuvres Safe and effective handling of unpleasant substances/environments on an occasional basis. Able to participate in the evening and weekend rotas Ability to move freely around the Bridgewater area

Desirable

Presentation skills Word processing and IT skills Driving licence and use of own vehicle for community staff

Sponsorship

Essential

Do you have the right to stay and work in the UK without sponsorship (share-codes will be checked if applicable), please state this on your application form.

Relations

Essential

If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship in your application form.

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