Band 7 Occupational Therapist

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full NHS terms and conditions

Relocation payment possible

Flexible working where possible

Job summary

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for a Band 7 Neurodevelopmental Pathway Clinical Specialist to lead specialist assessments and service development for children with autism spectrum conditions across Birmingham. The post offers clinical leadership within a dynamic MDT and flexible, hybrid working patterns.

You will join a multi-disciplinary team, delivering assessments, planning packages of care, and supporting staff development, with a focus on high-quality

Qualifications

• First degree level qualification, relevant to service area.
• HCPC Licence to practice.
• Evidence of recent CPD activities in specialist area.
• Masters post graduate qualification, relevant to service area.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out specialist assessments and developing programmes of care.
• Lead and support multi-disciplinary team in autism assessment & action plans.
• Provide clinical leadership and supervision to junior staff and students.
• Audit clinical practice and contribute to service development.
• Use telehealth and mobile IT to triage referrals and deliver care.

Job description

Find out more about applying to join Team BCHC.

Join our team

Community services are a key part of the NHS of the future. Be part ofthat future now.Join us and help achieve better care andhealthier communities.

A re you an innovative Occupational Therapist, excited about a new way of working within the NHS?

• Experienced in neurodevelopmental conditions and looking for a new challenge?
• Are you passionate about working with children?
• Do you want the opportunity to be part of a friendly and supportive Multidisciplinary Team?
• Do you want to work in a vibrant city with a range of multicultural communities and be part of an inclusive Trust which is keen to reduce health inequalities?

If you are looking for an exciting role, we want to meet you!

Come and join us to work within a fast developing, dynamic and pioneering Neurodevelopmental (ND) Team across the city of Birmingham, working alongside a range of professionals, including from children’s therapy, clinical psychology and medical colleagues, education and local authority partners.

We are looking for highly motivated and committed therapists with established skills in holistic, client-centred practice, for a number of posts at Band 7.
The successful candidates will be offering, evaluating and developing, assessment and support of children with neurodivergent conditions within a multi-disciplinary team. You will offer clinical leadership and support to more junior team members and students. You will already be trained to use a range of standardised autism assessments, as a member of the multi-disciplinary team. You will carry out audits of clinical practice and support the development of the service.

Main duties of the job

You will have strong clinical skills and a passion for working with children with SEND, with a specific interest and expertise in the assessment and diagnosis of Autism. You will have proven experience of successfully working with a range of children and young people, their families and others. You will have excellent communication and team working skills. You will be willing to work in a full range of locations across the city of Birmingham, as well as undertaking some assessments virtually.
To make effective use of our mobile working technology and IT systems, you will also have good IT skills.

We offer a friendly and supportive working environment with a strong emphasis on Clinical Supervision and CPD to support your development. We have robust supervision arrangements through our team of Senior Therapists and AHP Leads.
The Neurodevelopmental Team works as part of Inclusion Services within the Children and Families Division of Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. We work across the whole City, within a range of settings, thus requiring successful applicants to demonstrate a high level of flexibility.

We value our staff and advocate career progression internally. We encourage our staff to contribute to service development, and we welcome and value new ideas and experience.

Working for our organisation

Be Part of Our Team...

BCHC has more than 5000 staff working across Birmingham and the West Midlands in a wide range of community nursing and specialist healthcare roles. BCHC delivers over 100 clinical services, in people's homes, health centres, clinics and inpatient facilities. We deliver a wide range of services for children, young people and families as well as adults and community services, two community hospitals, services for people with learning disabilities, the internationally recognised West Midlands Rehab Centre and one of Europe’s leading Dental Hospitals and School of Dentistry. We deliver all of this with a commitment to integrated, personalised care that is rooted in our local communities. We have an ambition to deliver outstanding, integrated care as one of the key NHS providers in the West Midlands.

