Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Occupational Therapist to join our General Medicine and Older Persons Team at St Thomas' Hospital. The post sits within a supportive, forward thinking Occupational Therapy management structure that promotes innovation, service development, staff well being and professional development.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, motivated and flexible clinician with excellent communication and interpersonal skills who is keen to take on a varied and rewarding role. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and develop a new Occupational Therapy role within the OPU/medicine pathway, with a particular focus on supporting timely discharge for patients whose needs can be managed within a short timeframe.

The successful candidate will oversee an inpatient Occupational Therapy caseload, providing holistic, person centred assessment and intervention for patients with complex needs. You will work closely with patients, families and the wider multidisciplinary team to develop effective rehabilitation and discharge plans that promote independence and support safe, timely discharge.

The role offers an excellent opportunity to develop specialist clinical, leadership, supervision and service development skills while contributing to the wider professional agenda for acute medicine and older people.

Main duties of the job
As a Band 7 Occupational Therapist, you will provide a high quality, specialist and evidence based Occupational Therapy service to patients across the Older Persons Unit and medical wards. You will manage a complex caseload, using advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking and reflective practice to deliver holistic, person centred assessment and intervention.

You will provide clinical leadership and support to a designated team of Occupational Therapists, including junior staff and assistants.

You will play a key role in leading and influencing clinical practice and service development within the Medicine and Older Persons Occupational Therapy service. This will include contributing to innovative, evidence based approaches and wider Trust, local and national initiatives relevant to acute medicine and older people.

You will maintain your own continuing professional development and contribute to the evidence base of Occupational Therapy, promoting learning, reflection and continuous improvement. You will also support the education and development of Occupational Therapy students on clinical placement.

The post holder will also contribute to the effective management and development of the Occupational Therapy service, undertaking delegated responsibilities and supporting service leads as required.

About us
Joining us as a Band 7 Occupational Therapist means becoming part of an organisation that is committed to providing high quality, compassionate and person centred care, while supporting our staff to achieve their full potential. We value our people and recognise that a positive, inclusive and supportive workforce is fundamental to delivering excellent services.

We offer a welcoming and collaborative working environment where staff are encouraged to share ideas, learn from one another and contribute to improving the services we provide. You will work alongside experienced and dedicated professionals across a range of disciplines, with opportunities to build strong networks, develop your clinical leadership skills and contribute to wider organisational priorities.

We are committed toprofessional development, continuous learning and career progression. As a Band 7 Occupational Therapist, you will be supported through regular supervision, reflective practice and access to learning and development opportunities. We encourage our staff to be innovative and forward thinking and to play an active role in shaping and developing services for the future.

Job responsibilities
Clinical

• To be responsible for providing individual and group client centred assessments to inpatients and outpatients with complex conditions on the medical wards and Older Persons Unit, being aware of common precautions and complications and the impact these have on a patients lifestyle and Occupational performance. To manage the most complex cases addressing Occupational performance skills, patterns, context or contexts and activity demands in collaboration with patients and carers.
• To undertake Occupational Therapy Specialist multi-needs assessments on patients with complex conditions, using complex and advanced clinical reasoning demonstrating critical thinking, reflection and analysis to develop individual and group goal and task oriented treatment plans, including education and advice to patients, their families, carers and staff.
• To carry out complex physical and functional assessments and treatments to facilitate and promote functional independence.
• To prepare and disseminate reports and data including highly sensitive information regarding clinical examination and prognostic indicators for functional performance to vulnerable patient groups.
• To act as a source of clinical expertise and advice providing clinical leadership within the medicine and Older Persons team and a resource for other teams as appropriate.
• To develop collaborative treatment plans with patents, carers and colleagues both in the hospital, workplace and patients home environment, demonstrating ethical clinical reasoning and problem solving techniques to determine agreed outcomes across health and social care.
• To maintain high professional standards, continuously promoting and developing quality improvements appropriate to the needs of the Occupational Therapy Service and profession.
• To be responsible for clinical and managerial caseload management ensuring clinical governance, quality assurance and Occupational Therapy professional standards are met.
• To regularly undertake complex risk assessments and to advise others in determining appropriate management specifically relating to moving and handling and safe use of equipment, both in the hospital environment and in the patients home.
• To understand and apply National Guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care in Occupational Therapy practice and in geriatric medicine.
• To take a lead in developing and implementing clinical training programmes and inservice training for Occupational Therapy staff, patients and staff, and other professionals.

