Lead Occupational TherapistinExeterinExeterPUBLISHED THU 31 OCT 2024

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is seeking a Lead Occupational Therapist to support Occupational Therapists within the Adult and OPMH directorates for a 12 month fixed term / secondment period working 30 hours per week.

In this role you will have a unique opportunity to develop your career as a leader within the profession.

This is an exciting time for the Occupational Therapy profession within DPT community teams in rehabilitation and recovery, the establishment of Occupational Therapy operational management posts, and a growing organisational awareness of the power of the profession to deliver solutions to clinical and operational challenges.

In addition we are looking forward to the ongoing collaboration of the new clinical professions strategy and the Occupational Therapy strategic delivery plan.

You will support the Head of Profession to implement a program of change and development for occupational therapy within the Trust. You will be responsible for leading and developing occupational therapists within our inpatient and community, in both the Adult and OPMH Directorates. You will have the opportunity to lead on key projects and contribute to the implementation of the OT Strategic Delivery Plan.

This role will also give you an opportunity to develop your strategic thinking and your leadership skills. You will have the opportunity to work closely with our established professional occupational therapy senior leadership team, with peers in the Secure and Specialist Directorates.

This opportunity is available for four days per week 0.4 WTE OPMH and 0.4 WTE Adult. Job share for either the Adult or OPMH lead role will also be considered, please state on the application your preference.

Interviews will be held on the 19th November 2024.

About us

Job Purpose

Lead the planning, development, delivery and review of Occupational Therapy services within the adult and older adult inpatient and community services.

Provide professional leadership for, and promoting the vision of Occupational Therapy across the Directorates, being a pro-active member of the directorates senior leadership team and management support to senior Occupational Therapy staff as required.

Managing a very limited highly complex caseload.

Work with the Adult and Older adult senior leadership team to promote clinical effectiveness, develop and implement national health initiatives and plan, develop and review services accordingly.

Working with the Trust Head of Profession for Occupational Therapy and other Lead Occupational Therapists across directorate to develop trust wide initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

• Ensure effective communication with the Occupational Therapy team, colleagues and other agencies at all levels
• Deal sensitively with highly complex, emotional and sensitive information from people with a learning disability, their carers, staff groups and other stakeholders, using a variety of communication tools as required
• Establish and participate in communication networks to promote collaborative working, effective performance and delivery of services to adults within the directorate
• Demonstrate highly developed written, verbal and presentation skills

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

• Assess and problem solve on a range of highly complex clinical, service delivery, development and clinical governance issues
• Practice effective time management skills to respond to competing priorities effectively
• Reflect and critically appraise own and others performance to drive quality service performance and delivery

Planning and Organisational Skills

• Participate in strategic and operational planning and service delivery within the directorate
• Work with managers to sustain, plan, manage effective workforce planning, training, recruitment, professional development and retention of Occupational Therapy staff.
• Champion health equality for accessing services within the directorate, people with a learning disability, and the contribution of Occupational Therapy to support effective use of health resources
• Ensure full participation in Devon Partnership NHS Trust Occupational Therapy meetings
• Organise and convene meetings and groups to plan, implement and sustain service developments and quality

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

• To assess, develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate specialist occupational therapy programmes as part of an overall plan, based on evidence based practice
• Apply highly specialist knowledge and skills to ensure the needs of those with behaviour that challenges/distresses and profound and complex needs are met
• Contribute to/lead relevant service user planning and review meetings
• Ensure records are completed according to DPT policy and protocol
• Be assured that Occupational Therapy practice is undertaken according to standards set out by the Health Care Professions Council and the Royal College of Occupational Therapy
• Ensure the patient voice is heard in therapy interventions and service delivery

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation

• Lead on Occupational Therapy projects and initiatives within the directorates, proposing and implementing policies/procedures.
• Understand and implement national policy, guidance and local developments to support delivery of services in line with local service priorities and finance
• Support the continuing professional development needs of Occupational Therapy staff according to clinical and business priorities and professional standards
• Ensure Occupational Therapy student practice placements within the directorate are coordinated and monitored
• Ensure access to appropriate professional and managerial supervision and continuing professional development for self and Occupational Therapy staff , extending knowledge and skills of practice
• Contribute to trust wide Occupational Therapy leadership activities and the delivery of DPT professional strategies for Allied Health Professionals
• Ensure the implementation of Devon Partnership NHS Trust clinical and non-clinical policies

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources

• Manage the efficient administration of clinical resources Occupational Therapy services according to allocated funds
• Act as designated signatory for budgets as requested by managers

Responsibility for Human Resources, e.g. Supervision, Training, HR Advice and Management

• Provide professional and where agreed, management supervision of Occupational Therapy staff including contributing to appraisals
• Provide specialist professional advice at a senior level within the directorates
• Work as a member of the directorate management group to promote, pursue, and monitor evidence based clinical effective, well governed Occupational and other Allied Health Professional practice
• Facilitate cohesion, shared practice, mutual support and job satisfaction across the Occupational Therapy service
• Lead on new ways of working to deliver performance and financial efficiencies and support staff to make changes to working practice as appropriate
• Support a culture of continual learning, shared practice and job satisfaction for self and the wider staff group

Responsibility for Information Resources and Administrative Duties

• Ensure high standards of record keeping are delivered through supporting audit and quality improvement programmes
• Ensure Occupational Therapy service compliance with Devon Partnership NHS Trust policy regarding information governance
• Produce reports as necessary

Responsibility for Research and Development

• Contribute to the delivery of the Trust Occupational Therapy strategy plan
• To promote and develop evidence based practice
• Coordinate research, development and audit activity within the directorate Occupational Therapy services
• Contribute towards directorate governance projects

Freedom to Act

• Guide by principles and broad occupational policies, establish interpretation for staff within services
• Works within a wide range of codes of practice and professional/national guidance informing
• Occupational Therapy service provision

Any Other Specific Tasks Required

• Participate in the on call rota
• Delegate for Head of Profession in Trust wide or system wide for a where required