If you want to ‘Be Part of Our Team’ and work with a Foundation Trust which is continuously striving for best care and healthy communities, we want to hear from you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Carrying out specialist assessments in service area. Developing and implementing a range of programmes of care and treatment to meet the needs of the clients, families and their environments in accordance with agreed pathways and packages of care in specialist area
• Negotiating with multi-disciplinary team colleagues and carers with reference to case management of complex cases including instigating appropriate referrals as appropriate
• Using specialist knowledge to inform clinical judgments and decision making for highly complex cases including decisions to discharge
• Undertaking differential diagnosis of cases and contribute to overall decision-making for complex clients with a range of disorders as part of a team approach
• Identifying and planning appropriate intervention including delivering assessment and therapy in groups and one-to-one sessions, in accordance with the pathways & service agreed packages of care
• Taking responsibility for the delegation of therapy programmes to assistants acting as a mentor and supervisor in line with the local delegation policy
• Providing appropriate treatment based on best practice, adapted to client’s needs and priorities including advising other professionals and parent on the appropriate type and level of support needed to develop skills in the home / school environment
• The post holder will assess, provide and monitor the use of therapeutic equipment as required. This will involve liaising with other agencies, teaching parents or carers about health and safety issues surrounding the equipment to enable it’s safe use
• To triage referrals as required, ensuring that they meet the service referral criteria
• Using highly developed communication skills to explain complex and sensitive information from clinical assessment and therapy outcomes to clients, carers and multidisciplinary team members
• Adapting own communication style and methods for individual circumstances as required based on cultural, social and linguistic differences
• Offering training and second opinions in specialist area including communication and negotiation around complex case management
• Working closely with the Neurodevelopmental Services and AHP Lead and Operational Manager to address clinical issues and process matters related to the specialist area and identify opportunities for service transformation and innovation
• Ensuring the clinical quality aspects of the service delivery in specialist area are maintained and taking early action to manage any clinical risk as appropriate
• Leading in audits and reviews of evidence to underpin current practice within the Service
• Contributing to the measurement of outcomes, evaluation and updating of packages of care used within the service in specialist clinical area
• As requested, to use specialist knowledge together with analysis of relevant data in the clinical area in order to contribute in matters of service delivery in the specialist clinical area and provide evidence for clinical outcomes
• As requested, collecting and collating statistical data in specialist area
• Demonstrating understanding of the demands and the changing local and national context in which the service operates
• Assisting or leading, as requested, on the management of complaints and incidents at local level
• Contributing to discussions around setting the direction for the service including foreseeing risks and opportunities
• Linking in with regional & national colleagues via networks to benchmark best practice, build professional networks and bring practice back to the service to contribute to service planning within the specialist area
• Reviewing and interpreting research evidence relevant to specialist area and contributing to discussions on how to implement findings to the benefit of the service in line with service priorities
• Liaising with other professional groups, organisations or voluntary bodies external to the Trust as required
• Practising reflective learning and identifying and accessing appropriate Continuous Professional Development to work in accordance with professional standards and the Health Professions Council ‘Standards of Proficiency’
• Working autonomously prioritising in own work area, balancing all service-user area and professional demands
• Accessing the tools and support required to continue to develop the use of informatics and technology to deliver quality and cost-effective care
• Participate in the development of clinical protocols for use within the Service
• To participate in the operational planning and implementation of policy and service development in the Service in line with the Trust’s strategic objectives
• To participate in the development and application of National Guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care in practice, contributing to protocol development through participation in national organisations

Person specification

Qualifications

• First degree level qualification, relevant to service area
• HCPC Licence to practice
• Evidence of recent relevant CPD activities in specialist area
• Relevant training in specialist area e.g. post graduate dysphagia qualification, Sensory-Integration, neurological rehabilitation
• Relevant training in clinical leadership
• Full Membership of Professional body , relevant to service area
• Masters post graduate qualification, relevant to service area
• Full Membership of Professional body , relevant to service area

Experience

• Extensive experience of diagnostic assessment and intervention in specialist area of service
• Extensive experience of working as a specialist therapist with children and families in a range of multi-disciplinary and / or multi-agency teams in Local Authority and Health settings
• Extensive experience of managing a mixed and complex caseload of children and young people with a range of developmental disorders and delays
• Significant experience of managing safeguarding concerns and an understanding of local processes
• Relevant experience of using leadership skills for service development
• Significant experience in providing support and supervision to colleagues and other professionals
• Extensive experience of providing complex written and verbal information to others to a high standard
• Significant experience of delivering successful/effective training to a range of qualified professionals in the area of specialism

Skills & Knowledge

• Competent in using electronic systems relevant to practice in the Trust and in the clinical area

In accordance with UK Home Office requirements, Band 2 clinical and non-clinical roles and Band 3 Non-Clinical roles are not eligible for sponsorship.

