Occupational Therapist

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, dynamic, and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist with excellent multidisciplinary communication to join the Trauma and Orthopaedic Occupational Therapy team at Derriford Hospital.

This post is integral to the delivery of a high standard of therapeutic care and is integral to the multidisciplinary team's ability to provide smooth and appropriate discharge planning with the wider community MDT. The successful candidate will work as an experienced clinician across the Trauma and Elective Orthopaedic wards.

The successful candidate must be registered and have experience in the acute environment, and be able to demonstrate an appropriate level of personal autonomy & clinical skill. You must have good interpersonal skills, work well in a multidisciplinary team environment, and be willing to support the Team Lead in delivering a specialist occupational therapy service in challenging times.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Main duties of the job

To perform a specialist Occupational Therapy role to a comprehensive Occupational Therapy service to the patients on the Trauma and Elective Orthopaedic wards.  This includes carrying out a range of functional and cognitive assessments.

Be part of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that Occupational Therapy input is integral to the patient's overall care and discharge.

To deputise for the Team Lead when necessary.

Will be required to work on the 7-day rota (1 in 4 weekends)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

• Ensure the patients, relatives and those the therapist comes into contact with are aware of the role of the Occupational Therapist and components of the Occupational Therapy treatment programme.
• Obtain informed consent from the patient, and work within the current legal framework for patients who lack capacity to consent, prior to commencing any treatment.
• Select from a wide range of standardised and non-standardised assessments to assess and aid diagnosis of cognitive, perceptual, behavioural, physical and social functioning of the patients referred.  This includes, but is not limited to social environmental interview, cognitive & perceptual tests, personal care assessments, kitchen assessments, feeding assessments.
• Make reliable interpretations of the assessment results, in order to inform other professionals in the diagnosis and management of the patients. Also to guide the Occupational Therapy treatment plan, and for the recommendation of the discharge destinations/placements.
• Plan, deliver and review treatment programmes in close liaison with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, patients, carers and family in accordance with any consent given. Addressing areas such as disease management, sensory, motor, splinting, psychosocial needs and functional abilities.
• Carry out environmental home assessments, pre-discharge home assessments, discharge home assessments and follow-up visits, as required.  Assess the patient carrying out functional skills to maximise independent living, arranging equipment provision, adaptations and support services as required.  Assess for disability access and safety, also ensuring access to community resources and assessing carer needs.
• Assess for and provide aids and adaptive equipment to increase / enable independent function, teaching compensatory techniques as required. These include but are not limited to feeding, dressing, leisure activities and employment. Responsible for providing information and instruction for the safe use of the items provided.
• Raise requisitions for minor adaptation and OT equipment on behalf of the OT Department.
• Assess for wheelchairs & specialist seating as appropriate, referring on to wheelchair / seating clinic if required.
• Responsible to plan, deliver and review treatment programmes in close liaison with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, patients, carers and family in accordance with any consent given.
• Assess, fabricate and monitor thermoplastic splints for patients as appropriate.
• Review, record and report regularly on patient’s treatment and progress to the multi-disciplinary team in accordance with the policies and procedures  in individual clinical areas, whilst ensuring confidentiality at all times.
• Complex discharge planning, which involves identifying patients’ and carers needs, and the co-ordination of services in the community, to address the diverse and complex presentation and needs of patients, e.g. arranging the provision of  hoist equipment for discharge.
• Actively participate, liaise and ensure good communication with the MDT, carers, social care, statutory and voluntary bodies to establish a comprehensive discharge package to ensure continuation of care in the community.  This includes providing written communication to support the need for services and equipment.
• Liaise effectively with other hospitals, rehabilitation centres etc. as necessary, when patients are transferred.
• Provide Patient/Carer Education/Advice. Ensuring patients understand the detail or complexity of the impact of injury or disease and physical and emotional deficits on patients’ safety and independence in the hospital, home, leisure and workplace.
• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, e.g. patient may be depressed, deaf, or who may be unable to accept the diagnosis/prognosis
• Utilizing interpersonal skills, demonstrating empathy and involving patients in their treatment, in order to achieve the treatment goal.
• Provide appropriate advice and support to patients following terminal diagnosis in liaison with the MDT and specialist services including the Oncology Specialist Nurse and Palliative Care Teams.
• Impart sensitive information and advice to patients and carers, which could have life changing consequences, in conjunction with multi-disciplinary team. Demonstrate and apply a broad level of understanding to the effect of hospitalisation and disability.
• Attend and participate in case conferences, whiteboard meetings and MDT’s appropriate to the clinical setting.
• Responsible to maintain competence in the use of moving and handling techniques and equipment, required for the management of highly dependent patients.
• Prioritise day-to-day management of own caseload, delegating activities to junior staff where appropriate.
• Undertake responsibility of the line management of specific staff.  Assist and take responsibility for the organising, support and supervision of Band 5 Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Students and Occupational Therapy Assistants within the Team, as required.
• Responsible for the allocation and organisation of workload within this Team, when the Team Leader is off duty.
• Adopt a flexible approach in the provision of clinical cover during the absence of other therapists within the team or department.
• Responsible to take action to ensure defective equipment is withdrawn from service, and report the defects to the OT Manager.
• Contribute to the evaluation and introduction of assessment / treatment media / equipment / tools being used within the team. For further details please see the attached JD & PS