Job Title: Band 7 Occupational Therapist

Salary: £43,567 - £55,267 per annum (Dependent on Experience)

Contract: 1 year Fixed Term, 37.5 hours a week

Location: Putney, London

Closing Date: 29th March 2024

Scope

The Band 7 Occupational Therapist (OT) will be responsible for the clinical day to day running of a designated OT Unit at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and responsible for supporting junior members.  The postholder will ensure that an efficient and effective OT service is provided to the unit in response to identified patient need and OT Service standards. The postholder will be responsible for the professional leadership of the OT Unit team and will develop the unit and that there is a high standard of clinical practice in accordance with the OT Clinical leads ,OT Service developments and standards, and standards set by the College of Occupational Therapists.   

The RHN is a leading national centre of excellence, providing adult person-centred services that span the entire care pathway from post-acute rehabilitation services to end of life care, for people with complex neuro-disability and their families, underpinned by a strong research and education programme. 

The post is rotational across the brain injury service, neuro-behavioural unit, Huntington’s disease service, continuing care unit and the ventilation unit. The Band 7 Occupational Therapist (OT) is a key member of the interdisciplinary team) and has a responsibility for supervision of Band 6 OT’s within the team and overseeing the clinical practice of the OT’s and OTA’s.  The Band 7 will be expected to take an active/lead role in the service development for each unit in collaboration with other senior therapists within the team. The Band 7 will participate in: -

• Management of a Clinical Caseload
• Research as appropriate
• Clinical Audit
• Service development within the unit and OT service
• lead IPR’s for Band 6 OT’s
• Oversee IPR’s for OTA’s
• Clinical Supervision of Band 6 OT’s
• Clinical Practice developments and Innovations

Main Objectives of the role –

• To carry a caseload and take a lead role in the advanced assessment and treatment of patients with highly complex physical and cognitive presentations.
• To work as part of an inter-disciplinary team providing patient-centred care and management to patients at various stages of the rehabilitation pathway.
• To provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision, support and the IPR process.
• To demonstrate awareness of RHN’s objectives and contribute to achieving them appropriately.
• To strive to improve efficiency in all areas of your work.
• To ensure professionalism and excellent communication with staff, patients and relatives.

Key Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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
• To assess and treat the patient’s personal and domestic daily living functional activity level to maximise independence where possible
• 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
• To delegate tasks effectively, to other members of the OT department or to other members of the MDT, including nursing, including contribution to patient care plans
• To advise on, recommend and make provision for the installation of appropriate aids and adaptations where appropriate
• To carry out community visits and complete timely reports on these, as part of rehabilitation, leisure, or discharge planning
• To attend all relevant meetings, and complete all necessary documentation and outcome measures involved in a patients’ admission, according to HCPC and RCOT standards, in order to facilitate optimal communication and patient management, and to meet Service requirements
• To ensure excellent communication with patients and relatives, and within the team, including undertaking a key worker role as required , and modelling effective team working to more junior staff
• To participate in audit, research and service development as required

Person specification: Essential and Desirable

• HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist ;  member of BAOT/ Royal College of Occupational Therapist..   Essential
• Minimum of 4 years practising as a qualified OT, with a minimum of 18 months in neuro-disability.  Essential
• Experience as a clinical supervisor.   Essential
• Experience in conducting wheelchair and postural management assessments. Desirable
• Knowledge and use of outcome measures, such as those used within UK ROC (GAS goals, FIM/FAM. NPTDA-PHYS, NPDS-H, NIS)  Desirable
• Evidence of leading a team to include:
  • Supporting staff
  • Application of corporate and organisational objectives into practice
  • Change management
  • Service and self-development
• Initiate new ideas    Essential
• Evidence of an understanding and skill of team working at discipline and MDT level  Essential
• A problem solving, Innovative & Creative approach to assessment & interventions- including client centred goal planning   Essential
• Special interest is seating and/or splinting  Desirable