Rotational Occupational Therapist

at  Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

Are you a newly qualified Band 5 Occupational Therapist or about to graduate?
Or are you wanting Band 5 experience in a busy acute hospital in a joint therapy team.
We have the job for you.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, well-motivated Occupational Therapist to join us in the Therapy department at Northampton General Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire group. The post will involve working as part of the joint therapy team (OTs, Physios and Support Staff) with rotations including Acute Medicine, Elderly Care, Urgent Care and Frailty, Surgery, Trauma and Orthopedics, Stroke, Respiratory and Hand Therapy. The successful candidate would be expected to work as part of our 7-day service where weekend working will be required.
As a Band 5 clinician within the team you will be required to take part in delivering a quality Occupational Therapy Service working closely with other members of the Multidisciplinary Team including Physiotherapy, Technical Instructors, Nurses, Medics and the Hospital Complex case discharge Team.
All staff grades are given further opportunities to learn about governance and join departmental groups which will help you gain more insight in the workings of a hospital and what goes on behind the scenes.

We welcome pre application visits, for further details / informal visits contact: Winnie Nalule or Jakki Gilson on 01604545657 winfred.nalule@nhs.net or jakki.gilson@nhs.net

• To provide a professional Occupational Therapy service to patients on own caseload, under the supervision of senior colleagues.
• Rotations include: Surgery, Acute Medicine, Elderly Care, Stroke, Hand therapy, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Urgent Care and Frailty and Respiratory.
• To actively contribute to the discharge planning process by selecting and implementing appropriate assessments and interventions to address the needs of patients including those with an acute illness, following injury or surgery and those with chronic disease, palliative illness or undergoing a period of acute re enablement.
• Work closely with physiotherapy colleges and the wider MDT
• Support the team in the day to day running of the therapy service

Provide effective input into the work of the Trust, to support the achievement of our vision and values.
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.

Supporting Clinical and Patient excellence

• Under the regular supervision of senior Therapy colleagues, select, plan and implement assessments and treatment interventions for patients either in the hospital or in their own home or community setting.
• Use clinical reasoning to balance risk, safety, patient choice and eligibility for services
• Manage a caseload on designated ward/s, seeking guidance from Therapy colleagues as required
• Assess patients function for safe discharge, referring on to appropriate community services
• Assess and prescribe equipment, adaptations, ongoing rehabilitation and care provision as appropriate and necessary for a safe discharge from the service.
• Carry out assessments within patient’s homes as appropriate within departmental guidelines
• Communicate effectively with patients, family members, carers, members of the multi-disciplinary team, Therapy colleagues and other agencies
• Provide support to patients and carers, sharing information to enable them to make informed decisions regarding Occupational Therapy recommendations and discharge arrangements
• Advise patients and carers, through demonstrating the safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise the patient’s functional ability, safety and independence
• Liaise with health and social care professionals and other related statutory, private and voluntary organisations, providing verbal and written reports and referrals where appropriate, in accordance with data protection principles
• Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs
• Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance
• Submit accurate timesheets within set department timescales for additional hours worked
• In the absence of Therapy colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Therapy service both within the specific clinical areas and across all service areas
• Work to identified guidelines and eligibility criteria relating to the provision of home adaptations, equipment and wheelchairs to ensure equity of service to all patients
• Give guidance and training to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff where required
• Assist Therapy colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the Therapy services
• Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements
• Provide formal clinical reports for the multi-disciplinary team as required
• Collect, record and submit accurate clinical and personal statistical data in line with departmental requirements and guidelines
• Participate in the Therapy in-service training programme, taking the lead in designated sessions as appropriate
• Regularly attend and participate in Therapy service staff meetings
• Identify own learning and development needs with support from senior Therapy colleagues, contributing to the production of a Personal Development Plan
• Build an ongoing Continuing Professional Development portfolio, reflecting on and recording learning outcomes of development opportunities
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current Occupational Therapy research and apply this to practice in conjunction with the Therapy team
• Contribute to audit and research activity within the Therapy Service as appropriate
• Review and reflect on own practice and actively participates in regular supervision and annual appraisal

Corporate responsibilities

• Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide safe patient care and participate in maintenance and training.

People/Management Excellence

• Contribute to the Therapy Service governance arrangements and to the work of selected departmental groups (eg Risk Management, Health & Safety)
• Delegate work tasks appropriately to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff

Supporting Financial Excellence

• To make the best use of the NSH resources

Professional Responsibilities, Quality Assurance and Monitoring

• Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions
• Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within the Therapy Service to improve effectiveness and efficiency
• Comply with departmental guidelines for the safe use, care and maintenance of equipment and stock
• Contribute to audit and research activity within the Therapy Service as appropriate
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills to ensure fitness to practice as an Occupational Therapist, in line with competencies detailed in the Knowledge & Skills Framework Outline for this post
• Comply with the College of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and the Health Professional Council Standards of Conduct, Performance & Ethics, national and Trust policy, protocols and guidelines

Corporate responsibilities

• Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide safe patient care and participate in maintenance and training

Professional Responsibilities, Quality Assurance and Monitoring

• Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions
• Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within the Therapy Service to improve effectiveness and efficiency
• Comply with departmental guidelines for the safe use, care and maintenance of equipment and stock
• Contribute to audit and research activity within the Therapy Service as appropriate
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills to ensure fitness to practice as an Occupational Therapist, in line with competencies detailed in the Knowledge & Skills Framework Outline for this post
• Comply with the College of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and the Health Professional Council Standards of Conduct, Performance & Ethics, national and Trust policy, protocols and guideline