Occupational Therapist

Job overview

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust are delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us in the Emergency Care Therapy Team (ECTT). ECTT are keen to recruit a motivated, forward thinking, and experienced Occupational Therapist.  The post will involve managing a specialised clinical caseload whilst continuing to develop the well-established therapy service alongside senior staff.  We are a friendly multi-professional team working in a fast paced and responsive service, focused on early assessment, providing alternatives to admission for patients and supporting Frailty care pathways.  We work across the Emergency Department, Acute Medical Units, Short Stay Ward, Frailty Same Day Emergency Care and also conduct Community Outreach visits.  Working closely with our community and hospital colleagues to support our patients.

We are committed to Continued Professional Development (CPD), allocating time for personal development, course attendance and involve all staff to in our In-Service Training programmes. We are a inclusive team with a focus on wellbeing and offer flexible working to support individuals and service. The team is committed to providing regular clinical and non-clinical support and supervision; and conducting yearly appraisals.

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 described by the Person Specification

Main duties of the job

To undertake a specialist OT role within the ECTT, delivering assessments and interventions with a focus on early involvement, discharge planning, and admission avoidance, including promoting Virtual Wards. This includes equipment and care recommendations, cognitive assessments, and supporting staff and student training. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong clinical, communication, and interpersonal skills to work effectively with diverse patient groups, hospital teams, and community services. The role requires flexibility to work split shifts and participate in the weekend/bank holiday rota, supporting a 7-day service.

The team includes Band 7 PTs/OTs (Team Leads), Band 6 & 5 PTs/OTs, Assistant Practitioners, admin staff, and a Band 8a clinical lead. The post holder will support OT Team Leads in coordinating daily operations, ensuring seven-day coverage, supervising staff, and contributing to service development. Patients present with a range of complex acute and long-term needs. Support will be given to develop clinical excellence in emergency care. The post holder is professionally and legally accountable for their practice and can work with minimal supervision.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical:

• Ensure that patients, relatives and those coming into contact with the OT are aware of the role of the Occupational Therapist.
• Obtain informed consent from the patient, and work within the current legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent, prior to commencing any intervention.
• Responsible for the assessment, intervention, discharge and ongoing referral of patient’s within the Emergency Care setting. The assessments include, but not limited to mobility assessment, transfers assessment, personal care assessment, cognitive assessment and assessment of the home situation.
• Responsible for in-depth understanding of conditions and traumatic injuries affecting the elderly population and the effect on function, and through comprehensive assessment identify the most appropriate discharge option and facilitate discharge to this setting.
• Responsible for assessing and provision of adaptive equipment, mobility aids and wheelchairs to increase / enable or compensate to facilitate independent function, teaching compensatory techniques as required to the patient and those involved with their care. Provide instruction for the safe use of the items provided.
• Responsible for formulating and initiating care plans.
• Sign-off/authorise minor adaptations, on behalf of Social Services; OT equipment on behalf of the OT Department, Derriford Hospital, following assessment of needs.
• Carrying out environmental home assessments, pre-discharge home assessments, discharge home assessments and follow-up visits, as required. Assess the patient carrying out functional tasks to maximise independent living, arranging equipment provision, adaptations and support services as required.  Ensure access to community resources and assessing carer needs.
• Responsible for carrying out falls risk assessments, promoting falls prevention education and referring on to specialist services as required. Demonstrate and apply a broad level of understanding of the effects of falls and trauma.
• Provide highly specialist advice and hand therapy in the management of hand injuries / conditions within the Emergency Care setting.
• Responsible for establishing robust communication networks with patients, relatives, carers, statutory and voluntary bodies to establish a comprehensive discharge package.
• Provide Patient/Carer Education/Advice.
• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients.
• Utilizing interpersonal skills, demonstrating empathy and involving patients in their treatment, in order to achieve the treatment goal.
• Maintain up to date records of all patient contacts.
• Attend and participate in case conferences and ward meetings appropriate to the clinical setting.
• Prioritise day-to-day management of own caseload, delegating activities to the Band 5 OT and the OTAPs where appropriate.
• In collaboration with Band 6’s within the team provide support and supervision to Band 5 OT’s and therapy support staff as appropriate.
• Responsible to take action to ensure defective equipment is withdrawn from service, and report the defects to the OT Manager.

Administrative:

• Responsible for providing and maintaining accurate patient statistics, departmental records / reports as required.
• Responsible for the completion of and maintenance of records in relation to the loan of departmental equipment and the assessment of the ongoing need for such equipment.
• Responsible for general housekeeping.
• Utilising SALUS / Nerve Centre / Care First 6 / System One or other appropriate IT systems to retrieve appropriate patient information.

Professional

• Utilize a high level of time management and organisational skills to manage own caseload, taking into account the requirements of the Emergency Care Team.
• Responsible for ensuring that competence for practice is maintained through continued professional development and postgraduate training, as required of an expert in the field.
• Responsible for monitoring and evaluation of staff performance; providing supervision, carrying out appraisal and development of the Team.
• Responsible for monitoring and evaluating outcomes of intervention in order to ensure the effectiveness of the Occupational Therapist service, and use of resources.
• Participate in providing teaching, instruction, learning opportunities, work experience and training.
• Provide regular fieldwork placements for student Occupational Therapists.
• Contribute to the training / education of Emergency Care and other staff regarding the role of the Occupational Therapist to ensure timely referral for greater efficiency of patient care.
• Jointly responsible with the other Band 6 OT’s within the team to provide day-to-day management of the service raising any concerns to the Team Lead as appropriate.
• Take an active part in the supervision, and appraisal process.
• Attend relevant professional meetings and courses.
• Responsible for the induction of OT staff and students within the Team.
• Demonstrate the ability to reflect on ethical issues and to provide guidance to junior staff as necessary.
• Responsible for monitoring and evaluation outcomes of intervention in order to ensure the effectiveness of the service, and use of resources.
• Contribute to the operational planning, implementation of policy, service development and the development of clinical guidelines in accordance with recent evidence and best practice, within your team. Demonstrate basic leadership skills through the management of designated projects.
• Participate in the planning and organising of in-service training.
• Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
• Attend and contribute to staff meetings and contribute to the discussion of and actively participate in the departmental changes, development of Departmental guidelines and protocols, taking account of resources available.
• Responsible for maintaining registration with the HCPC.
• Ensure referrals or tasks are actioned in a timely manner.
• Responsible for attending statutory training and courses.
• Responsible for following the Departmental and Royal College of Occupational Therapy policies, standards and guidelines, and maintain a high professional standard at all times.
• Maintain patient confidentiality and the security of patient and staff records.
• Participate, actively and regularly in clinical governance activities.
• Assist in the recruitment of relevant grades of staff, as required.