Managerial

• To operationally lead and manage designated Occupational Therapy Staff within the team and department, providing effective guidance, supervision and performance management including the education and management of students on practice placements.
• To contribute to the Trusts, Directorates and Departmental Clinical Governance and Quality assurance programmes, setting and monitoring practice standards within the Occupational Therapy Service and in liaison with interdisciplinary colleagues.
• To inform the Occupational Therapy Service of changes in Clinical practice which may influence Occupational Therapy Service delivery, business planning and strategic reviews to support the delivery of the annual Occupational Therapy plan, meeting agreed objectives.
• To ensure accurate and up to date records of all professional judgements, decisions taken, related statistical information are kept and reported in accordance with Occupational Therapy policies.
• To participate as required in the recruitment selection and induction of Junior Occupational Therapy Staff.
• To participate in the operational planning and implementation of policy and service development within Occupational Therapy leading on delegated projects.

Communication

• To articulate and work to the value base and principles which underpin Occupational Therapy practice representing the unique role of Occupational Therapy in relation to interdisciplinary working.
• To use effective interpersonal skills to communicate complex and frequently unwelcome news regarding prognosis where agreement and co-operation is required and there are barriers to understanding such as vulnerable and at risk patients.
• Utilise formal and informal reporting mechanisms including electronic reporting to ensure effective communication across health and social care.
• Use effective interpersonal skills to encourage patients and carers active participation in the Occupational Therapy process.
• Use verbal and non-verbal communication to receive and disseminate complex clinical information in all therapeutic, educational programmes and professional contexts acknowledging sensitivity and utilising approaches appropriate to the complexity of the context or culture.
• Maintain confidentiality consistent with Trust and Service policies.
• Act as an advocate on behalf of patients and carers by adopting a client centred approach to support meaningful participation in life roles.
• To provide legal assessments and reports on patients where litigation is pending. To provide work assessments where necessary.
• To maintain and develop professional communication links across health and social care including representation at multidisciplinary collaborative forums and networks.
• To provide support to the multidisciplinary team and be involved in the training of other hospital staff and students, educating other disciplines in the role of Occupational Therapy within the Medicine and Older Persons service and to participate in the education of patients and carers.
• To utilise advanced communication skills acting as a prime educator of other professionals including doctors, nurses, qualified and unqualified AHPs and students on own area of clinical expertise and on the role and scope of Occupational Therapy.

Professional Development

• To maintain professional status and competence at a senior specialist level taking responsibility for keeping own knowledge and skills up to date by engaging in and directing continuous professional development and lifelong learning.
• Actively participates in internal and external post registration education programmes.
• Use supervision monitoring and performance development plans to promote clinical and personal effectiveness of self and others.
• Share expert acquired clinical knowledge and specialist skills with colleagues and peers both at a local and national level.

Research Audit and Quality

• To commit to evidence based practice by undertaking and contributing to audit projects and research opportunities relevant to Occupational Therapy within the Medicine and Older Persons Service at Guys and St. Thomas Hospital, and at a national level.
• To participate in Therapies Directorate research forum and activities to develop research knowledge and skills base.
• To lead and develop designated Occupational Therapy Service audits reporting findings and actions at local and directorate levels.

Person Specification
Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential

• Diploma or Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration
• Postgraduate experience in physical disability in an acute/community environment

Desirable

• Experience working within acute and community settings including medicine/older people

Skills
Essential

• oKnowledge, understanding and application of Occupational Therapy process relating to client centred practice.
• oDemonstrate sound techniques in applying a range of complex assessments and treatments including cognition.
• oGeneral understanding of frailty and impact on occupational performance
• oExperience of working within multi-disciplinary diagnostic and intervention services

Desirable

• Ability to work with multi-disciplinary agencies often required for complex case management
• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and associated frameworks
• Knowledge of manual handling and complex positioning/seating
• Previous experience of research and audit

Personal Qualities
Essential

• oExcellent communication and interactive skills.
• oWell developed personal, organisational and time management skills.
• oProactive and innovative approach

Desirable

• Membership of professional body. Membership of RCOT Special Interest Group.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).