37.5 hours per week. We are seeking a highly enthusiastic and motivated Occupational Therapist to join us within the Community Neuro Rehabilitation Team (CNRT) within Livewell Southwest. We are based at Mount Gould Hospital.

CNRT is at the start of a very exciting transformation journey that will see a focus on improving the care for the patients that access our service

Part of the CNRT includes an intensive pathway (formerly ESD) which provides multidisciplinary specialist stroke/neuro rehabilitation for patients post hospital dischargein both a community and outpatients setting.

As a team, we are currently hybrid workers with the opportunity to work from home and office based when we are not treating patients in the community.

As a team, we cover a wide geographical area including Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon.

This is an exciting opportunity for you to participate in redesigning the pathway and developing the service.

The service operates Monday-Sunday, including some bank holidays.

Role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

Main duties of the job

To provide a specialist, high quality occupational therapy service within the Community Neuro Rehabilitation Team (CNRT), based at Mount Gould Hospital, Plymouth.

To provide specialist occupational therapy assessment, diagnosis, treatment and education to individuals with neurological diagnoses and symptoms, including stroke patients as part of the seven day (including bank holidays).

To provide advice, signposting, guidance and information to health and social care professionals, patients, carers, relatives or other non-professional contacts.

To be an integral member of the MDT providing education, training and dissemination of information to all healthcare professionals.

To be an autonomous practitioner, holding a caseload and working without direct supervision.

Work as an outpatient and community-based practitioner undertaking an active role in planning, developing, coordinating, delivering and participating in the evaluation of the CNRT service.

Carry out comprehensive specialist assessments for patients with neurological and stroke presentations, including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi-pathologies, to identify their problems and needs and ensure that patient's holistic needs are considered.

Formulate and deliver individual treatment programmes based on specialist knowledge, evidence-based practice, national and local guidelines using profession-specific clinical skills and techniques.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise providing integrated health & social care services for people across Plymouth, South Hams & West Devon, as well as some specialist services for people living in parts of Devon & Cornwall. With teams in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, health & wellbeing hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience, we always value being kind, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, responsible and collaborative. Transforming services to make them sustainable, ensuring that we value, support & empower each other.

We are committed to involving the people we care for, families & carers in everything that we do, working towards co-production where we can. Helping us to deliver the right care for people, in the right place & at the right time. By putting people at the centre of what we do, we ensure to support people to lead, healthy independent lives & be the very best at helping people to live well.

Valuing our employees making an investment in their development a priority. We offer:

Protected CPD time for registered staff

Various development pathways and ongoing regular training packages for all staff

Leadership & mentoring programmes

Access & funding for training including Care Certificate, Assistant Practitioners Course & Scholarship Into Nurse Training

A Robust Preceptorship

A bespoke induction programme

Existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme can continue their membership when they join the organisation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

5.1 Responsibility for People Management

• To regularly teach, train, supervise and support junior staff, rehabilitation assistants and students. This may include the use of formal appraisal and documentation.
• To be an active member of the in-service training programme by the attendance and delivery of presentations and training sessions at staff meetings, tutorials, in-house training sessions and by attending external courses, organising courses and practising reflective practice to develop own and others skills, knowledge and expertise.
• To assist in the recruitment of relevant grades of staff, as required.
• To take a flexible approach to supporting colleagues in times of caseload pressure, including working with colleagues to maintain clinical cover across the team within the resources available.

5.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources

• The post holder will have no direct responsibility for finances however they will adhere to the relevant trust policies on financial issues
• The post holder will use Livewell Southwest resources responsibly

5.3 Responsibility for administration

• To ensure competency in record keeping
• To maintain an up-to-date record of all patient contacts, MDT care plans, goals, assessments and reports whilst ensuring confidentiality at all times in line with professional and organisational guidelines.
• To participate in the triage and management of referrals to the service utilising the service criteria.
• Maintain accurate and timely electronic and paper records of activity and contacts to support contractual requirements. This could include providing timely data about team performance and client outcome measures related to activity.
• Maintain an accurate diary of visits and submit completed travel and special duty claim forms monthly.
• To report accidents, incidents or complaints following LSW procedures and policies and to comply with the most recent health and safety at work Act.
• To actively contribute to department working parties, leading on specific delegated projects.
• To attend and contribute to relevant team/service meetings.
• To access email and other information through Livewell Southwest intranet

