About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, dynamic, and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist with excellent multidisciplinary communication to join the Trauma and Orthopaedic Occupational Therapy team at Derriford Hospital.
This post is integral to the delivery of a high standard of therapeutic care and is integral to the multidisciplinary team's ability to provide smooth and appropriate discharge planning with the wider community MDT. The successful candidate will work as an experienced clinician across the Trauma and Elective Orthopaedic wards.
The successful candidate must be registered and have experience in the acute environment, and be able to demonstrate an appropriate level of personal autonomy & clinical skill. You must have good interpersonal skills, work well in a multidisciplinary team environment, and be willing to support the Team Lead in delivering a specialist occupational therapy service in challenging times.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
To perform a specialist Occupational Therapy role to a comprehensive Occupational Therapy service to the patients on the Trauma and Elective Orthopaedic wards. This includes carrying out a range of functional and cognitive assessments.
Be part of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that Occupational Therapy input is integral to the patient's overall care and discharge.
To deputise for the Team Lead when necessary.
Will be required to work on the 7-day rota (1 in 4 weekends)
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY.
If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100.
We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date.
If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description Job responsibilities
Clinical
1. Ensure the patients, relatives and those the therapist comes into contact with are aware of the role of the Occupational Therapist and components of the Occupational Therapy treatment programme.
2. Obtain informed consent from the patient, and work within the current legal framework for patients who lack capacity to consent, prior to commencing any treatment.
3. Select from a wide range of standardised and non-standardised assessments to assess and aid diagnosis of cognitive, perceptual, behavioural, physical and social functioning of the patients referred. This includes, but is not limited to social environmental interview, cognitive & perceptual tests, personal care assessments, kitchen assessments, feeding assessments.
4. Make reliable interpretations of the assessment results, in order to inform other professionals in the diagnosis and management of the patients. Also to guide the Occupational Therapy treatment plan, and for the recommendation of the discharge destinations/placements.
5. Plan, deliver and review treatment programmes in close liaison with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, patients, carers and family in accordance with any consent given. Addressing areas such as disease management, sensory, motor, splinting, psychosocial needs and functional abilities.
6. Carry out environmental home assessments, pre-discharge home assessments, discharge home assessments and follow-up visits, as required. Assess the patient carrying out functional skills to maximise independent living, arranging equipment provision, adaptations and support services as required. Assess for disability access and safety, also ensuring access to community resources and assessing carer needs.
7. Assess for and provide aids and adaptive equipment to increase / enable independent function, teaching compensatory techniques as required. These include but are not limited to feeding, dressing, leisure activities and employment. Responsible for providing information and instruction for the safe use of the items provided.
8. Raise requisitions for minor adaptation and OT equipment on behalf of the OT Department.
9. Assess for wheelchairs & specialist seating as appropriate, referring on to wheelchair / seating clinic if required.
10. Responsible to plan, deliver and review treatment programmes in close liaison with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, patients, carers and family in accordance with any consent given.
11. Assess, fabricate and monitor thermoplastic splints for patients as appropriate.
12. Review, record and report regularly on patients treatment and progress to the multi-disciplinary team in accordance with the policies and procedures in individual clinical areas, whilst ensuring confidentiality at all times.
13. Complex discharge planning, which involves identifying patients and carers needs, and the co-ordination of services in the community, to address the diverse and complex presentation and needs of patients, e.g. arranging the provision of hoist equipment for discharge.
14. Actively participate, liaise and ensure good communication with the MDT, carers, social care, statutory and voluntary bodies to establish a comprehensive discharge package to ensure continuation of care in the community. This includes providing written communication to support the need for services and equipment.
15. Liaise effectively with other hospitals, rehabilitation centres etc. as necessary, when patients are transferred.
16. Provide Patient/Carer Education/Advice. Ensuring patients understand the detail or complexity of the impact of injury or disease and physical and emotional deficits on patients safety and independence in the hospital, home, leisure and workplace.
17. Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, e.g. patient may be depressed, deaf, or who may be unable to accept the diagnosis/prognosis
18. Utilizing interpersonal skills, demonstrating empathy and involving patients in their treatment, in order to achieve the treatment goal.
19. Provide appropriate advice and support to patients following terminal diagnosis in liaison with the MDT and specialist services including the Oncology Specialist Nurse and Palliative Care Teams.
20. Impart sensitive information and advice to patients and carers, which could have life changing consequences, in conjunction with multi-disciplinary team. Demonstrate and apply a broad level of understanding to the effect of hospitalisation and disability.
21. Attend and participate in case conferences, whiteboard meetings and MDTs appropriate to the clinical setting.
22. Responsible to maintain competence in the use of moving and handling techniques and equipment, required for the management of highly dependent patients.
23. Prioritise day-to-day management of own caseload, delegating activities to junior staff where appropriate.
24. Undertake responsibility of the line management of specific staff. Assist and take responsibility for the organising, support and supervision of Band 5 Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Students and Occupational Therapy Assistants within the Team, as required.
25. Responsible for the allocation and organisation of workload within this Team, when the Team Leader is off duty.
26. Adopt a flexible approach in the provision of clinical cover during the absence of other therapists within the team or department.
27. Responsible to take action to ensure defective equipment is withdrawn from service, and report the defects to the OT Manager.
28. Contribute to the evaluation and introduction of assessment / treatment media / equipment / tools being used within the team.
For further details please see the attached JD & PS
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience Essential
To have extensive demonstrable experience in an acute hospital setting. To have demonstrable experience within a large clinical setting. To have worked with a wide range of orthopaedic & medical conditions. To have proven knowledge & demonstrable experience of OT assessments and interventions relevant to these patient groups, demonstrated by advanced clinical reasoning. To have demonstrable experience of managing own caseload. To have demonstrable experience of working with other members of the MDT.
Desirable
To have attended postgraduate training and courses related to this post. To have demonstrable experience of supervising and appraising staff of all grades. To have demonstrable experience in teaching other members of the MDT team both internal and external settings. To have demonstrable experience in delivering patient education. To have completed clinical supervisor training. To have demonstrable experience of supervising student occupational therapist.
Qualifications Essential
Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy. To be registered with the Health & Care Professions Council.
Desirable
To have qualification / study day attendance in relevant clinical areas.
Aptitude & Abilities Essential
To have good communication skills, written and verbal, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness at all levels, including for patients with hearing difficulties, cognitive impairment and aggressive / challenging behaviour. To have effective influencing skills in general and with senior health care professionals. To be interested in promoting independence. To have understanding of confidentiality. To have the ability in attend to details To have good time management skills To have effective organisational and prioritization skills. To be computer literate.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Address OT Dept
Derriford Hospital, Derriford Road,
Plymouth
PL6 8DH
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)