Rotational Occupational Therapist

Job overview

Are you a newly qualified Band 5 Occupational Therapist or about to graduate?

Or are you wanting Band 5 experience in a busy acute hospital in a joint therapy team.

We have the job for you.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, well-motivated Occupational Therapist to join us in the Therapy department at Northampton General Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire group for a 12 month fixed term contract until end of March 2027. The post will involve working as part of the joint therapy team (OTs, Physios and Support Staff) with rotations including Acute Medicine, Elderly Care, Urgent Care and Frailty, Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Stroke, Respiratory and Hand Therapy. The successful candidate would be expected to work as part of our 7-day service where weekend working will be required.

As a Band 5 clinician within the team you will be required to take part in delivering a quality Occupational Therapy Service working closely with other members of the Multidisciplinary Team including Physiotherapy, Technical Instructors, Nurses, Medics and the Hospital Complex case discharge Team.

Main duties of the job

• To provide a professional Occupational Therapy service to patients on own caseload, under the supervision of senior colleagues.
• Rotations include: Surgery, Acute Medicine, Elderly Care, Stroke, Hand therapy, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Urgent Care and Frailty and Respiratory.
• To actively contribute to the discharge planning process by selecting and implementing appropriate assessments and interventions to address the needs of patients including those with an acute illness, following injury or surgery and those with chronic disease, palliative illness or undergoing a period of acute re enablement.
• Work closely with physiotherapy colleges and the wider MDT
• Support the team in the day to day running of the therapy service

Provide effective input into the work of the Trust, to support the achievement of our vision and values.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Supporting Clinical and Patient excellence

Under the regular supervision of senior Therapy colleagues, select, plan and implement assessments and treatment interventions for patients either in the hospital or in their own home or community setting.

Use clinical reasoning to balance risk, safety, patient choice and eligibility for services

Manage a caseload on designated ward/s, seeking guidance from Therapy colleagues as required

Assess patients function for safe discharge, referring on to appropriate community services

Assess and prescribe equipment, adaptations, ongoing rehabilitation and care provision as appropriate and necessary for a safe discharge from the service.

Carry out assessments within patient’s homes as appropriate within departmental guidelines

Communicate effectively with patients, family members, carers, members of the multi-disciplinary team, Therapy colleagues and other agencies

Provide support to patients and carers, sharing information to enable them to make informed decisions regarding Occupational Therapy recommendations and discharge arrangements

Advise patients and carers, through demonstrating the safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise the patient’s functional ability, safety and independence

Liaise with health and social care professionals and other related statutory, private and voluntary organisations, providing verbal and written reports and referrals where appropriate, in accordance with data protection principles

Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs

Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance

Submit accurate timesheets within set department timescales for additional hours worked

In the absence of Therapy colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Therapy service both within the specific clinical areas and across all service areas

Work to identified guidelines and eligibility criteria relating to the provision of home adaptations, equipment and wheelchairs to ensure equity of service to all patients

Give guidance and training to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff where required

Assist Therapy colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the Therapy services

Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements

Provide formal clinical reports for the multi-disciplinary team as required

Collect, record and submit accurate clinical and personal statistical data in line with departmental requirements and guidelines

Participate in the Therapy in-service training programme, taking the lead in designated sessions as appropriate

Regularly attend and participate in Therapy service staff meetings

Identify own learning and development needs with support from senior Therapy colleagues, contributing to the production of a Personal Development Plan

Build an ongoing Continuing Professional Development portfolio, reflecting on and recording learning outcomes of development opportunities

Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current Occupational Therapy research and apply this to practice in conjunction with the Therapy team

Contribute to audit and research activity within the Therapy Service as appropriate

Review and reflect on own practice and actively participates in regular supervision and annual appraisal

Corporate responsibilities

Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide safe patient care and participate in maintenance and training.

People/Management Excellence

Contribute to the Therapy Service governance arrangements and to the work of selected departmental groups (eg Risk Management, Health & Safety)

Delegate work tasks appropriately to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff

Supporting Financial Excellence

To make the best use of the NSH resources

Professional Responsibilities, Quality Assurance and Monitoring

Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions

Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within the Therapy Service to improve effectiveness and efficiency

Comply with departmental guidelines for the safe use, care and maintenance of equipment and stock

Contribute to audit and research activity within the Therapy Service as appropriate

Maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills to ensure fitness to practice as an Occupational Therapist, in line with competencies detailed in the Knowledge & Skills Framework Outline for this post

Comply with the College of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and the Health Professional Council Standards of Conduct, Performance & Ethics, national and Trust policy, protocols and guidelines