Specialist Occupational Therapist Inpatient Stroke

Calderdale And Huddersfield Nhs Foundation Trust; Calverley; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) is seeking an Occupational Therapist for the Inpatient Therapy Team on the stroke ward. You will support Clinical Leads and Team Leaders in delivering OT interventions and contribute to service development. The role includes 7-day service requirements and weekend work.

Applicants should have NHS experience at undergraduate or postgraduate level and be able to work autonomously within Trust policies while maintaining accurate records.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering stroke rehabilitation in an NHS setting.
• Ability to assess and treat stroke and neuro patients.
• Commitment to 7-day service requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist OT assessments and treatments for stroke patients.
• Manage a specialist caseload with safe discharge planning.
• Develop and deliver individualised treatment programmes.
• Support MDT in service delivery and development.
• Participate in governance, CPD and audits.

Skills

Stroke rehabilitation

NHS experience

Team working

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy

HCPC registration

Job description

Job summary

A permanent opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to join the Inpatient Therapy Team at CHFT. Successful candidates will support the Clinical Leads and Team Leaders in the delivery of Occupational Therapy interventions across the stroke ward and support in the development of the service and its staff.There will be opportunities to be involved in local and Divisional projects which contribute to the overall vision of the organisation.

Applicants should be aware that we provide a 7 day service provision and the successful candidate would be expected to participate in weekend working as part of their role.

Applicants must have had experience in the NHS at undergraduate or post graduate level.

Main duties of the job

• To act as a specialist clinician for the Occupational Therapy service with stroke and neuro patients, and contribute to evolving and embedding best practice into the clinical area
• To manage own specialist caseload in this area
• Work autonomously within Trust policies and professional practice, maintaining accurate and comprehensive up to date records
• To carry out specialist assessment and treatment of stroke and neuro patients with the aim of facilitating safe and timely discharges and transfer of care
• Develop, deliver, implement, evaluate and modify individualised treatment programmes and/or provide specialist advice, ensuring appropriate pathways of care and communication via liaison and referral to other agencies as required
• Take part in the education and training of Occupational Therapists and qualified and non-qualified healthcare/social services/education staff including medical staff
• To support the Clinical lead in the day to day running of the Rehabilitation Team
• To support and advise within the wider MDT on the delivery of the service

About us

CHFT is large trust which covers both Calderdale and Huddersfield localities.

The therapy team is a forward thinking department where staff development and wellbeing is central to what we do. The therapy team covers a wider range of clinical areas.

