Specialist Occupational Therapist

Job overview

We are looking for a dynamic and motivated Band  Occupational Therapist to join our Stroke Early Supported Discharge (ESD) team.

This role will be part of the specialist MDT team who support patients following discharge from hospital following acute stroke.

The role requires strong clinical reasoning and communication skills and the ability to work autonomously in a community setting.

The post offers the opportunity to develop specialist stroke rehabilitation skills while working in a supportive team who are committed to delivering high standards of care.

As a Band 6 OT you will also be involved in supervision of junior staff and students and service development tasks.

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

Providing Specialist Occupational Therapy assessment and interventions to patients post acute stroke.

Mainly in patients own homes but may also include clinic and virtual appointments.

You will work together with stroke survivors, their families and other professionals to enable patients to achieve their rehabilitation goals

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate strong clinical reasoning and a sound knowledge of evidence based Occupational Therapy stroke rehabilitation assessment and intervention including functional assessment, cognitive and perceptual assessment and rehabilitation and upper limb management.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to adapt communication skills to meet the needs of individuals with different impairments are essential.

The team covers the area of central Norfolk so the ability to drive and have access to transport for work is essential.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

• To provide a specialist occupational therapy service within the interdisciplinary early supported discharge team consisting of liaison, assessment, and treatment of patients following stroke referred to the stroke early supported discharge team.
• To manage autonomously a significant caseload with supervision from senior staff members.
• To participate in the patient’s multi-disciplinary rehabilitation goals which may include aspects of personal care, ensuring a functional approach to rehabilitation.
• To make appropriate clinical decisions following assessment, using evidence based practice and outcome measures to provide the most effective treatment to patients, their families and carers within clearly defined inter-disciplinary care plans.
• To work within defined specialist, department and national protocols/policies for stroke care such as the NICE clinical guidelines and National Stroke Strategy. To also work within the professional code of conduct as outlined by professional bodies.
• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and to ensure that work is within professional standards and clinical guidelines.
• To adapt practice to meet individual patient and families’ circumstances, including due regard for specific clinical conditions related to communication, cognitive, emotional and physical impairments resulting from a stroke.
• To ensure that patients, families and carers are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their stroke rehabilitation care plans.
• To work collaboratively with other services that may be involved in the care of the patients for instance, social services and the volunteer sector.
• To attend and contribute to relevant multidisciplinary meetings and client reviews as appropriate.
• To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures relevant to stroke, in particular regard to own profession.
• To provide supervision, specialist advice and support to more junior members of own profession within the team, as well as other members of the ESD team, community colleagues and service users.
• To conduct multi-disciplinary initial contact assessments as a member of the stroke early supported discharge team.
• To be the nominated case manager for patients and their families for the duration of their involvement with the stroke early supported discharge team.
• To provide emotional support to patients and families including those with complex needs, with support from clinical psychologist and senior colleagues.
• To liaise with and support the wider ESD team on discharge of patients from the service, when agreed objectives have been reached, or treatment is no longer appropriate. This may require planned referral onto other appropriate agencies/services.
• To work in a variety of settings including patient’s homes, care homes, and clinics.