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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical duties

• Be able  to select and apply OT assessments (standardised and non-standardised) for a designated case load, addressing occupational performance and participation, enabling the child in the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure
• To set and maintain high standards of clinical practice, which is evidence based where possible, using standardised assessment and outcome measures, where appropriate. 
•  Work with children, families and MDT staff to identify goals as part of the overall care plan.
•  Identify and select, with children and their carers, appropriate interventions which balance the complex interaction of risk, safety, client choice, independence, areas of conflict and eligibility for services.
• Plan and implement individual and group interventions, in collaboration with the child, parent/carer and school using meaningful graded activities to achieve therapeutic goals.
• Monitor, evaluate and modify treatments for children with multiple and complex needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• Provide advice to junior staff and students on a range of issues pertinent to clinical issues specific to the caseload.
• Carry out complex home and school assessments and other relevant assessments to facilitate the child’s functioning in the community and promote safety and independence.
• Arrange provision of standard specialist disability equipment ordering equipment on-line using Social Services IT system.
•       Demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of standard and specialist assistive equipment and eligibility criteria and procedures/policies relevant to social care and education.
• Adhere to the RCOT code of Ethical and Professional Conduct and National and Local procedures.
• Demonstrate ability to identify and reflect on ethical issues and provide guidance to junior staff as necessary.
• Demonstrate highly effective personal coordination of day-to-day activities including prioritising case loads, decision-making and problem solving.
• Demonstrate and apply a high level of understanding of the effects of medical conditions and recommend adaptations and strategies to the child’s physical and social environments.
• Demonstrate specialist clinical knowledge in the areas of Developmental Co-ordination Disorder and Autism as well as having sound knowledge with other conditions common within the mainstream school health service including neurological conditions such as Cerebral Palsy and Hemiplegia.
•  To have knowledge and experience of implementing a variety of treatment approaches for example Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (COOP) and Occupational Performance Coaching.
• Be able to problem solve and judge complex and sensitive situations and circumstances that require analysis of a range of different options.
•  Be an active member and role model for the MDT within the community.
• Liaise with other agencies involved in the child or young person’s care, including relatives/carers and education staff, as appropriate to the individual child’s needs.
• Demonstrate an understanding of Moving and Handling legislation and knowledge of current moving and handling best practice and associated equipment, with application to risk assessments.

ADMINISTRATION

• To assist the team leader in the day-to-day running of the service when requested
• To maintain up-to-date records and statistics on children seen according to Islington Additional Needs and Disability policies.
• Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance and maintain professional standards of dress code and personal presentation.
• To assist the clinical Lead OT with triaging mainstream referrals.

MANAGEMENT

• To attend relevant departmental, Inservice and Trust meetings when required and deputise for the line manager by carrying out agreed delegated tasks as required and represent at management meetings. 
• Participate in the operational planning, evaluation and audit of practice, clinical pathways and protocols within areas of practice, leading on delegated projects within the service
• To participate in Service reviews and in the formulation of Department Policies and Procedures.
• To participate in Quality, Audit and Outcome measures initiatives 
• Provide effective guidance, supervision and appraisal for junior staff including regularly reviewing clinical work and documentation
• To supervise and appraise Occupational Therapy staff, assistants and volunteers as required. 
• Co-ordinate day-to-day activities for junior staff and other MDT.
• Demonstrate leadership skills through the management of designated projects.
• Demonstrate the ability to initiate, plan and implement the induction, training and education of junior Therapists, Occupational Therapy assistants, students and other staff in this setting or external to the Trust.
• Contribute to the Trust’s service’s and OT team’s clinical guidance arrangements and quality agenda including setting and monitoring practice standards.

TEACHING, TRAINING and RESEARCH

• To receive regular supervision and annual appraisal from the Team Leader and/or Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist.
• Review and reflect own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision.
• Develop and maintain an agreed area of professional/specialist interest and expertise and act as a resource for other team members for this subject area accessing relevant external training as appropriate. Take a lead as line manager in the specific specialised work area
• Take a lead in facilitating training events and presenting information as appropriate.
• Identify OT Team training needs in conjunction with Clinical lead OT and team leader and advise on solutions.
• To participate in in-service training as required.
• To participate in teaching and educational programmes with other disciplines, including groups for parents to develop knowledge of areas including occupational performance and barriers to participation. 
• Demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and external available developmental opportunities, recording learning outcomes in a portfolio (CPD).
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current research, apply them practice and disseminate findings at a local level. 
• To consider possible areas of research and clinical publication, including the development of a mini-research project with support from the clinical lead occupational therapist to facilitate service development.
• To attend all mandatory training and relevant courses to develop self in specialist area of work.

OTHER

  Ability to work in frequent unpleasant conditions with odours, occasional body fluids, home visits and confined areas.

  Frequently required to exert moderate effort for several short periods during the day requiring lifting equipment and complex skills e.g. using hoists

  To frequently deal with highly emotional and highly distressing situations and circumstances

With children and their families including child protection cases. To communicate highly complex and sensitive information relating to medical conditions and OT process, requiring skills of empathy and reassurance.

 To occasionally deal with a wide range of complex emotions in staff and provide support to distressed staff members.

   Regularly travel within the community (schools, homes etc).