Job responsibilities

• To work within the acute therapy service, developing effective clinical interventions within the speciality of stroke and neuro care in order to contribute to clinical practice in the team in line with current evidence base
• To manage autonomously a clinical workload of patients at a specialist level, assessing and treating patients and maintaining clinical records
• To have specialist assessment and treatment skills in the areas listed but not limited to:
• Cognitive and perceptual deficits
• Neurological assessment skills
• Stroke pathology presentation
• Neurological manual handling skills
• Knowledge of various approaches to stroke rehabilitation
• Appreciation of appropriate intervention
• Physical rehabilitation through activity and function
• Complex psychosocial assessment of patients and carers
• Assessment for assistive equipment and adaptations
• Discharge and transfer of care planning and co-ordination
• Assessment of the home/discharge environment
• To apply evidence based knowledge within the specialist clinical area acquired through experience and academic study to a specialist post graduate level
• To act, within the acute therapy service, as a resource and provide advice for Occupational Therapists, other professionals and colleagues within the MDT about the assessment, treatment, management and care of patients who have a multi-pathological illness and/or complex psychosocial need
• To work collaboratively with health and social care community and acute colleagues
• To work with other members of the MDT to ensure effective care pathways and transfer of care/discharges
• To proactively and appropriately facilitate a seamless transfer of care and continuing therapeutic management of stroke patients between care settings
• To work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary manner within the MDT, being able to debate the blurring of boundaries across professions and where competent take on aspects of blurred boundary working, where appropriate
• To develop specialist programmes of assessment, treatment and intervention for stroke patients in the acute hospital setting
• To manage and prioritise own clinical workload as appropriate, working efficiently to manage professional time and delegate according to the training and competency levels of other team members to ensure the effective delivery of the service
• To participate in the supervision process with staff on a daily basis and for students as required
• To ensure a high standard of patient care is provided including implementing and reviewing clinical standards relevant to the work undertaken
• To provide specialist assessment and advice for the multidisciplinary team and actively participate in MDT meetings as appropriate
• To work across a 7 day therapy service including weekends and bank holidays depending on service requirements
• To be a manual handling key trainer
• To comply with and, along with the clinical lead, contribute to the development and implementation to protocols, procedures and guidelines both clinical and service specific. To give feedback on policies when required which may impact on the management and care of stroke and neuro patients
• To participate in governance initiatives on a regular basis, measuring and evaluating individual and the Occupational Therapy teams' clinical practice, e.g. CPD, clinical effectiveness, research and development, clinical audit and service activity data
• To ensure specialised treatments offered to patients are based on the best available clinical evidence by keeping up to date with current literature, implementing research tools and liaising with other practitioners, both within and outside the service, in order to develop and maintain best practice
• To be responsible for the issue and safe use of equipment used in your area of work and to adhere to the appropriate service policies
• Along with the Clinical Lead/Advanced Practitioner/Team Leader generate and contribute to the collection, analysis and dissemination of data as required for the service, both manually and computerised
• To lead, develop and actively undertake clinical audit as requested
• On a day to day basis, to support members of the Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Assistant team and contribute to them successfully meeting their objectives and development needs
• To assist the Clinical Lead/Advanced Practitioner/Team Leader to manage the performance of the Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Assistant staff by having a delegated role in supervision/PDR
• To contribute to the identification, development and evaluation of a training programme for stroke rehabilitation to address the needs of the Occupational Therapy service and the wider multi professional team as appropriate
• To organise and participate in in-service training programmes, under direction, ensuring appropriate training is delivered
• To undertake appropriate development opportunities as identified at yearly personal development reviews and through personal development plans. To incorporate acquired knowledge into working practice as appropriate, following discussion with Clinical Lead/Team Leader. To disseminate information from training effectively throughout the team, the service and MDT as appropriate
• To participate in the CT&R supervision process and peer review and maintain an up to date CPD portfolio including evidence of experiential learning, reflective practice and any relevant training or experience. This should demonstrate responsibility for maintaining own competency to practice
• To participate in the Trust Personal Development Review process taking responsibility to comply with an agreed personal development plan
• To participate in the Trust Personal Development Review process taking responsibility to comply with an agreed personal development plan
• To give specialist advice, teaching and training to patients/clients, carers, volunteers and other health, educational and social care professionals, as appropriate to ensure provision of good patient care
• To be responsible for the supervision and education of student Occupational Therapists to graduate level in the role of clinical educator
• To contribute to the supervision and education of students from other professional groups e.g. Nurses, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists as required.
• To provide advice/information to the Clinical Lead/Team Leader to help in the planning and development of the service
• In conjunction with the Team Leader/Clinical Lead, ensure adequate staff cover within the team by agreeing annual leave, study leave, and report sickness absence to the Team Leader
• To assist the Team Leader in achieving in the service objectives
• To actively participate in the professional development programme of the Occupational Therapy service
• To assist the Clinical Lead/Team Leader in the monitoring of professional, clinical and departmental standards and assist implementation of change as appropriate
• To comply with the national, professional, Trust and service policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating process as appropriate
• To participate in the staff recruitment process
• Maintain confidentiality of all patient identifiable information in line with Trust policies relating to the Data Protection Act
• Initiate discussions with the Team Leader about any circumstances that could prevent the post holder or other staff fulfilling the requirements of the job description

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Relevant Degree/Diploma
• Registered with HCPC
• Evidence of Postgraduate Training
• Clinical Educator Training

Desirable

• Member of Professional Body
• Studied at Masters level or equivalent

Knowledge, Experience and Expertise

Essential

• Recent experience demonstrating ability to assess, treat and evaluate therapy in stroke rehabilitation
• Experience of assessment & treatment of cognitive & perceptual deficit
• Experience of working in acute medicine & elderly specialty
• Good clinical reasoning skills
• Evidence of CPD, self-directed learning and Reflective Practice
• Awareness of relevant Legislation, NSF'S/ Local and National initiatives
• Understanding of Clinical Governance
• Critical appraisal skills
• Ability to maintain legible and accurate records
• Teaching/Presentation skills
• Experiencing in supervising and training others
• Experience in developing others
• Neurological manual handling skills
• Expertise in discharge planning
• Knowledge of cognition and perception problems
• Recognised course/modules on cognition and perception assessment & treatment

Desirable

• Attendance at relevant specialist interest groups
• Experience in contributing to service improvements e.g. Audit, patient information etc.
• Experience in dealing with complaints (e.g. diffusing complaint or investigating complaint)
• Mental health experience
• Carrying out PDR's
• Relevant Accredited Postgraduate Training
• Previous experience working at Band 6 level
• Manual Handling Facilitator

Communication and Relationships

Essential

• Demonstrates positive attitude and behaviours
• Excellent Time Management skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with people with complex difficulties and in difficult situations
• Recognises own limitations and have willingness to share and learn from others
• Ability to concentrate and work in conditions requiring emotional demands
• Ability to identify and articulate own training needs
• Self-motivated with ability to work independently and influence others
• Excellent team player
• Proven ability to work well in a team
• Ability to make decisions and problem solve when dealing with routine situations
• Ability to organise own work and caseload
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and concentrate in conditions requiring emotional demands
• Ability to prioritise own and others caseloads
• Able to fulfil the health requirements of the post as identified in the Job Description, taking into account any reasonable adjustments recommended by Occupational Health.
• Must be eligible to work in the UK.
• Ability to work in various locations throughout the network of services provided by Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

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.

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).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).