Lead Occupational Therapist

NHS; Swaffham; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job description

Job summary

Are you an enthusiastic and experienced Occupational Therapist, with a passion for providing and developing high quality coordinated health, care and community services for local people? An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist to join the West Norfolk Place, you will provide professional and clinical leadership within the Integrated Therapy Teams for West Norfolk.

You will provide clinical leadership and support to our integrated Community Nursing and Therapy and Supported Care (Urgent Community Response) Teams. You will work closely with our established Clinical Lead OT, Physio and Nurses, with support from managers, Operational and Quality Leads on every shift.

You will be proactive in developing excellent working relationships within the teams, as well as with stakeholders across the Integrated Care Board, including Social Services, Primary Care Networks, and the voluntary sector.

This is a wonderful opportunity for an experienced therapist to progress with their career in a supportive environment.

If you have good leadership skills, feel that you are ready for a Band 7 role within Occupational Therapy, are passionate about teamwork and service improvement, and are committed to delivering a high standard of care, we look forward your application.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, and be able to prioritise and manage own workload using their own initiative to include the following:

• Clinically lead, clinically coordinate and develop the provision of an effective and efficient integrated care service for patients primarily in the older adult population who have multiple co-morbidities within the primary care networks in West Place.
• Provide day to day clinical leadership, clinical support and clinical supervision of the Occupational Therapy (OT) staff within the integrated teams, as well as supporting the Clinical Operations Managers and Operational Lead to provide a seamless service right across the patient pathway.
• Support the effective triaging of patients referred to our teams on a daily basis, supporting the coordination of care delivery across the patient pathway.
• Provide expert clinical holistic assessment and evidence based pro-active and reactive health care interventions to support patients and their carers to achieve maximum health, wellbeing and independence.

About us

Swaffham and Downham are beautiful rural Norfolk towns and the Norfolk coast is a car ride away. We work in integrated teams to provide the best care possible for people living in West Norfolk.

In West Place, as elsewhere in NCHC, we have an open and supportive culture, recognised by the CQC and other external regulators. We want you to thrive, offering you every opportunity to develop. We will support you; help you fulfil your ambitions with a varied and flexible training programme; and empower you to make positive changes within your teams and services. We endeavour to offer an attractive work-life balance, with flexibility in our approach to help you get the most out of your career.

Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an 'Outstanding' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.

Date posted: 15 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 839-7131174-BM

Job locations: Swaffham Community Hospital, Sporle Road, Swaffham, PE37 7HL

Job description Job responsibilities

Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role.

Clinical

The post holder will:

• Undertake comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessments of patients including those with a complex presentation, using investigative, analytical and clinical reasoning skills, and formulate a graded treatment plan.
• Formulate and execute individualised occupational therapy treatment plans of patients including those with complex presentation, in collaboration with the integrated team, other agencies and the patient, utilising a range of treatment skills.
• Provide assessment of functional ability and safety of patients in the community to identify care, equipment, adaptation and therapy needs.
• Assess and plan treatment including teaching patients to utilise techniques and equipment to maximise their functional ability.
• Be aware of Assistive Technology and make referrals for this as required.
• Assess patients holistic needs, communicating complex and sensitive information to patients and carers as to their assessment, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan.
• Where there are barriers to understanding, such as hearing impairment, mental capacity impairment and other difficulties in comprehension, explanations require adjustments in order to gain understanding, consent and concordance.
• Be required to use tact and persuasive skills in order to gain the patients co-operation in their treatment plan.
• Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionals and the voluntary sector to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
• To participate in multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings as appropriate, e.g. Gold Standard Framework
• Be responsible for ensuring workload for self and others is planned and prioritised according to service targets and needs.
• Ensure own paperwork and clinical records are maintained, and those maintained by the team.
• Plan and organise specialist services within the integrated teams.
• Provide clinical expertise and advice to others, including Social Services, GPs and other agencies.
• Ensure activity data and clinical information is recorded on SystmOne and completed on a daily basis
• Demonstrate dexterity and co-ordination for assessment and when using specialist equipment and fine tools, manual and mobilising skills.
• Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
• Ensure informed consent is obtained prior to initiating interventions.
• Will be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products on a daily basis, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.

Professional

The post holder will:

• Be required to undertake risk assessments and act upon them appropriately.
• Contribute to the staff rota on a monthly basis.
• Contribute to the supervision of workload within the integrated team.
• Actively contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings and other meetings where appropriate, and chair meeting in the absence of the Team Leader.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships and communication with all members of the organisation, other professionals and agencies.
• Instigate, and actively participate with the Team Leader in the development of the operational strategy and project management.
• Contribute to working groups within the business unit and organisation.
• Support all team members within the integrated team, respecting them, their roles and contributions.
• Ensure effective use of resources, both financial and human, by members of the team.
• To actively perform absence management, submitting forms in a timely manner, as per the Trusts Policy
• Participate in the recruitment process, using the opportunity to skill mix to meet the demands of the service.
• Attend in-house training as required to develop current job role.
• Will be able to drive to patients homes, clinics, base and meetings etc, as required.
• Be responsible for safe use and maintenance of equipment and supplies.
• Remain accountable for own professional actions as determined by the professional bodies.
• Participate in evidence based practice, using research methodology.
• Produce induction programme for students and new starters.
• Be aware of budget and ensure all effort is made to work within this.
• Ensure working environment is conducive for learning, and an appropriate learning experience for students.
• Will be required to demonstrate own duties to students, new starters and/or less experienced staff.
• Provide mentorship for students undertaking pre/post registration course.
• Provide advice/training to less experienced staff and supervise and support band 3 and 4 staff, and students where appropriate.
• Mentor existing staff and provide training in specialist area as appropriate.
• Demonstrate basic IT/standard keyboard skills.
• Be accountable for work delegated to others

Organisational

The post holder will:

• Undertake mandatory training as required.
• Participate in own annual Personal Development Review.
• Undertake Personal Development Plans for other staff members.
• Take part in clinical supervision as per Trust Policy.
• Follow all Trust policies, local procedures, and use discretion in interpreting them according to the setting and circumstances.
• Implement policies for the service, proposing changes to these, and advising other external agencies about these changes or developments.
• Ensure absence reporting is undertaken as determined by Team Leader and Trust Policy.
• Contribute to clinical audit as required.
• Complete the staff survey as required.
• Complete risk assessments and incident forms as required.
• Be aware of performance and contribute as required.
• Understand the Governance agenda and contribute as required.
• Be aware of contractual arrangements, local and national, ensuring targets are met.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma or 1st level degree in Occupational Therapy, or equivalent experience
• Current HCPC registration
• Clinical Educators course

Desirable

• Masters degree

Knowledge, skills and Ability

Essential

• Experience of working at relevant level
• Knowledge of additional specialist areas through in-house training & short courses
• Demonstrates good clinical and professional leadership skills
• Good communicator
• Highly motivated
• Able to provide high standards of care
• Tact & diplomacy
• Ability to talk to patients & carers and members of the health care team
• Empathy & sensitivity
• Ability to use own initiative
• Good observational & reporting skills
• Ability to manage stressful situation
• Concentrate when undertaking patient care & inputting data/patient records
• Good interpersonal skills
• A team player
• Knowledge of system 1 and Mediquip
• Work flexibly to accommodate patient/service needs
• Must hold a full valid driving license and have access to a vehicle

Desirable

• Health Coaching

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Professional appearance
• Able to kneel, bend & stoop, and work in cramped environments
• Able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6 kg
• Able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids

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.

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: Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Address: Swaffham Community Hospital, Sporle Road, Swaffham, PE37 7HL

Employer's website: https://www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk