Paediatric Occupational TherapistinAshteadinAshteadPUBLISHED MON 23 DEC 2024

Following a retendering process, the children's service is due to be transferred to the new provider on the 1st of April 2025. Given this post sits within the transferring service, in line with the legislative requirements, the successful candidate will be part of the TUPE transfer along with other colleagues.

Are you interested in working within an upbeat, enthusiastic and supportive team of Occupational Therapists and Assistants in which to further develop your skills and contribute to on-going service development?

If so then working for Children and Family Health Surrey (CFHS) may be for you.

We firmly believe that the best services for the children we serve come out of effectively training and supporting our Therapists. As such you will be supported by the following:

• Regular supervision with your line manager
• Attend professional forums
• Access coaching and mentoring
• Participate in service development
• Access a wide variety of internal and external training opportunities.

This post will offer the successful candidates the opportunity to work alongside a supportive multidisciplinary team of experienced therapists and assistants in providing a high quality occupation based provision to children aged 0-19 years, who have a variety of conditions, including Cerebral Palsy, Autistic Spectrum Disorders and learning difficulties

Applicants will need to be able to travel between sites across South East Surrey.

You will be part of the Paediatric Therapy team and will autonomously manage a caseload of children with a range of varied and complex needs.

As part of your role you will be involved in:

• Conducting Occupational Therapy and Multi-disciplinary assessments
• Delivering training to parents, other professionals, schools or Nurseries
• Devise child centered therapy plans using evidence based practice to ensure that the individuals full potential is developed or maintained
• Supporting the OT Advice Line
• Working with specialist caseloads (aged 0-19) such as children with complex neuro-disability and neurodevelopmental difficulties impacting on day to day functional occupations.
• Supporting and line-managing less experienced members of the team

As a service we actively promote Surrey families and education settings to access our universal 'Support for all' Occupational Therapy offer as we recognise the value of Occupational Therapy being part of children and young peoples every day life to enable them to participate in self care, leisure and learning. The Occupational Therapy team is key in ensuring this happens.

This role is currently joint commissioned which means that you will be involved in identifying the health and educational Occupational Therapy needs of children from 0 - 19 years old.

Please refer to the full job description and personal specification for further details about this post.

Note: do not offer UKVI sponsorship. All applicants require a current right to work in the UK.

About us

This is a challenging and varied role. Day to day you will be conducting assessments, writing reports (Initial, Review and EHCP assessments) and running therapy sessions (groups or individual).

You will work from various venues e.g. clinics, schools (including special schools), nurseries and the child's home within SE Surrey.

The post holder will provide a high standard of Occupational Therapy within the services covered by the department and perform comprehensive assessments of children some of whom will have complex needs.

To will devise child centred treatment plans through selective techniques and graded activities to ensure that the individuals full potential is developed or maintained.

To work as an autonomous practitioner, undertaking a significant clinical caseload, working without direct supervision but with access to a Band 6 Occupational Therapist for regular clinical supervision.

To ensure professional competence is maintained by participating in all CPD opportunities and maintaining a portfolio.

Principal duties to include:

This list is intended to summarise the key responsibilities and is not intended to cover every task that may be required of the role: -

• To manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner.
• To supervise Occupational Therapy students and therapy assistants where appropriate.
• To communicate effectively with all disciplines involved in a child's care both those from within the organisation and those outside, ensuring effective multidisciplinary working.
• To communicate complex and sensitive information to clients, carers and other staff including imparting unwelcome news relating to their rehabilitation potential.
• To attend relevant multi-professional and multi-agency meetings as appropriate, in order to ensure appropriate management of clients.
• To attend and actively participate in staff meetings, ensuring understanding of information imparted.
• To apply a flexible approach in communicating both verbally and non-verbally with clients, carers and other professionals.
• To ensure timely and effective communication with the Occupational Therapy leadership team on all professional matters.
• To effectively plan the daily management of a caseload of children linked to allocated work.
• To respond to urgent referrals and occasionally unpredictable work patterns. To prioritise clinical work and balance other patient related and professional activities as the department requires.
• To administer specialist assessments used to identify functional and environmental needs impacting on the child's functional performance.
• To implement, within your clinical practice the standards and policies in each specialty and where applicable propose changes to working practice.
• To use and maintain sound clinical reasoning skills throughout the therapeutic process to ensure best practice and identify risk.
• To assess clients, carers and other professionals understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To use a range of treatment/ management options in formulating programmes of care.
• To formulate accurate prognoses through standardised and non-standardised assessments and recommend best course of intervention, developing comprehensive therapy/discharge plans.
• To evaluate children's progress, re-assess and alter treatment programmes if required.
• To effectively plan the daily management of a caseload of children.
• To communicate any changes in care plan or treatment approach to other Occupational Therapists/Assistants as necessary, e.g. part time team members.
• To evaluate children's progress, re-assess and alter treatment programmes if required.
• To produce appropriate information for the use of service users.

This job description is not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake such other duties from time to time as are consistent with the responsibility of the grade.

Please refer to full job description included in the supporting documents.

This job description is subject to review and development from time to time in liaison with the post holder. As an employee of Central Surrey Health Ltd you will be required to adhere to all the organisations policies and procedures.