Senior Occupational Therapist 0.6 WTE Neuro Disability Residential Ser...

at  Peamount Healthcare

DETAILS OF SERVICE

Peamount Healthcare is an independent voluntary organisation that provides a range of high-quality health and social care services in conjunction with the HSE. These services include rehabilitation, residential and community services. Peamount Healthcare seeks to provide an environment which encourages and develops an improved quality of life for all of its clients characterised by independence, self-determination and dignity.
We are seeking an enthusiastic Senior Occupational Therapist on a part time basis (0.6 WTE) to deliver a high quality, person centred Occupational Therapy service primarily to adults with complex neuro disabilities in a residential setting. There will be opportunity from time to time to provide input to other clinical areas including neurorehabilitation.
Peamount Healthcare is committed to the following values:
Person centred - seeing each person as unique, giving them a voice and focusing on ability.
Respect - creating a supportive environment where everyone is given courteous and respectful care and support.
Excellence - enabling interdisciplinary teams to deliver high quality integrated care, meaningful outcomes with a focus on continuous improvement.
Team working - fostering an inclusive, healthy working environment where people are valued and recognised for their individual and shared achievements.
Quality improvement - supporting teams to embed continuous improvement methodology as part of everything we do.
Education & Research - partnering with academia to support education, learning, research and evidence-based care.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Candidates for appointment must:
(i) Be registered on the Occupational Therapists Register maintained by the Occupational Therapists Registration Board at CORU
And
(ii) Provide proof of Statutory Registration on the Occupational Therapists Register maintained by the Occupational Therapists Registration Board at CORU before a contract of employment can be issued.
And
(iii) Have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.
And
Have a minimum of 3 years satisfactory post graduate clinical experience as an Occupational Therapist with at least one years’ experience in adult neuro disability to include seating/postural management.
Demonstrate evidence of leadership initiatives, service development /quality improvements.
Experience supervising Occupational Therapy staff and/or student Occupational Therapists.

SKILLS, COMPETENCIES AND KNOWLEDGE

• Demonstrate a command of the English language (both verbal and written) so as to effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role.
• Demonstrate clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning skills and evidence-based practice appropriate to carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the role.
• Demonstrate evidence of having applied/used appropriate assessment tools and treatments interventions and a knowledge of relevant outcomes measures.
• Demonstrate competence in goal setting, treatment planning, report writing and documentation in partnership with service users.
• Demonstrate the ability to plan, deliver and evaluate the service in an effective and resourceful manner.
• Demonstrate ability to take initiative and to be appropriately self-directed.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the delivery of a high-quality, person-centred service. Champion initiatives to improve quality of service.
• Act as a clinical resource for the MDT, OT service and students.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively evaluate information and make appropriate decisions.
• Demonstrate a track record of educating and supervising staff/ facilitating professional supervision.
• Demonstrate ability to organise time and workload effectively.
• Demonstrate effective teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills with experience of collaborative joint assessments and interventions with MDT members/relatives.
• Demonstrate the ability to empathise with and treat service users, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate evidence of commitment to continuing professional development.
• Demonstrate ability to deliver presentations/training.
• Demonstrate audit and research skills.
• Demonstrate flexibility and openness to change.
• Demonstrate a willingness to develop IT skills relevant to the role.
• Demonstrate knowledge of OT models of practice and treatment intervention relevant to these client groups.
• Demonstrate knowledge of neurological impairments and their impact on physical, psychosocial and cognitive skills.
• Demonstrate knowledge of cognitive, visual, and perceptual deficits and experience in assessment/treatment interventions for same.
• Demonstrate knowledge of motor and sensory impairment & experience in assessment/treatment interventions for same. E.g. sensory regulation programmes.

• Demonstrate a good working knowledge of standardised and non-standardised assessments and outcome measures for these client groups. E.g., Posture and Postural Ability Scale, MAT assessment, Tardieu Assessment for Spasticity, Assessment of awareness levels.
  Demonstrate knowledge and experience in seating and 24-hour postural management.

  Demonstrate knowledge and experience in spasticity management

• Demonstrate knowledge and experience in Upper Limb Extremity Management including splinting.

• Demonstrate knowledge and experience in the provision of appropriate assistive devices.

  Demonstrates knowledge and experience in environmental home assessments.

• Demonstrate knowledge & experience in educational and therapeutic group interventions.

