Occupational Therapist Respiratory and Critical Care

at  Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

Are you looking for a new challenge to develop your skills and knowledge? Interested in Respiratory and Critical Care?
This is an exciting opportunity for an individual with a passion for respiratory care to come and join our dynamic Respiratory and Critical Care Team here at NGH. We are looking to recruit a hardworking, motivated and dedicated B6 OT into our Respiratory Team; where you will be supported and encouraged to develop your knowledge and skills. You will have the opportunity to rotate through our Respiratory Ward, Head and Neck Ward, Level 1 Respiratory Support Unit and get the opportunity to work on Critical Care.
You will work within our joint therapy team as a valued member of the MDT to drive change, deliver excellent patient care and innovative practice. We are doing lots of work to develop our rehab pathway for patients with a high acuity both on our Respiratory & Critical Care wards. This role has a varied caseload with a perfect balance between fast paced assessments for discharge and rehab with our long stay respiratory/critical care patients with multifactorial rehabilitation needs. There will be plenty of opportunity for service development and to demonstrate leadership skills.
You will be supported in this role by a dedicated group of senior colleagues.
You will need robust clinical skills, a flexible approach; including excellent team working, organisational and time management skills, to enable you to provide excellent clinical care. Supporting each other is a key characteristic of this team and the wider Therapy Service.
As part of your introduction to the area and team you will attend a course ran by Kings Commercial “An introduction to Occupational Therapy in Critical Care”. Which learning objectives are
Develop sound understanding of the role of OT in critical care.
Consolidate and improve upon exciting knowledge and skill base.
Increase confidence when dealing with risk in critically ill patients.
Explore outcome measures relevant to different patient populations.
Empower OTs to promote their role and efficacy in critical care.
Understand the evidence base behind OT practice in critical care.
Be able to interpret clinical observations and provide supportive treatments of critical care/ respiratory patients and have an understanding of the implications of therapy interventions.
Provide care to clinically unwell patients and post operative patients.
To perform more advanced and detailed assessments of patients presenting with a wide range of complex conditions and comorbidities; providing a plan and goals to develop, and to deliver an individualised treatment programme to our patients in critical care and respiratory wards.
To work closely with Physiotherapy and Technical instructor colleagues to provide joint therapies assessments and treatment plans enabling efficient use of Therapies Team resources.
To manage a caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service, working without direct supervision, managing attendance of board rounds, goal setting and ward meetings to contribute significantly to patient flow when ward based.
To pro-actively contribute to the timely and efficient discharge planning process for patients by selecting and implementing appropriate assessments and interventions, promoting a joint therapies approach with Physiotherapy colleagues.
To be highly skilled in identifying pathways of patient care and to have awareness of discharge plans and suitable discharge locations.
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
Compassion
Accountability
Respect
Integrity
Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Day to day management and supervision of ward/ therapy teams including Band 5 therapists and band 3 therapy support workers as well as Occupational Therapy
students.
To be looking to improve clinical and professional practice and performance within the therapy services.
To act as a source of expertise, demonstrating advanced knowledge and skill in the role and educate other healthcare professionals as to the therapy role.
Support to band 7 and 8 Therapy colleagues in the day-to-day running of the acute team including staff appraisals, clinical projects, benchmarking, teaching and service
evaluation.
Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and teams’ clinical practice.
To promote the achievement of Northampton General Hospital’s vision and values.
Corporate Responsibilities
Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide safe patient care and participate in maintenance and training.
Supporting Clinical and Patient Excellence
To work autonomously within departmental clinical teams to provide excellent Occupational therapy care to a diverse client group.
To increase and expand knowledge base and experience, clinically and non-clinically.
To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentation/multiple pathologies; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition.
Formulate and deliver a complete specialised Occupational Therapy programme based on 3 sound knowledge of evidence based practise and treatment options.
To represent the Therapy service and/or individual patients at multidisciplinary team meetings. This will include discussion of patient care, progress and involvement in discharge planning.
To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to colleagues, relatives and carers when appropriate to promote understanding of the aims of therapy.
People / Management Excellence
To deputise for band 7 as necessary to ensure smooth running of service. Work alongside team leader to co-ordinate annual leave cover.
To be involved in band 5 and support workers appraisals and reviews.
Supporting Financial Excellence
To make best use of NHS resources
Professional Responsibilities, Quality Assurance and Monitoring
To work within Trust Core Competencies and objectives (Knowledge and Skills Framework based RCOT guidelines, HCPC standards and code of conduct and to have good working knowledge of national and local standards and policies.
Complete all work necessary to maintain registration and encourage others to do so.
Monitor own and others’ quality and standard of practice by appraisal and review.
Maintain and monitor standards on health and safety, consent, note keeping, clinical governance, continuous professional development on both a personal, professional and departmental level.
To supervise and teach students on placement.
Policy and Service Development, Research and Development Responsibilities
To use information such as Clinical governance, NICE, and other clinical specific guidelines and evidence of best practice to assist in producing working guidelines, competencies and objectives to develop the service.
As part of your introduction to the area and team you will attend a course ran by Kings Commercial “An introduction to Occupational Therapy in Critical Care”. Which learning objectives are
Develop sound understanding of the role of OT in critical care.
Consolidate and improve upon exciting knowledge and skill base.
Increase confidence when dealing with risk in critically ill patients.
Explore outcome measures relevant to different patient populations.
Empower OTs to promote their role and efficacy in critical care.
Understand the evidence base behind OT practice in critical care

Please refer the Job description for details