Occupational Therapy Assistant

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated individual to join our friendly and experienced Occupational Therapy team within our “outstanding” Trust.

Could you be the enthusiastic, committed individual we are looking for to join our Occupational Therapy team? Helping to support our qualified staff in delivering activities of daily living assessments and therapeutic interventions to in-patients at the Central England Rehabilitation Unit based at Leamington Hospital.

You will be required to assist in the provision of rehabilitation for patients with an acquired brain injury, under the guidance and supervision of the Occupational Therapists. You will work as part of a wider Multi-Disciplinary team and provide both one-to-one and group interventions. You will also assist with the evaluation of the effectiveness of Occupational Therapy input, using validated outcome measures, and assist with data management and input.

As part of your role you will be expected to liaise and work with patients, carers, other healthcare professionals and external agencies regularly, therefore you will need excellent communication and team working skills.

Do you have the ability to multi-task in a busy environment and also be able to work using your initiative? You would also need to be able to manage your workload flexibly to meet the demands of the service.

Experience of working in a healthcare setting is preferred but not essential.

Main duties of the job

To assist in the provision of an effective service delivery within the speciality.

To assist in managing an agreed caseload of patients within the service speciality area under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist.

To follow the recognised professional standards, the agreed therapy pathway and best practice in your designated area of speciality, liaising with the Occupational Therapist regularly/as necessary.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

To provide a high standard of Occupational Therapy intervention and assist in maintaining service delivery.

To have knowledge of and apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act in order to gain consent for intervention or, for those who lack capacity to consent, a best interest decision.

To assist with standardised and non-standardised Occupational Therapy assessments under guidance from the Occupational Therapist.

To implement patient centred individual and/or group assessments, interventions, using meaningful graded activity under the guidance of the Occupational Therapist.

To have knowledge of relevant external agencies eligibility criteria and Trust policies and procedures to be able to effectively refer the patient to these services under the supervision of the Occupational Therapist.

To have knowledge and be safe and competent in the use of all equipment for daily living, evidenced in the individual Medical Devices Log.

To have knowledge of appropriate legislation and comply with the Professional Code of Ethics, Conduct and Standards for Occupational Therapy.

Evaluating responses to interventions and referring back to the Occupational Therapist as required.

To organise own workload in line with the competing needs of the department e.g. organising and planning patient care and supporting students and new staff.

To demonstrate advanced skills in the use of all equipment, as well as manual handling techniques when assisting patients which will be required for the role.

Measurable Result Areas

To be responsible for the day to day preparation and tidying of designated therapy and office areas maintaining these in a professional manner.

To comply with Health and Safety guidelines, Medical Devices Policy and maintain safe environment, equipment and working practices.

To maintain verbal and non-verbal, written and electronic patient records, reports and activity data contemporaneously and reported back in appropriate forums, in accordance with professional and Trust record keeping standards under the supervision of the Occupational Therapist.

To contribute to the Key Performance Indicator targets and ensure that they are recorded for the designated speciality area in line with the Trust policies and service protocols.

To order equipment for daily living under instruction of the Occupational Therapist, in line with the policies and procedures of the Integrated Community Equipment Service within the authorised budgetary limit.

To identify stock and non-stock in line with the OT service procedures and in line with the Trust financial instructions.

Communications and Working Relationships

To develop an effective therapeutic relationship through the use of a good range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills, including where there may be barriers to understanding and the need for reassurance and sensitivity.

To contribute to and support the Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Placements.

To assist and support opportunities for teaching and training of staff, other students for example medical, nursing, work experience and other professionals.

To assist in the induction of all new Occupational Therapy staff and students.

To notify the Principal Occupational Therapist of staff absences when senior staff are not available.

To respect the equality, dignity and diversity of the individual, and be responsible for the provision of a service which is sensitive to these needs.