Band 6 Occupational Therapist – Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

Job Title: Occupational Therapist (Band 6)

Contract Type: Fixed Term, 18 months

Department: Clinical Operations

Salary range: £39,108 - £51,580 per annum (dependent on experience/banding)

Responsible to: Occupational Therapy Clinical Specialist

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Putney, Southwest London

Closing date: 13/01/2025

Interview date: 20/05/2025

Benefits:

• Free counselling and therapy sessions and other mental wellbeing support through our partner CIC Wellbeing
• Get involved in our free on-site wellbeing programs, including weekly yoga, and monthly pottery club (we are the UK’s only hospital with its own kiln)
• Financial support services such as low-interest loans and help with savings accounts through our partnership with London Capital Credit Union
• Join our wellbeing networks to connect with people in our hospital; we have a Pride network, Women’s network, and our Race Equality network. We also have heritage events to celebrate the diversity of our workforce – most recently we had a South East Asian celebration.
• Free on-site parking (rare in London)
• More benefits: Cycle2Work scheme, tech purchase support scheme, Blue Light Card discounts, and more.

Please note, to be eligible to apply for this role you must have the Right to Work in the UK we are unable to provide sponsorship for this role.

 Summary of position and the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

We have an exciting opportunity, we are seeking B6 Occupational Therapists to join our Clinical Operations team in RHN. Your key responsibility is to prepare and administer therapeutic Occupational Therapy programmes as part of a multidisciplinary team. Occupational therapists work across all service areas at RHN, on a rotational basis, covering the following areas:

1. Brain Injury Service (BIS)
2. Ventilation service
3. Neuro-behavioural services
4. Young adults service
5. Specialist Nursing Home services

The RHN is an independent hospital and medical charity. We care for people who have brain injuries and require assessment and intensive rehabilitation for conditions such as Huntington's disease and prolonged disorders of consciousness. Our specialist services include a ventilator unit and a neuro-behavioural unit. 

We help those with the most complex of health needs and disabilities including degenerative or progressive conditions as well as providing palliative care. The patients we support usually have complex physical challenges alongside their neuro-disability. 

Our vision for the future is that we will be the national centre of excellence for neuro-disability. Our mission is to provide outstanding care and empowering individuals with neuro-disability, enabling them to live their lives to their fullest potential.

 

 Main Objectives of the role

1. To provide specialist patient-centred assessment and treatment for a complex neurological clinical caseload as part of a specialist multi-disciplinary team.
2. To participate in interdisciplinary working (meetings, reviews, discharge planning and reports).
3. To ensure professionalism and excellent communication with staff, patients and relatives.
4. Demonstrate an awareness of RHN’s objectives and contribute to achieving them appropriately.
5. Strive to improve efficiency in all areas of your work.

Key Responsibilities

1. To work effectively as part of a specialist multi-disciplinary team, demonstrating excellent joint working and communication, to achieve patient-centred goals and ensure optimal management and rehabilitation of patients with complex physical, cognitive and communicative needs.
2. To assess and treat a specific caseload of patients with complex needs, prioritising effectively to reduce risk and manage the patient’s disability or rehabilitation needs.
3. To assess and treat the patient’s personal and domestic daily living functional activity level to maximise independence where possible.
4. To participate in MDT assessment and provision or a 24 hour postural management programme, including assessment and provision of splints, participation in assessment of seating and bed positioning.
5. Attend key meetings (ICB reviews, safeguarding, best interest meetings).
6.  Provide support and supervision to the OTA in their designated areas, and be responsible for task allocation to them.
7. To advise on, recommend and make provision for the installation of appropriate aids and adaptations where appropriate.
8. To carry out community visits and complete timely reports on these, as part of rehabilitation, leisure, or discharge planning.
9. To attend all relevant meetings, and complete all necessary documentation and outcome measures involved in a patients’ admission, according to HCPC and COT standards, in order to facilitate optimal communication and patient management, and to meet Service requirements.
10. To ensure excellent communication with patients and relatives, and within the team, including undertaking a key worker role as required.

 

Qualifications & Knowledge

Essential

1. Diploma/degree/masters degree in Occupational Therapy recognised by RCOT & HCPC.
2. Member of RCOT/College of Occupational Therapists.
3. An interest in the clinical management of severe neuro-disability.
4. Demonstrates a proficient understanding of the role and need of evidence based practice.
5. A working knowledge of physical assessment of complex neuro presentations.
6.  A good understanding of long term neurological conditions.

Experience

Essential

1. Minimum of 18 months practising as a qualified OT and minimum of 6 months working in the field of neuro-disability. 
2. Ability to prescribe and grade a detailed treatment plan.
3. Able to demonstrate flexibility, able to respond to rapidly changing requirements and implement and initiate new ideas.
4. Ability to prioritise and manage a large caseload.

Desirable

1. An interest in postural management and splinting.

 

To Apply 

Please note we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close this post at any time and will be reviewing applications as they are submitted.

RHN is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer that respects and values the differences of our people to achieve their full potential. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to contact our Resourcing Team at recruitment@rhn.org.uk 

Candidates applying for a role at the Royal Hospital for Neuro Disability are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and Influenza.

RHN is a care provider for vulnerable patients at extreme risk. In consequence, safeguarding patients will always be our highest priority.