Job summary
Employer heading
Community Occupational Therapist
Band 6
NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C’s “compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels”, the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.
Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is committed to continuing to create a modern and inclusive work environment. As part of this commitment we actively promote flexible working opportunities where possible, to meet the needs and wishes of our workforce to maintain and improve their wellbeing. The trust offers a range of flexibility, including flexible working patterns, and we would encourage you to discuss this with the recruiting manager before or during the application process if this would interest you.
We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.
Job overview
The West Locality has an exciting opportunity to recruit a Band 6 Therapist into the Intermediate Care Therapy Team. The Role would involve working in conjunction with the Urgent Community Response Therapy Team, and will serve all aspects of the Intermediate Care Team. This includes Nordelph Unit in Downham Market, Goodwins Hall in King's Lynn, and other SPOT purchase beds across West Norfolk.
The Therapy Team delivers quality evidence based care to patients in the Intermediate Care Rehabilitation beds and the patient’s own homes to facilitate early supported discharge and admission avoidance.
The successful candidate will need to be able to demonstrate effective communication skills, problem solving skills and be resilient and able to cope in changing and challenging situations. Previous experience in discharge planning and development of robust rehab programmes in a rehabilitation setting would be desired. The expectation of the post-holder would be to carry out Therapy assessments for patients in the rehabilitation setting, and within the urgent community response team assessing patients in their own homes,. Visits in the community may be planned or unplanned depending on the need.
Clinical supervision will be provided by a band 7 Clinical Lead Physiotherapist. We offer the opportunity to work in an experienced and supportive team with opportunities for ongoing professional development.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties & Responsibilities.
As part of the Urgent Community Response (UCR), you will be required:
- To work within the Urgent Community Response Team, to prevent unnecessary admission to hospital.
- To make risk assessments, establishing the safety or otherwise of a patient’s ability to stay at home, or return safely from another care setting, providing and arranging as necessary supportive packages of care.
- To work within the Urgent Community Response Team to assess and prescribe care pathways for patients in a crisis situation with long term conditions, the frail and elderly, palliative and end of life care and/or rehabilitation needs, to achieve quality of life and independence where possible.
- To act as the patients advocate, facilitating choice and patient empowerment.
- To provide evidence based clinical/therapeutic interventions based on ‘best practice’ in order to improve health outcomes and promote choice.
- To provide in-reach to inpatient units and step up and step down beds where required to support early discharge from hospital.
- To work with all health care professionals, and statutory/non statutory agencies to provide a seamless, integrated service to our service users.
- To triage referrals on a rotational basis for the Urgent Community Response Team.
Working for our organisation
Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.
Working in Kings Lynn is accessible from Cambridge, Lincolnshire & South Norfolk.
The right candidate will be required to work between the Nordelph Unit in Downham Market, St James Clinic's Urgent Community Response Team in Kings Lynn, Goodwin's Hall in Kings Lynn, and SPOT purchase beds across West Norfolk.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Undertake comprehensive therapy assessments of patients including those with a complex presentation, using investigative, analytical and clinical reasoning skills, and inform the development of a differential diagnosis.
- Formulate and execute individualised therapy management and treatment plans of patients including those with complex presentation, in collaboration with the Urgent Community Response Team, other agencies and the patient, utilising a range of treatment skills.
- Be aware of Assistive Technology and make referrals for this as required.
- Assess patients’ holistic needs, communicating complex and sensitive information to patients and carers as to their assessment, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan.
- Where there are barriers to understanding, such as hearing impairment, mental capacity impairment and other difficulties in comprehension, explanations require adjustments in order to gain understanding, consent and concordance.
- Establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients and carers, incorporating motivation, encouragement and confidence building to enable patients to engage in their treatment/care/management plan.
- Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionals and the voluntary sector to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
- Participate in multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings as appropriate, e.g. Gold Standard Framework.
- Ensure activity data and clinical information is recorded on SystmOne and is completed on a daily basis.
- Plan and organise specialist services within the Urgent Community Response Team.
- Demonstrate dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory senses for assessment, and manual treatment of patients, including using specialist equipment and fine tools, manual and mobilising skills.
- Order equipment and contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
- Ensure informed consent is obtained prior to initiating interventions.
- Be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products on a daily basis, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
Please see documents for full Job Descriptions.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • Diploma or 1st level degree in Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy, or equivalent experience
- • Current HCPC registration
Experience
Essential criteria
- • Evidence of working at relevant level
Desirable criteria
- • Knowledge of additional specialist areas through in-house training & short courses
- • Awareness of Assistive Technology
- • Community experience
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Have basic IT and standard keyboard skills.
- Be able to kneel, bend & stoop, and work in cramped environments
- Be able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6 kg
- Be able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids
- Able to provide high standards of care
- Ability to use own initiative
- Good observational & reporting skills
- Concentrate when undertaking patient care & inputting data/patient records
Communication
Essential criteria
- • Tact & diplomacy
- • Empathy & sensitivity
- • Good communication skills
Personal and People Development
Essential criteria
- • Good Time Management skills
- • Work flexibly to accommodate patient/service needs
Personal Attributes / Behaviours
Essential criteria
- • Good interpersonal skills
- • A team player
- • Ability to manage stressful situations
- • Highly motivated
Other
Essential criteria
- • Must have a full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Charlotte Jones
- Job title
- Clinical Operations Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07774 334827
- Additional information
All informal and formal enquiries welcomed.
Alternative contact: Phil Ward Clinical Lead - Physiotherapist 07710 393647.
List jobs with Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors