Band 7 Occupational Therapist - Community Stroke Rehabilitation
We are looking for a forward thinking, skilled & enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to work within the Bromley Stroke Rehabilitation Team (BSRT)
The post holder will have the opportunity provide leadership and clinical expertise alongside other senior colleagues and supervise junior staff.
The post is a part -time (22.5h/ week) 12 month fixed-term maternity leave cover.
Please note: We may not be able to offer sponsorship for this post
The successful candidate must have experience of working in core areas of Neuro Occupational Therapy and show insight into community working.
They must be dynamic and flexible to the workload fluctuations. They must have experience of supervising junior Occupational Therapists.
You will be encouraged to continually develop your clinical skills whilst working innovatively with patients, their carers and a wide range of other agencies.
Please note: We may not be able to offer sponsorship for this post
About us
Job Purpose
- To provide Occupational Therapy input to a multidisciplinary client focused community Stroke Rehabilitation service, working within patients own homes within Bromley.
- To facilitate clients early discharge from the Hyper-Acute Stroke units.
- To undertake assessment and treatment of clients with a range of physical and cognitive impairments, who may have complex or multiple pathology. To determine the occupational therapy treatment indicated, and to maintain records, as an autonomous practitioner
- To develop and support programmes of rehabilitation for clients which will be carried out by a team rehabilitation support workers
- To participate and advise in the development of BSRT services, so that they continue to meet the needs of the client group and responds to Government initiatives
- To manager and clinically supervise junior OT colleagues and students.
Job functions / and Responsibilities
Professional
- To maintain and record continuing professional development, taking part in formal peer review and using a professional portfolio.
- To attend professional body/clinical interest group meetings as appropriate.
- To read relevant journals and research papers and participate in appropriate work related research/evaluation projects.
- To attend training courses, participate in experiential learning as identified in PDR and impart information to colleagues.
Managerial
- To be responsible for prioritising and managing own caseload, including arrangements for cover for planned absence, as negotiated with the Service Manager and the Team Leader for BSRT.
- To represent OT at cross health and social care meetings and other relevant forums.
- To work with the Team Leader for BSRT to ensure the continuity of OT cover for clinical work across Bromley
- To monitor and evaluate the occupational therapy intervention to ensure efficiency and high quality standards
- To organise and manage appropriate delegation of patient care/work to the BSRT Rehabilitation Support Workers.
- To attend all appropriate team meetings.
- To assist in ordering and maintaining stock of equipment.
- To ensure all equipment defects, accidents and complaints are reported to the Service Manager and that appropriate action is taken by those concerned
- To be responsible, with other staff, to see that local procedures required under the Health and Safety Act, COSHH Regulations, Fire Safety, the Consumer Protection Act, the Data Protection Act and Access to Health Records Act are complied with.
- To participate in the Trust staff appraisal scheme.
- To supervise and appraise junior occupational therapist and ensure they are able to achieve their learning objectives
Clinical
- To take clinical responsibility for the occupational therapy input to the rehabilitative treatment programmes provided to client.
- To respect clients' dignity, privacy, culture and wishes during treatment, with a commitment to equal access to occupational therapy.
- To undertake advanced, specialist assessments of clients with a range of physical disabilities and neurological conditions, complex needs and/or multiple pathology, to determine the occupational therapy treatment indicated
- To plan, develop and implement individually tailored programmes of treatment that are client centred and SMART.
- To facilitate and encourage client self-management throughout OT intervention.
- To work collaboratively with clients, carers, members of the multidisciplinary team and external agencies to ensure a co-ordinated approach to service delivery, appreciating the role of all partners.
- To communicate with all appropriate people and organisations to provide and recieve all relevant information pertaining to each client, ensuring holistic and informed care.
- To communicate and negotiate with individual clients and all those involved in the clients care, to gain consent to and understanding of treatment programmes to ensure that occupational therapy treatment is effective. This will frequently be with clients who have complex emotional, physical and psychological conditions e.g. aphasia, cognitive and memory problems due to traumatic brain injury, deafness, dysarthria etc. and will need expert use of verbal and non-verbal communication tools.
- To maintain a highly skilled clinical expertise and interest in stroke rehabilitation using national standards and guidance.
- To contribute to the development of new and innovative ways of working with this client group
- To advise clients on specific equipment and minor adaptations and recommend provision thereof
- To ensure a high standard of clinical practice is maintained, keep up-to-date with clinical developments and only undertake treatment modalities in which trained and competent.
- To keep accurate written records of assessment and treatment in accordance with HCPC and trust standards.
- To lead on OT related audits and projects with the aim to improve the BSRT service.
- To participate in discharge planning with family, carers and external teams.
- To maintain good working links and liaise with GPs and all relevant others involved with each patients care, ensuring consultation, feedback and discharge communication
- To attend case conferences and other meetings, as appropriate.
- To maintain and develop close links with colleagues in the Acute sector, Local Authority Services, Voluntary Organisations and other relevant organisations.
- To work as a member of the Bromley Stroke Rehabilitation service by assisting in providing OT input as required, as negotiated with the Service Manager and the Team Leader
Education/Training
- To provide training for the carers of clients and participate in training with other members of the BSRT Team.
- To plan, organise and deliver training for staff from other disciplines and organisations, including the voluntary sector
- To carry out risk assessments and advise on safe and appropriate moving and handling techniques as necessary.
- To organise, deliver and receive training through in-service training programmes
- To attend training courses, participate in experiential learning as identified in PDR and impart information to colleagues
- To develop and deliver occupational therapy training programmes to Rehab Support Workers and ensure competence is maintained, in collaboration with other members of the multi-disciplinary team
- To have input into the clinical placements of occupational therapy students on placement within the Team.
It is essential for continuity of care that good and effective working relationships are developed and maintained with all those involved in client care.
These will include :-
Clients, their families and carers
Members of the multi disciplinary Team
Therapy managers
Mental Health Team
GPs, District Nurses and other members of the Primary Care team
Health care professionals and colleagues within the Acute Trusts.
Other team within the Intermediate Care service
Community Therapy Teams
Colleagues within Social Services (social workers and occupational therapists)
Home care workers
Public Health professionals.
Statutory and voluntary organisations
Members of the public and community groups