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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Be an active member of the multidisciplinary team within the specific post and participate in team meetings as required.
• Liaise with other agencies involved in the patient’s care, including relatives and carers as appropriate to the individual patient’s needs.
• Attend reviews and case conferences, communicating relevant observations and information as a member of the team, with support as required.
• Communicate and receive sensitive and complex information to/from patients and their families where persuasion, negotiation and motivational skills may be required.
• Demonstrate clear and concise written and verbal communication skills with patients and carers, team members, OT colleagues, and other agencies.
• Use clinical reasoning, communication and negotiation skills to establish a therapeutic relationship in complex and sensitive cases, managing barriers to communication.
• Demonstrate ability to use Trust and basic computer systems, reports and inputting data.
• Ensure that up-to-date written and electronic records are maintained in accordance with professional and Trust standards.
• Provide specialist OT reports relevant to case load with support from clinical supervision.
• Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients, and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
• To provide support and education regarding aspects of occupational therapy to clients, staff and students.

 Level of Clinical Responsibility –

• The post holder will work independently and organise his/her own work/caseload with guidance as required with case load review regularly for an initial 6 months, thereafter case load review will be agreed with clinical supervisor.
• Manage lone working within the community and follow departmental protocol for safety during home /school visits.
• Follow information governance policy for transportation of sensitive documentation within the community and in communication with professionals and families.
• Be able to independently select and apply appropriate OT assessments for an allocated case load, addressing occupational functional performance and skill deficits, and enabling the patient’s in the areas of self-care, productivity, leisure.
• Independently work with patients, families and MDT staff to identify goals as part of the overall care plan, with guidance as required.
• Identify and select, with patients and their carers appropriate interventions which balance the complex interaction of risk, safety, client choice, independence, areas of conflict, and eligibility for services with guidance as required
• Independently plan and implement individual and / group interventions, in collaboration with the patient, using graded, task-specific activity to achieve functional outcomes.
• Monitor, evaluate and modify interventions for patients in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• To inform/support and guide OT technicians, assistants and students on a range of clinical issues promoting effectiveness and independence.
• Carry out assessments, other relevant information gathering prior to or post initial assessment to inform clinical reasoning for pathway selection and level of appropriate intervention according to the current service provision.
• Arrange provision of standard specialist disability equipment and with support for more specialist/complex equipment and obtain Head OT authorisation for non-standard equipment.
• Understanding of a wide range of basic assistive equipment and utilise with guidance the correct eligibility criteria and procedures/ policies relevant to social care, health and housing organisations, so as to facilitate patients independence and assist carers in meeting essential needs.
• Adhere to the RCOT code of Ethical and Professional Conduct and National, Trust, Departmental and Local procedures plus Standards of Practice.
• Demonstrate ability to identify and reflect on ethical issues.
• Demonstrate effective personal coordination of day-to-day activities including prioritising caseloads, decision-making and problem solving.
• Recommend adaptations and strategies to enable the patient to manage within their physical and social environment.
• Be able to concentrate for several long periods 1 to 2 hours at a time e.g. with assessments, treatments and group work.
• Be able to problem solve and judge situations that may require careful analysis of a range of options.
• To provide clinical advice to patients and carers regarding treatments, assessments and care pathways.
• Be able to identify and acknowledge individual limitations and seek support as appropriate.

Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility -

• Demonstrate basic leadership skills through the management of allocated projects.
• Assisting senior staff in the clinical management and supervision of OT students, OT assistants and other staff and providing basic training and induction when required.

Financial Responsibility -

• Highlight stock issues to senior OT staff as identified.
• Ensure the security of stock and the safe use of equipment used.
• Be responsible for stock control/or security and safety of certain stock items within the department.
• To complete and be responsible for own travel expense claims using trust online system

Service Development and Improvement -

Occasionally participate in the planning, evaluation and audit of practice, clinical pathways and protocols within area of practice.

• Implements the Policies and Procedures that have been determined by the department that they work in.
• To participate in delegated aspects of the OT development plan.
• To highlight service provision problems to line manager in order to identify unmet needs and gaps in service provision.
• To participate in project groups as allocated by supervisor/line manager.
• To participate Trust’s, service’s and OT team’s clinical guidance arrangements and quality agenda.
• Broaden research and development skills through participation in local audit and research audits as delegated by supervisor/line manager.
• To undertake research and development activities relevant to work area e.g. project.
• To be responsible for routine departmental tasks.

 Responsibility for Dealing with Difficult Situations -

• Deal with emotional and distressing situations and circumstances with patients and families to promote achievement of goals with guidance and support as required.
• Communicating complex information relating to how medical conditions affect the OT process, requiring skills of empathy and reassurance.
• To be able to complete required documentation and clinical work by deadlines agreed, which may be stressful at times.

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