Rotational Occupational Therapist

at  Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Band 5 Rotational Occupational Therapist
West Middlesex University Hospital
A new opportunity has arisen for a Band 5 Occupational Therapist to join our rotational scheme, within the Therapy Service. Our Trust provides services from both Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital. We are one of the best performing trusts in London for A&E waiting times, and our mortality rates are some of the best in the country.
We are looking for an enthusiastic Occupational Therapist who can work autonomously and has the relevant knowledge, skills and motivation to help deliver and develop the Acute Therapy service within this fast-paced dynamic department.
The six month rotations are in the following clinical areas: Accident and Emergency Department, Respiratory and Surgical Medicine, Medical Rehabilitation and Frailty, Trauma and Orthopaedics and Neurology. Each rotation will provide you with an excellent opportunity to develop a wide range of clinical and professional skills.
The post holder will provide high quality clinical care to patients, in line with the Trust values and in accordance with professional regulations.
They will work as an autonomous practitioner in providing Occupational Therapy assessment, treatment and management to their own designated caseload of patients, and to maintain up to date records.
They will use evidence based principles/current best practise to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
The post holder will gain experience through rotations in Respiratory, Older Adults, Orthopaedics, Neurology and A&E settings.
The post holder is expected to consolidate and develop knowledge and skills through participation in CPD.
The post holder is expected to engage in out of hours and weekend work on a rota basis in line with a seven day working service.
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England’s top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.
Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us ‘Good’ in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and ’Outstanding’ in leadership and resource use.
We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.
We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.
The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.
Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.
Clinical
To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of your work, including the management of patients in your care.
To be able to carry and prioritise your own designated clinical caseload, working as an autonomous practitioner, with regular supervision from your supervisor.
To undertake competent occupational therapy assessments in line with department and professional standards to establish the patient’s level of function.
To carry out appropriate and effective occupational therapy assessments e.g. observation, kitchen assessments, washing and dressing assessments, functional assessments, cognitive assessments, home environment assessments and access assessments.
To be responsible for organising, and undertaking access visits and patient assessment and follow up home visits and on occasion to work as a lone practitioner in the domiciliary setting.
To use problem orientated medical records to aid the clinical reasoning process in the assessment and treatment of all patients.
To use good communication skills to identify occupational therapy goals with individual patients.
To use clinical reasoning, understanding of the medical diagnosis, knowledge of treatment options and assessment results to plan and implement individual therapy programs.
To make use of treatment options such as provision of disability equipment, group therapy, neurology techniques, graded activity programs, relaxation and anxiety management programs, advice and education and therapeutic handling.
To monitor and evaluate treatment to measure progress and to ensure effectiveness of the intervention. To be able to identify problems and modify treatments in routine cases but with support of senior in more complex cases.
To provide comprehensive written occupational therapy records of assessment and treatment according to departmental standards.
To determine the patients understanding of the occupational therapy intervention in order to gain valid, informed consent and to be able to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools when communicating with patients/carers to maximise the patient’s rehabilitation potential. This will include communication with people with complex communication difficulties such as dysphasia, deafness, and dementia, mental health problems or speak English as a second language or who have difficulty accepting their diagnosis.
To attend multi-disciplinary team meetings such as case conferences, ward rounds and discharge planning meetings to communicate information about individual patient progress and to assist MDT decision making, eg regarding discharge plans.
To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all adaptive equipment in line with departmental standards.
To be responsible for the safe and appropriate provision of adaptive equipment to patients according to the Integrated Community Equipment Store, social services and departmental guidelines.
Leadership and management
To demonstrate good time management and organisational skills during daily management of own workload and to be able to adapt flexibly to sudden changes in workload.
To carry an identified bleep as required by each clinical area and be able to respond to frequent interruptions.
To ensure accurate and timely communication of assessment findings, treatment and outcomes to other involved disciplines through the provision of social services reports, discharge letters etc.
To make appropriate and timely referrals to other occupational therapists, other members of the multidisciplinary team and community partners when required.
To keep accurate and up-to-date patient records and statistics at all times in line with departmental, professional and legal standards.
To delegate specific tasks to therapy assistants in line with departmental and professional guidelines.
To understand and apply clinical governance principles to your own caseload and to be involved in departmental clinical governance sessions.
To contribute to service and policy developments.
To develop and maintain effective communication and working relationships with other professional groups, and staff generally within the Division and the Trust.
To assist in the delivery of induction / orientation of new staff.
To provide clinical support and guidance to staff and to act as a resource for clinical knowledge to staff.
Education and research
To participate in and contribute to in-service training programmes.
To be responsible for the teaching and assessment of graduate level therapeutic skills and knowledge to occupational therapy students and therapy assistants.
To provide clinical supervision to students and therapy assistants.
To be involved in data collection during any research and audits being undertaken in each area and to be able to monitor and implement change.
To have the opportunity to be involved in audit and research projects.
Professional development
To comply with the College of Occupational Therapy and the Health and Care Professions Council codes of professional conduct at all times.
To maintain professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
To be responsible for personal continuous professional development by the use of self-education, reflective practice, active participation in the in-service training program including giving presentations and attendance at postgraduate courses as agreed in your personal development plan and to maintain an up to date CPD portfolio.
To further develop understanding and use of evidence based practise, occupational therapy techniques, therapeutic handling skills and detailed knowledge of particular conditions, pertinent to the area of each rotation.
To ensure that all mandatory training is completed within the required timescales.
To carry out an evidence-based project during each rotation, communicate findings to other therapists in that team and make recommendations for change.
To have an awareness of current professional and clinical developments within your area of practice and promote this to others.
To participate in the appraisal system as appraisee during each rotation and be responsible for fulfilling your agreed objectives and personal development plan.
To ensure adherence to Trust policy and guidelines at all times.
To role model Trust values at all times.
General
Covid-19 vaccination is a condition of employment for this role, unless an exemption applies. The successful applicant may have contact with vulnerable service users and we will therefore seek proof of being fully vaccinated during the recruitment process

Please refer the Job description for details