  Demonstrate knowledge of national / professional standards relevant to this post e.g., HIQA standards and of relevant clinical guidelines.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

The Senior Occupational Therapist will:

• Participate in mandatory training programmes.
• Keep up to date with advances and developments in occupational therapy and participate in continuing professional development including reflective practice, in-service training, attending and presenting at courses/conferences relevant to practice, self - directed learning, contributing to research etc.
• Contribute to in-service training within the occupational therapy department and within the wider organisation context.
• Participate in research and clinical audit projects as required.
• Network with other clinicians in the area of practice, education providers and professional body/advisory groups to exchange and enhance knowledge base and practice.
• Engage in support/professional supervision with Occupational Therapy Manager.
• Engage in peer support with Senior Occupational Therapist colleagues.
• Engage in personal development planning and performance review for self and others as required.
• Provide support/professional supervision to occupational therapy staff in accordance with the occupational therapy departmental policy.
• Participate and play a key role in the practice education of student occupational therapists and engage in the teaching/training/support of others as appropriate.
• Ensure new staff have adequate induction and clinical supervision and assist Occupational Therapy Manager in implementing staff development and performance reviews.

VALIDATION OF QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Any credit given to a candidate at interview, in respect of claims to qualifications, training and experience is provisional and is subject to verification. The recommendation of the interview board is liable to revision if the claimed qualification, training or experience is not proven.

PURPOSE OF POST

To work in collaboration with the Occupational Therapy Manager in planning, developing, co-ordinating and evaluating the service to meet the needs of the service users and the objectives of the organisation. The Senior Occupational Therapist will be responsible for the provision and delivery of a high-quality Occupational Therapy service in the designated clinical area(s) and will carry out clinical, educational and administrative duties as required.

PROFESSIONAL/CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior Occupational Therapist will:

• Be responsible for the maintenance of standards of practice of self and staff appointed to clinical / designated area(s).
• Maintain/develop specialist skills in the designated clinical area(s) and act as a resource for other members of staff.
• Provide clinical leadership for the day-to-day running of the designated service area(s) by supervising staff, prioritising and allocating work and promoting positive staff morale and team working, in collaboration with the Occupational Therapy Manager.
• Manage own caseload in accordance with prioritisation guidelines and the needs of the service.
• Be responsible for assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment intervention programmes for service users in accordance with occupational therapy standards.
• Attend ward rounds, multidisciplinary team meetings and care planning meetings as required.
• Collaborate with service users, other team members, relatives/carers and external agencies, as required, working in co-operation to ensure co-ordinated intervention.
• Liaise closely with MDT members in the clinical setting to maximise service user outcomes and act as a key worker when required.
• Be responsible for goal setting in partnership with service users, family members and team members as appropriate.
• Plan discharge or transition of service users between services as appropriate.
• Document and ensure the quality of all assessments, treatment intervention plans, progress notes, reports and discharge summaries in accordance with the requirements of the occupational therapy department and professional standards.
• Communicate verbally and/or in writing results of assessments, treatment/intervention programmes and recommendations to the service user, multidisciplinary team and relevant others as appropriate.
• Foster and maintain professional working relationships with colleagues, front line managers and other healthcare personnel in the team.
• Promote good team working, and a culture that values diversity within the occupational therapy service and relevant teams.
• Liaise with the Occupational Therapy Manager regarding the needs, interests and views of occupational therapy staff and service users.
• Ensure that professional standards are maintained in relation to evidence-based practice, documentation, consent, confidentiality, ethics and legislation.
• Incorporate national and international Evidence Based Occupational Therapy Practice.
• Respect and maintain confidentiality in all matters of information obtained during the course of employment.

• Arrange and ensure that staff in the designated area(s) carry out duties in a timely manner within settings appropriate to service users needs.

  Seek advice and assistance from the Occupational Therapy Manager with any assigned cases or issues that prove to be beyond the scope of professional competence in line with principles of best practice and clinical governance.

• Operate within the scope of Irish occupational therapy practice and in accordance with local guidelines.

SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the responsibility of all staff to:
Participate and cooperate with legislative and regulatory requirements with regard to Quality, Risk and Safety.
Participate and cooperate with external agencies on safety initiatives as required.
Participate and cooperate with internal and external evaluations of hospital structures, services and processes as required, including but not limited to:
O National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare.
O National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections.
O HSE Standards and Recommended Practices for Healthcare Records Management
O Safety audits and other audits specified by the HSE or other regulatory authorities.
To initiate, support and implement quality improvement initiatives in their area which are in keeping with the hospital’s continuous quality improvement programme.
It is the responsibility of all managers to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for Quality, Safety and Risk within their area/department