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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the full job description for more information 

Job Responsibilities 

Clinical

• To manage a designated caseload of patients under the guidance/direction of a qualified occupational therapist, organising and prioritising the allocated daily workload within the scope of the role

• To undertake assessments and to plan and implement interventions to meet the patient’s needs, concluding in a safe and timely discharge. This will be achieved using professional, theoretical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills

• To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment interventions to support the patients progress and ensure effectiveness, taking appropriate action to address issues or risks

• To use observation and assessment skills and role specific knowledge to monitor, record and report progress or changes in patients. This includes recognising a deteriorating patient and taking the required action to support them and alert the therapist or relevant staff member

• To assess for, demonstrate, teach the use of and issue items of equipment required to support the patient’s recovery, rehabilitation and discharge

• To manage the therapy discharge planning process for designated patients and contribute to the process for complex patients using set guidelines and protocols pertaining to discharge

• To enable and empower patients to address their own health and wellbeing needs, motivating and supporting them to plan and manage their recovery using health coaching approaches

• To support the therapists to undertake complex assessments, frequently completing allocated aspects of the process independently, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.

• To participate in the 7-day rota, assisting with weekend cover as part of a larger team.

• To support other teams as required which may be located in the acute or the West Suffolk community setting as required

Communication

• To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team representing Integrated Therapies, establishing effective communication networks with colleagues, supervisors, patients and carers, maintaining interactions with external agencies.

• To ensure effective communication with patients and carers to gain their active participation in their recovery/rehabilitation process including setting of realistic goals for functional safe discharge.

• To use an empathetic, motivational and reassuring approach to present and receive sensitive information and maximise the rehabilitation potential of the patient/client, being aware of own response to distressing circumstances.

• To establish professional relationships with patients and carers, communicating with them in ways that respect their views, beliefs and culture, and being aware of own response to distressing circumstances.

• To report to the occupational therapist in a timely manner, either verbally or in writing, information regarding significant changes in levels of function and deviations from the planned outcome.

• To act as advocate for patient and profession ensuring patients’ needs and choices are the focus of the care process.

• To identify ways of overcoming potential barriers to effective communication.

Documentation

• To be responsible for the quality of information recorded, both electronic and paper based. The information should be accurate, legible, recorded in a timely manner, kept up to date and appropriately secured.

• To ensure that required patient activity data is recorded.

Professional Conduct and Professional Development

• To comply with local policies, protocols and procedures.

• To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and carers.

• To uphold the values and the ethos of the service as a whole and to act as an advocate for patients maintaining the highest professional standards at all times

• To review and reflect on your own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and performance review via Knowledge, Skills Framework (KSF)

• To undertake relevant activities to meet your development objectives as identified through the performance review process with your appraiser and to share learning with colleagues as agreed.

• In line with Trust guidelines, review and reflect on your own practice and performance through regular participation in professional supervision and performance review.

Leadership, Supervision and Appraisal

• To prepare for and actively participate in the Trust’s annual performance development review process and progress reviews.

• Ensure training and development needs detailed in personal development plan are followed up and the effectiveness of the acquired training and development evaluated in terms of self, patient/client and service and actively participate in supervision sessions.

• To demonstrate awareness of leadership needs within clinical and professional situations and support the leadership activities of the qualified staff within the service.