Job summary
Are you an Occupational Therapist looking for the next step in your career? Or maybe you're looking for an opportunity to be based as part of a friendly team where you develop your clinical and leadership skills? Do you have previous experience working in an Acute environment?

This could be a fantastic opportunity to allow you to develop your clinical skills in Acute and Respiratory Medicine, Surgery and ITU whilst creating a strong feeling of belonging in a very supportive friendly team who are keen to progress and develop the service.

We are looking for a Static Band 6 Occupational Therapist who is already a skilled clinician with previous related experience in the acute setting with a broad range of rotational experience. They will be naturally empathetic, demonstrating good communication skills to facilitate close working relationships with both service users and the wider MDT. They will need to be creative and flexible to meet the changing needs of the caseload and service.

You will work as part of an integrated therapy team of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Therapy Technicians to deliver an effective and co-ordinated specialist service across the Medical, Respiratory and Surgical pathways at Weston site. The post holder will work closely with the Band 7 Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists supporting the whole team with the additional support of Clinical Specialist OTs.

Main duties of the job
Your day-to-day will involve working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

The post holder will manage their own caseload within the acute medical respiratory speciality providing specialist assessment and treatment of complex patients. Whilst supporting the junior staff with their caseloads, and the band 7s with the day to day running of the team.

You will play a key role in encouraging positive risk taking to avoid hospital admission and supporting early discharge from hospital.

In addition, you'll have access to benefits and incentives such as:

• Supportive, integrated team working
• IST/journal clubs/research opportunities
• Regular clinical supervision from a Team Lead/Clinical Specialist OT
• Service development and QI projects

You will be expected to work a regular weekend pattern (1 in 4) and be part of the Bank Holiday Rota.

Job responsibilities
You will join an integrated team to deliver a coordinated and efficient therapeutic and rehabilitation service across the Medical and Respiratory wards. This caseload includes General Medicine, Acute admissions and Respiratory.

As a senior and autonomous practitioner, you will make robust decisions and take positive risks to support patients in developing early discharge plans, to ensure best clinical care and enable effective patient flow through the hospital. In addition you will be managing patients with long term conditions with complex discharge planning needs. The role requires an experienced Occupational Therapist who understands the complexity of Medical and Respiratory patients.

Please refer to job description for full detail.

Person Specification
Essential Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of common respiratory conditions and pathologies that a patient may present with in an acute hospital setting
• Able to organise and prioritise own caseload in an acute hospital setting
• Ability to delegate effectively to others
• Able to demonstrate effective team working skills
• Able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people that is consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred method of communication
• Able to identify own learning needs, and be practised in addressing these through a range of methods including supervision and self-directed learning
• Demonstrates abilities in the supervision and development of others
• Sufficient IT skills to navigate successfully through multiple hospital computer systems
• Practical skills of applying different prioritisation methods
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure

Essential Education and Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in Occupational therapy and state registered with HCPC
• Evidence of Post Graduate training in Acute Medicine and Respiratory

Essential Experience

• Experience of managing a general medical caseload as a band 5 in a hospital setting
• Staff to have completed a variety of rotations as a band 5/6
• Experience of working alongside and delegating to un-registered therapy staff
• Experience of contributing to the clinical education and development of less experienced staff, students or therapy technicians
• Experience of working in an acute hospital setting

Essential Personal Qualities

• Resilient and mature attitude
• Able to initiate discussions with new people and discuss complex issues with fluency and confidence
• Proactive and enthusiastic attitude to learning, projects and service improvements

Employer details
Employer name: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Weston General Hospital - Bristol Foundation Trust, Grange Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 4TQ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Contact for questions about the job: Medicine Pathway Lead, Daisy Gold, daisy.gold@uhbw.nhs.uk, 01934647102

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.