Specialist Occupational Therapist - Surrey Downs H&C

at  Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust

COMMUNICATION/RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

• To be able to appropriately gain a person’s consent to engage with assessment and intervention as required. Recognising that people may present with complex conditions or may have emotional, physical or physiological conditions, requiring the use of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• To be able to assess and identify those who lack the capacity to consent to treatment and be able to work with them within a legal framework.
• To be able to adopt a range of communication methods as appropriate in view of educational, social or identified barriers to effective communication, e.g. language preference, language disorder, cognitive or emotional barriers.
• To communicate effectively with other Surrey Downs Health and Care / Sutton Health and Care team members, as well as others involved in the person’s care, e.g. other professionals, teams and family/carers to ensure a ‘one team’ approach is maintained.
• Key communication areas include:
• Hospital Staff
• Patients, Families and Carers
• Community Nursing and Therapy Teams
• Accident and Emergency Departments
• Primary Care (including Practice Organisations)

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

MAIN DUTIES OF THE JOB

• To work as a key member of the multidisciplinary team in the assessment and management of a caseload of clients.
• To plan, deliver and evaluate the treatment needs of clients with a variety of complex social and health care needs.
• To participate as an active member of the multidisciplinary team in developing and delivering high quality and innovative services to the local population.
• To promote effective teamwork within the wider Surrey Downs Health and Care, delegating activities appropriately, to the benefit of the patient and service delivery.
• As a therapist within Surrey Downs Health and Care there will be the opportunity to work closely alongside and potentially rotate into other sectors of the organisation.
• The expectations within this job description will be achieved through hands-on clinical practice, education and training and research

HEALTH/SAFETY AND SECURITY RESPONSIBILITIES

• To undertake and advise on safe moving and handling of a person and apply manual handling techniques to assessment and treatment. To provide a person and/or family/informal carers with education and advice regarding appropriate manual handling techniques, seeking support from senior team members as required.
• To carry out risk assessments when necessary, formulate and carry out action plans to reduce risk.
• To comply and promote safe working practises with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, as well as Epsom Health and Care policies and procedures.
• To have current knowledge of infection control, which may impact on your areas of work.
• To report all clinical and non-clinical incidents/near misses, as per appropriate policy.
• To take independent responsibility for ensuring mandatory training is up to date.
• To ensure that you are able to access all appropriate policies and procedures adopted by Surrey Downs Health and Care / Sutton Health and Care.

PLANNING AND ORGANISATIONAL DUTIES

• To be able to prioritise effectively and be flexible to the demands of the service. To be able to respond to urgent referrals and clinical queries as required throughout the day.
• To demonstrate flexibility according to the needs of the service and the clinical area as directed by senior staff.
• To have an understanding of clinical governance and risk management.
• To enhance and maintain co-operative working relationships with colleagues from all sectors.
• To contribute to and participate in team objectives and service developments.
• To participate in team and service related meetings, planning, organising, chairing or minute taking when required.
• To represent and promote Surrey Downs Health and Care / Sutton Health and Care @home service to others.
  Managerial

PERSONAL AND PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• To assist colleagues by monitoring caseloads, recording statistics and prioritising referrals as required.
• To develop and maintain professional, clinical and managerial skills through supervision/appraisal, CPD and a personal development plan agreed with the line manager/professional manager.
• To participate in the staff development programme by actively encouraging and engaging in supervision, training and development opportunities within the team, including students e.g. through in services training, 1:1 supervision, Personal Development Plans etc.
• To provide clinical supervision, appraisal and competency framework for junior staff members, support workers, and assistants in the team, by providing theoretical and practical clinical training.
• To clinically supervise OT students, having attended practise placement educator course. Support with other discipline practise placements as required.
• To delegate duties to colleagues appropriately.

QUALITY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• To abide by the HCPC / COT rules of professional conduct and local professional and quality standards.
• To contribute towards joint assessment processes.
• To collaborate with other colleagues on ways to maintain, monitor and improve services provided, and undertake research project as appropriate.
• To maintain links with own professional group by attending relevant meetings.
• To keep up to date with current research/literature relevant to clinical area.
• To be involved in monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Through supervision and appraisal identify band 6 projects i.e. research, audit, case study, and be responsible for completing these projects.
• To maintain a current knowledge of developments within the NHS and Occupational Therapy.
• To support professional and service development through active participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and by participating in any audit or research being undertaken by the service.
• To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of professional activities, working within the codes of practise, professional guidelines and Surrey Downs Health and Care / Sutton Health and Care policies and procedures.
• To develop and maintain discipline specific skills, whilst adopting a cross competency approach, with support as required.
• To have an awareness of accountability and delegation guidelines.
• Assist in the development of educational resources to update evidence based clinical knowledge.
• To participate in case based learning sessions, in-service training, case study presentations, journal clubs as a recipient and facilitator.
• To contribute to the development of Occupational Therapy within the service