Job summary
To be an active member of the clinical team providing comprehensive, holistic assessments.
Work within professional standards and clinical guidelines, promote best practice, and undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner including assessing, treating and managing own caseload of patients and maintaining professional documentation.
Build and maintain relationships with other local services to facilitate appropriate referrals and high-quality healthcare.
Be responsible for the supervision of junior staff, technical instructors, rehabilitation assistants and occupational therapy students.
To deliver appropriate treatment in a variety of settings including the patient's own home, residential and nursing homes, and day centres.
Actively participate in Continuing Professional Development to support your own development and the development of the service. Including participating in any audit or research being completed by the service.
Mon-Friday working. Shifts 8-4.
Main duties of the job
Perform overview assessments and complex specialist assessments as appropriate. To communicate relevant medical information, assessment details, advice and recommendations across agencies and with clients in compliance with trust guidelines for sharing of information and informed consent. Agencies include General Practitioners, Adult Care Services, Healthcare Professionals, voluntary agencies, and residential homes.
You will be responsible for gaining valid, informed consent for assessment, treatment and sharing information in compliance with legal and professional guidelines. To be able to interpret and follow the guidelines in circumstances where patients do not have capacity to provide informed consent.
Have working knowledge of clinical guidelines, specific to the area you are working in and translate these guidelines into clinical practice.
Following assessment use advanced clinical reasoning, analysis and reassessment skills and use a client centred goal setting approach to develop and provide individualised occupational therapy treatments, programmes and education for patients and carers.
Demonstrate compassion, empathy and sensitivity towards clients who may have complex emotional and physical conditions such as anxiety, pain, and other physical, psychological and social concerns or when delivering unwelcome news around their condition or rehabilitation potential.
Experience in working in the community setting - adults
About us
We providecommunity health services to more than two million people across eleven London boroughs and Hertfordshire.
Every day, our professionals provide high-quality healthcare in people's homes and local clinics, helping them to:
1. stay well
2. manage their own health with the right support
3. avoid unnecessary trips to, or long stays in, hospital.
We support our patients at every stage of their lives, providing health visiting for new-born babies through to community nursing, stroke rehabilitation and palliative care for people towards the end of their lives.
Our vision: deliver great care closer to home.
Our mission : working together to give children a better start and adults greater independence
Job description
Job responsibilities
Prescribe appropriate equipment to patients to maximise their independence.
Travel to patients homes in a timely manner taking necessary assessment and treatment equipment as required.
Be responsible for the safe storage and moving and handling of occupational therapy equipment.
Work closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team including Physiotherapists, Nurses, Dieticians, Speech and Language Therapists, Social workers, Care Coordinators and General Practitioners.
Work as a lone practitioner, following the guidelines of the Lone Working Policy, when performing home visits.
Identify clients who need support from external agencies, using clinical reasoning and analysis skills. Liaise with these agencies and sign post or refer patients to the agencies as appropriate.
To be able to triage referrals for both Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists, as well as identifying referrals appropriate for Technical instructors, using clinical reasoning skills and prioritising referrals according to clinical need.
Person Specification
Education/Qualification
Essential
4. Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
5. Current HCPC registration
6. Evidence of up-to-date CPD portfolio
Desirable
7. Member of the RCOT
8. Postgraduate qualification
Experience
Essential
9. Minimum 2 years Post Graduate experience
10. Experience working as an autonomous practitioner assessing and treating patients with physical conditions.
11. Experience of assessing, advising, and demonstrating to clients and carers about safe manual handling techniques (including use of equipment and adaptations)
12. Experience treating adult and/or elderly client groups.
Desirable
13. Experience of community working
14. Broad rotational experience at a junior level including experience in Care of the Elderly, Orthopaedics and Neurorehabilitation
15. Experience in supervising staff and students
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
16. Knowledge and understanding of complex medical conditions including multi-pathologies and falls.
17. High level skills in the assessment and treatment of adults with complex multi-pathologies.
18. Ability to apply core occupational therapy skills across a range of clinical conditions with a client centred goal setting approach.
19. Ability to teach junior staff/students/peers through an in-service training programme.
20. Knowledge and understanding of the role of Social Services and voluntary agencies.
21. Knowledge of relevant national frameworks and guidance NSF, NICE.
Desirable
22. Ability to effectively use System One and Microsoft teams.
23. Knowledge and experience in research and audit.
Personal/Physical Attributes
Essential
24. Confident to work as an autonomous practitioner, alone in community settings.
25. Flexible, adaptable, and reliable
26. Physically fit to perform the job description requirements with or without adaptations.
27. Able to drive and have a car to use for work, with a clean driving license.
28. Able to carry out moderate physical effort throughout the day.