Please note that the majority of non-clinical roles (Agenda for Change Band 3 - 6) with the exception of those which appear on this list - link , will not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK.

All non-clinical roles (Agenda for Change Bands 7 - 9) that meet the prescribed skill level (RQF 6) and salary threshold will be eligible for sponsorship.

The Trust will accept applications from candidates who can evidence their right to work in the UK or via alternative visa routes.

Disability Confident Employer and Guaranteed Interview Scheme

BCHC offers a guaranteed interview to any candidate who is Disabled, Neurodiverse, has a hidden or long term health condition as recognised under the Equality Act 2010, providing they meet the essential criteria of the job role, as set out in the person specification. We encourage applicants to submit their applications and to request any reasonable adjustments where required.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As part of our ongoing commitment to being a Great Place to Work, we actively foster and support a workplace culture that is inclusive and equitable for all staff, patients and service users.

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcomed and valued. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with diverse abilities, experiences, and perspectives.

We are also dedicated to supporting the career progression of colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds into this role and more senior roles within the Division and the wider organisation.

Promoting Workforce Equality

In response to data held by BCHC which demonstrates that individuals from particular protected characteristics are under-represented, BCHC are striving to redress these imbalances. In order to do this, the Trust is committed to the employment and career development of individuals with these protected characteristics. As part of this commitment and given this under-representation, the Trust guarantees an interview to any applicants from under-represented groups for positions at Band 8a and above whose application meets the essential criteria for the post as detailed on the Person Specification.

The Trust is currently under-represented in terms of people who identify as Black, Minority Ethnic (BME) and welcomes applicants from these communities. Selection will be on the basis of merit. In order to ensure the diversity of our workforce and understand the differing needs of our communities, the Trust is committed to the principles of Positive Action.

DBS Costs

Please be aware that all new employees starting work with the Trust will be charged for the cost of their DBS check if it is required for the role. The cost will be deducted from your salary in 3 payments over a 3-month period once you start employment. By applying for this role, you are agreeing to these deductions being made. The charges for the DBS include the administration fee. The total costs are £26.40 for a standard check and £54.40 for an enhanced check. The level of check will be determined by the post you are applying for. For bank Workers the full cost of the DBS check (as detailed above) will be deducted from your pay following completion of your online mandatory training. No payment will be made for your online training until it is all complete and verified by the Temporary Staffing Team. Please note: You will not be able to work any bank shifts until you have completed your mandatory training, and your DBS is in place.

Flexible Working

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) supports a variety of flexible working practices and, where possible (given our range of services and community settings) dependent upon the requirements associated with the role, will actively consider requests made and support these where practically possible. This may include hybrid patterns of working to enable colleagues to request the flexibility of a mixture of home/base working.

In accordance with the NHS People Promise, the Trust is committed to facilitating a healthy work/life balance that is essential to health and wellbeing and to making BCHC a ‘Great Place to Work’. We will be happy to discuss and consider all requests relating to working patterns and hours at your interview so please do ask!

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust acknowledges Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Generative AI (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini etc; are powerful tools that can help you in various stages of your job application and how they can be used in certain circumstances during your application process with BCHC. You can read more about acceptable use on our internet pages here

Benefits of working for us:

• Full NHS terms and conditions including extensive holidays, Agenda for Change pay with enhancements
• Attractive relocation payment if you relocate to the local area.
• Discounts for local and national retailers
• Dedicated well-being services for all employees
• Flexible working where possible

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Natalie Pountney Job title Neurodevelopmental Pathway Clinical Specialist Email address [e-mail]

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust
3, Priestley Wharf
Holt Street
Birmingham Science Park
B7 4BN

Office hours: Monday to Friday: 8.30 am - 5.00 pm

Our patients and their carers and families are the reason we're here, so we want to hear your views about the Trust and our services.