Hand Therapist

NTH Solutions llp; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Tees is seeking a hand therapist to join the North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Therapy Service. You will deliver expert assessment and management for hand and wrist conditions, and contribute to orthotics manufacture where needed.

You will work with a wide MDT, deliver patient-centred treatment plans, and support clinics. A postgraduate hand therapy qualification and HCPC registration are essential, with splinting experience preferred.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in hand therapy, MSK rehabilitation, or related field.
• Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy.
• Current HCPC registration.
• Accredited hand therapy courses or equivalent specialist training.
• Membership of the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT).
• Significant post-registration experience in hand therapy, orthopaedics, trauma, or MSK services.
• Experience of splinting and orthotic provision.
• Experience assessing and treating a wide range of hand and upper limb conditions.

Responsibilities

• Develop effective communication and good working relationships with the MDT, outside agencies, families and carers.
• Plan and organise efficiently and effectively with regard to patients’ management and use of time.
• Be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work, including patient management.
• Undertake comprehensive assessment of patients in hand and wrist rehabilitation and formulate individualized management plans.
• Lead advanced assessment and treatment for complex/chronic hand conditions, including orthoses when relevant.
• Provide advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and professionals to promote understanding of therapy aims.

Skills

Communication in MDT

Independent clinical decision-making

Splinting and orthotics

MSK rehab knowledge

Advanced hand therapy skills

Clinical reasoning

Education

Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy

Postgraduate hand therapy qualification

Current HCPC registration

BAHT membership or equivalent

Job description

Find out about the current vacancies available at the Trust and take the next step in your career with us.

The post holder will be part of the North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Therapy Service providing high quality care to patients with hand and wrist conditions, that have been assessed by the Advanced Assessment MSK team or who require rehabilitation following hand and wrist trauma or surgery.

To demonstrate highly developed ability to prescribe and manufacture orthotics as appropriate to individual needs

To demonstrate advanced knowledge of assistive equipment and support services, which are available to meet patients’ needs and pro-actively work alongside provider services to ensure patients receive the support they require

To ensure that therapy interventions support patient choice and that treatment plans demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention and record the patient’s experience

To provide expert therapy support to specifically identified consultant clinics (Hand Trauma Clinics) and a broad range of clinical staff where relevant and appropriate

To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding of the aims of therapy, and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be required to develop effective communication and good working relationships with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, outside agencies, families and carers.

To be responsible for a designated area of work, as agreed with the Clinical Team Lead and to plan and organise efficiently and effectively with regard to patients’ management and use of time

To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management and support junior and senior staff to do likewise

To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, within the speciality of the rehabilitation of the wrist and hand, using investigative and analytical skills, and to formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using advanced clinical reasoning, and utilising a wide range of treatment skills and options to formulate a specialised programme of care

The post holder will take a lead role in the advanced assessment and treatment of patients within the speciality who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, and to determine clinical intervention/ treatment indicated which will include the manufacturing of orthoses where relevant and appropriate

Working for our organisation

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust have come together to form University Hospitals Tees. As a result, post holders may be required to work across sites within both organisations.

Across University Hospitals Tees, our ambition is to be the best place to work, ensuring we have the right staff in the right roles at the right time to deliver outstanding patient care and experience.

We are committed to supporting our staff through an inclusive and supportive working environment, offering health and wellbeing initiatives, staff benefits, and opportunities for personal and professional development.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive recruitment process and welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates, including those who first language is not English.

We support the 'Making Every Contact Count' approach to behaviour change in the promotion of health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job

Participate in review of own performance regularly and development of personal development plan at least every 12 months

The post holder must comply with the organisational/departmental policies and procedures and be involved in the reviewing/updating as appropriate

To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters

To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, within the speciality of the rehabilitation of the wrist and hand, using investigative and analytical skills, and to formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using advanced clinical reasoning, and utilising a wide range of treatment skills and options to formulate a specialised programme of care

The post holder will take a lead role in the advanced assessment and treatment of patients within the speciality who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, and to determine clinical intervention/ treatment indicated which will include the manufacturing of orthoses where relevant and appropriate

Person specification

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in hand therapy, MSK rehabilitation, or related field
• Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
• Current HCPC registration
• Accredited hand therapy courses or equivalent specialist training
• Membership of the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT)
• Significant post-registration experience in hand therapy, orthopaedics, trauma, or MSK services
• Experience of splinting and orthotic provision
• Experience assessing and treating a wide range of hand and upper limb conditions.

Important Once sufficient applications have been received this vacancy may close early.

Disclosure and Barring Checks (DBS)

It is the policy of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, that all successful candidates who are new to the Trust who require DBS clearance for the post they have been offered, are required to pay the cost for their DBS certificate. The method of payment for this is via salary deduction from your first month's pay on commencement with the Trust. The DBs check will be undertaken during the pre-employment check screening.

Qualifications Please note the essential qualifications required for the post are outlined within the Person Specification. You are required to provide original evidence of the necessary qualifications for the post at interview should you be shortlisted. You will also be required to provide original copies as part of the pre-employment check screening.

New Starters – Probationary Period

For any new employees commencing employment with North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, you will be subject to satisfactory completion of a 6 month probationary period. Please note that internal applications and individuals that are appointed to fixed term appointments of less than 6 months duration are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or a bank member of staff).

Employment References

As part of our pre-employment screening process, all applicants are required to provide references covering their last three years employment history including any gaps. Applicants are requested to ensure e-mail addresses for all referees are included on their application form. Personal references are not acceptable.

Working Hours

If the hours advertised for the post are up to full time (37.5 hours per week), applications are still welcomed from individuals who may be seeking to work less than full-time hours and all requests will be considered in line with the post being appointed to for the successful applicant.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Everything we do is shaped by our values: Respect, Support, and Collaborate.

At University Hospitals Tees we want our workspaces to be places where everyone feels welcome, valued and safe. We treat people with respect, and we celebrate the differences that make each of us unique.

We welcome applications from everyone, no matter your age, background, race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family circumstances or beliefs.

We are here to support you throughout your application and at every stage of your career with us. We believe we work best when we collaborate, learn from each other and build teams that reflect the communities we serve.

Disability

We are a Disability Confident Lead employer. This means we give fair and full consideration to applicants and will offer reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. If you need help with your application, or need the information in a different format, please contact our recruitment team and we will support you.

Right to Work in the UK

The Trust welcomes applications from all candidates who meet the criteria for the role. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless they have permission to work via another route. Non UK/RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk )

Please provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process.

Please note that not everyone needs a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa. If you are applying for health or social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.

As a supporter of the Armed Forces and an employer of Reservists, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust are proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise by the nation to ensure that those who serve or who have served in the UK Armed Forces (and their families) are treated fairly.

We recognise that reservists and veterans bring a variety of transferable skills and qualities to our workplace, developed through their military careers. Our commitment to supporting the Armed Forces Community has been recognised through the Armed Forces Covenant as a Silver Employer.

Further Important Information

Please check your email on a regular basis for updates on your application. If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be invited to email via this method.

Please ensure you read the ‘Guidance Notes for Applicants’ document attached to this advert before completing and submitting your application.

Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to all applicants and those who are not contacted within six weeks of the closing date should assume that their application has been unsuccessful.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.