An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Senior Occupational therapist within our neurology team working 30 hours per week . We are looking for a candidate with proven specialist skills in neurology, who will provide therapy on our neurology ward and across both hospital sites for our neurology caseload.

The successful candidate will be passionate about neurology, motivated to develop their own skills and that of the service, and provide high quality and evidence-based therapy. They will be motivated to develop and support colleagues alongside the demands of working in a busy acute hospital.

There will be opportunities for innovation and an expectation that you will be actively involved in relevant quality improvement projects contributing to development of the neurology service.

Our large, friendly therapy department offers support through regular supervision, appraisal, training and development opportunities.

You will be expected to contribute to the weekend working rota.

Main duties of the job

In line with the Trust Vision to provide the Best Care for Everyone...

Professional values

- To deliver therapeutic interventions, acting as a specialist clinician in neurology using the principles of Occupational Therapy in an integrated and client-centred way supported by the Therapy Competency Framework.

- To assume responsibility for personal development and supporting the development and supervision of others by CPD (continuing professional development), linked to appraisal.

- To support evaluation and service development in the clinical area in line with national and local drivers

Communication and interpersonal skills

- To communicate effectively with patients and carers potentially complex, sensitive or distressing information in order to provide patient centred care, to encourage self-management, maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of the condition. Patients may have communication, perceptual or cognitive/understanding difficulties.

- To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing, other allied health professions and other colleagues to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service.

Leadership, management and team working

- To support leadership and work within the neurology Therapy team, providing an effective and evidence-based service through assessing, planning and implementing treatment programmes.

About us

Join us at an exciting time for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust . We have an ambitious plan for our journey to outstanding and are looking for aspirational and committed individuals to join us , making a real difference to both staff and patients.

As a former winner of England for excellence award: Tourism destination of the year, the beautiful city of Gloucester and the scenic regency spa town of Cheltenham are fantastic places to work and live.

As a hospital trust we are currently involved in over 100 clinical trials and studies, whilst also providing acute elective and specialist services to a population of over 620,000.

By joining Gloucestershire hospitals NHS trust new colleagues can look forward to a warm welcome and a future full of opportunities and support.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Improving quality and developing practice

To work as a specialist practitioner in the neurology service utilising theoretical knowledge, clinical experience and clinical reasoning skills and techniques to assess, diagnose, plan and offer a range of treatment options deliver, evaluate and amend the treatment plan. This will include patients with diverse or complex presentations/multi-pathologies in individual or group therapy sessions. Working as an autonomous practitioner with access to guidance from the clinical lead therapist when necessary, including working as a lone practitioner in the community.

To maintain clear, accurate and concise patient records in line with departmental and professional standards and include relevant outcome measures. This will include writing patient reports for e.g. medical practitioners and solicitors requests.

To support audit and research projects, to further own and teams clinical practice. To be involved in making recommendations for changes to practice and procedures for the relevant clinical area, and the implementation of these changes.

To contribute to the Clinical Governance and Quality agenda by active participation in service initiatives, health and safety and risk management.

To participate in the out of hours service at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and/or Cheltenham General Hospital after appropriate induction and training as required.*

To comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures

Manual Handling, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times. This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in thecare of GHNHSFT and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.

Leadership and management

To be responsible for the organisation of own caseload and appropriately delegate to junior therapists and support workers. To ensure the team is effective in the day to day running of the clinical area.

To communicate with the multi disciplinary team (MDT) to aid effective patient care, which will include taking an active role in team meetings, joint treatment sessions, case conferences and specialist interest group meetings. Either working alone or as part of the multi-disciplinary team, to make recommendations for appropriate and timely discharge/transfer from hospital

Education and training

To consolidate and learn new skills and competencies to provide holistic care using the Therapy Competency Framework. To develop clinical reasoning and treatment techniques through the active participation in training and development. To consolidate knowledge and skills learned through this process with the direction of senior staff, and deliver research based presentations as part of in-service training. This will involve facilitating own learning opportunities, reflecting on practice and learning through this process

To participate in the supervision, caseload monitoring and clinical education of junior therapists, support workers and undergraduate students. Providing support, guidance, training, and assessing and evaluating competence, in order to fulfil clinical governance requirements and retain a skilled workforce. To participate in the undergraduate education process, as a clinical educator for undergraduates from the University of the West of England or other universities. This involves the assessment of students competency to practice and contributes to their BSc honours award in the defined profession.

Most Challenging Part of the Job:

- Dealing with an unpredictable workload and ensuring priorities are met especially during times of staff shortages

- Balancing the day to day clinical work with the non-clinical responsibilities of the post.

- Managing stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner including managing own stress and developing resilience

- Taking responsibility for the supervision and appraisal of undergraduates, support workers and less experienced staff

- Working within a changing national and local context and adapting to meet these demands

Physical Effort and Working Conditions:

- Frequent daily manual handling of patients both with and without equipment with a range of weights and disabilities

- Frequent daily manual handling of equipment range of weights, sizes & shapes, and over varying distances

- Frequently working in awkward positions involving bending, kneeling, reaching, crawling as a part of patient treatment

- Often working in confined/cramped spaces eg. space around beds on wards, or in patients own homes

- Frequent exposure to contagious conditions and bodily fluids

- Occasionally experiencing distress when treating terminally ill patients or patients with chronic degenerative diseases

- Occasional management of patients who may become aggressive.

- Frequently working under pressure with heavy caseloads and time/staffing level constraints

- Frequent repeated concentration for sustained periods e.g. assessment, analysis and problem solving etc

-Frequent use of VDU equipment

- Constant interruption from other members of staff, medical professionals, including carrying a bleep, or mobile phone

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree/ Diploma in Occupational Therapy
• Registered with the Health & Care Professions Council.
• Relevant experience in the NHS or other care setting in the UK and demonstration of skills by evidence
• Relevant post-graduate training demonstrated through CPD.
• Experience of supervising and providing education to students, junior staff.
• Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Expert clinical reasoning skills with the ability to provide highly specialised and expert clinical advice to colleagues and other healthcare professionals.
• Work flexibly in response to the changing demands of the service.

Employer details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust

Horton Road

Gloucester

GL1 3NN

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

318-23-D&S-T1257