5.4 Responsibility for people who use our services

• Be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including caseload management and direct clinical care.
• To undertake the comprehensive assessment of neurological and stroke patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills, and to formulate individualised management, treatment plans and patient goals, using clinical reasoning and utilising a wide range of treatment skills and options.
• To ensure a high standard of clinical care and support more junior staff to do likewise.
• Be responsible for the specialist therapy element of treatment packages in the community.
• Provide specialist advice via written or verbal instruction to patients, carers and relatives to promote understanding of the aims of rehabilitation, and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care. This may be exercise programmes, health education, preventative or condition- specific advice.
• Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment plans as required.
• Use an extensive range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients/carers to motivate and gain co-operation to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, e.g., patients may be aphasic, low in mood, hearing and/or visually impaired or who may be unable to accept diagnosis, or unrealistic expectations of intervention.
• Independently organise and plan a designated caseload to meet service and patients priorities, readjusting plans as situations change and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
• To work jointly with other health and social care colleagues and services (for example GPs, District Nursing, Social Services, private sector and therapy colleagues) to ensure patients identified rehabilitation and care needs are met through delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service.
• To advise on and prescribe as appropriate, and in line with organisational policies and procedures, both general and specialist rehabilitation aids, equipment and recommend low-level adaptations, ensuring all equipment is maintained and used effectively and efficiently with risk assessments and appropriate training completed.
• To assess mental capacity, gain valid informed consent, which must be documented and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To comply with local confidentiality policies, child protection and vulnerable adult procedures.
• Be an autonomous practitioner, working within appropriate professional guidelines and code of conduct.
• Be able to respond effectively to any concerns of abuse/safeguarding and know procedures they need to follow to escalate their concerns.

5.5 Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments

• Manage often competing clinical and non-clinical demands and prioritise appropriately to meet the overall service need.
• To comply with Livewell southwest policies and procedures relevant to the role. This will include adherence to Uniform & Dress Code Policy.
• To report any observed incidents of unprofessional behaviour, accidents/incidents, untoward occurrences, or faulty equipment.
• To participate professionally in service development and proposed service changes.
• Comply with universal infection control precautions and procedures.
• To behave in a manner which does not bring the Organisation into disrepute.
• To complete all Mandatory training and other training pertinent to the role, as agreed by line manager.
• To take an active role in audit, research, and interdisciplinary development, to measure effectiveness and efficiency of the team and its service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration
• Evidence of on-going education and professional development
• Accredited Fieldwork Educator
• Computer literate
• Current valid UK driving licence and access to own vehicle for business purposes.
• Recognised qualification in written and spoken English if this is not first language

Desirable

• Relevant post graduate education
• Basic Food Hygiene

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years post graduate clinical experience, including a minimum of 6 months experience in stroke/neurology
• Autonomous practitioner with experience of managing a caseload
• Experience of supervision of junior staff and/or assistants
• Working as member of an MDT with the ability to work flexibly
• Experience of teaching
• Evidence of CPD
• Experience of working with staff from other agencies
• Experience of audit projects

Desirable

• Experience of teaching other professions
• Community-based experience.
• Management/leadership experience
• Experience of risk assessing patients in a rehabilitation/community setting
• Knowledge of specialist wheelchair and seating systems
• Orthotics/splinting

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge and understanding of occupational therapy in rehabilitation
• Experience and understanding of multi-disciplinary team working and individual roles
• Application of OT process within designated clinical group
• Understanding of OT outcome measures and multidisciplinary team working
• Knowledge of NSFs professional and government agenda and clinical governance
• Resilience
• Ability to problem solve and create innovative solutions to help empower patients and carers
• Demonstrates an empathy of peopl

Desirable

• Wheelchair Accreditation

Skills

Essential

• Specialist skills in clinical assessment, intervention and evaluation
• Demonstrate effective communication skills with a range of people in various situations
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Ability to be creative and transpose established treatment methods into a home rehab setting
• Leadership qualities
• Ability to work in a team effectively
• Motivated
• Compassionate
• Empathetic
• Reliable
• Confidence in dealing with patients
• Ability to work in stressful conditions

Desirable

• Experience in applying research to practice

Additional requirements

Essential

• Ability to drive across Plymouth and the wider geographical area.
• Friendly and caring manner
• Approachable
• An appreciation of working with a wide age group of clients
• Flexible approach

Employer details

Employer name

Livewell Southwest

Address

200 Mount Gould Road

Mount Gould

Plymouth

Devon

PL4 7PY

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

B9832-2024-PTA-1410