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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

CLINICAL

• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.

• To abide by the British Association of Occupational Therapist’s Code of Professional Conduct. Carry out assessments and treatments of patients with varying degrees of disability on a daily basis, using moderate physical effort. This may involve moving and handling patients and equipment.

• To conduct comprehensive assessments including activities of daily living assessments, and cognitive assessments.

• To ensure methods of treatment, its frequency and review are appropriate to specialist area and within the priorities of the Service.

• To plan and implement Occupational Therapy intervention with the involvement of patients/carers, to facilitate independence, and to liaise closely with the wider MDT in planning discharge from hospital.

• To prescribe and instruct patients/carers in the safe use of equipment following assessment.

• To prescribe and organise minor adaptations to patients’ homes following assessment.
• Frequent exposure to highly unpleasant working conditions on a regular/daily basis, e.g. bodily fluids, urine, faeces, blood and vomit and occasional exposure to verbal and
• physical aggression.

• Frequent concentration is required to analyse patient documentation and carry out

patient assessments and treatments, also when driving to domiciliary visits

PROFESSIONAL

• To assist in the supervision and co-ordination of the Therapy Team on a day-to-day basis.

• To be professionally responsible for the efficient organisation of own caseload

            providing a high standard of clinical care.     

• To represent Occupational Therapy interests at meetings as agreed with the Therapy Service Manager and advise of any such meetings where attendance might be appropriate.

• To contribute to the Therapy Services Clinical Governance Strategy to ensure the quality of service delivered, including Evidence Based Practice, audit, risk management and patient focussed care.

• To ensure that all client intervention is documented in a timely, objective and confidential manner via Multi-disciplinary Care Plan, Medical Notes and specific Occupational Therapy reports, according to departmental and Trust Policy.

• To attend multi-disciplinary case conferences/planning meetings to give feedback regarding Occupational Therapy intervention.

• To undertake an active role in the maintenance and development of fieldwork education placements for Occupational Therapy students, and to supervise students on placement.

• To carry out the supervision and appraisal of Therapy Support staff.
• To undertake education of other disciplines about Occupational Therapy, as required, in liaison with the Therapy Service Manager and other colleagues.
• To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.
• To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice and incorporate new developments into your specialist area of work.
• To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients and to organise this effectively, efficiently and autonomously with regard to clinical priorities and time availability.
• To attend and participate in in-service training programmes, individual training sessions and external courses as expected and/or identified at Individual Performance Review, and to undertake reflective practice
• To have specialist knowledge and skills in the use and application of relevant equipment and to be responsible for your own safe and competent use of all that equipment, aids and appliances and that of more junior staff, support workers and students within your team
• To ensure that your own practice meets the required professional standards of physiotherapy practice

 ORGANISATIONAL

• To undertake, as directed, the collection of activity data to enable the Trust to monitor its performance.
• To ensure safe systems of work and ensure compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act, Safety Executive regulations and Occupational Therapy Service policies by staff.
• To maintain and review current policies and procedures within the department including the development of new policies in conjunction with the Therapy Service Manager and senior colleagues.
• To work with the Therapy Service Manager and senior colleagues to undertake regular review of service provision, implementation of appropriate change and the formulation and delivery of strategies for the further development of the Therapy Team.

 To undertake any other duties delegated by the Therapy Services Manager/Professional Team lead commensurate with the grade and experience of the post holder.

COMMUNICATION

• To deal sensitively with patients and relatives who have high levels of anxiety and occasional aggression caused by frustration, trauma, disability, pain or impaired ability to understand or communicate and to enable patients to come to terms with chronic disability, on a frequent basis.

• To ensure beneficial and positive communication with clients, their families/carers and other professionals involved, respecting individual needs and promoting user involvement/decision making

• To use a range of highly developed verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, such as those who are sensory impaired, dysphasic or have some degree of confusion or dementia

• To deliver presentations and training at Therapy and multi-disciplinary training events and on an individual basis