Specialist Occupational Therapist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

To deliver a high standard of Occupational Therapy intervention and maintain service delivery by flexible, effective and efficient prioritisation based on specialist clinical and professional judgement.

To have knowledge of and apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act in order to gain consent for intervention for those patients who have capacity or best interest decision for those who lack capacity to consent.

To negotiate with client / carer to identify and formulate client centred, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART) goals using the specialist assessment information and to complete designated outcome measures.

To select and apply standardised and non-standardised Occupational Therapy and other professional assessment tools.

To plan, implement and review patient centred individual and/or group assessments, interventions, using meaningful graded activity based on specialist knowledge of best practice, clinical reasoning and knowledge of Occupational Therapy models of practice.

To interpret and analyse complex clinical, social and environmental factors to recommend the best course of intervention, and the development/review of treatment and discharge plans.

To have a detailed working knowledge of relevant external agencies eligibility criteria and Trust policies and procedures to be able to effectively refer the patient to these services.

To have a specialist knowledge and be safe and competent in the use of  all equipment for daily living, evidenced in the individual Medical Devices Log  and to be responsible for ensuring junior staff and clients / carers attain competency prior to use.

To have knowledge of appropriate legislation and comply with the Professional Code of Ethics, Conduct and Standards for Occupational Therapy and ensure that junior staff are aware of these.

Measurable Result Areas

To comply with Health and Safety guidelines, Medical Devices Policy and maintain safe environment, equipment and working practices, ensuring that junior and support staff within the specialist area are aware of their obligation to comply. To carry out the risk assessments and implement the outcomes in designated therapy areas.

To ensure verbal and non-verbal, written and electronic patient records, reports and activity data including those of junior staff are maintained, contemporaneous and reported back in appropriate forums, in accordance with professional and Trust record keeping standards.

To contribute to the Key Performance Indicator targets and ensure that they are recorded for the designated speciality area in line with the Trust policies and service protocols.

To prescribe and order equipment for daily living in line with the policies and procedures of the Integrated Community Equipment Service within the authorised budgetary limit.

To identify stock and non-stock to maintain departmental resources and assist in the annual stock take in line with OT service procedures and Trust financial instructions.

To participate in research opportunities, demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current research and apply to practice disseminating findings at a local level.

To assist in the implementation of Occupational Therapy objectives in line with Divisional and Trust Objectives.

To participate in the recruitment, selection and retention of staff.

Communications and Working Relationships

To develop an effective therapeutic relationship through the use of a specialist range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

To be an accredited Occupational Therapy fieldwork educator and to provide and support Occupational Therapy fieldwork placements.

To provide and support opportunities for teaching and training of staff, other students for example medical, nursing, work experience and other professionals.

To contribute to the induction of new Occupational Therapy staff and students.

To facilitate the identification of training needs of the junior and support Occupational Therapy staff through appraisal and contribute to the development, formation and delivery of the Occupational Therapy training plan.

To notify the Principal Occupational Therapist of staff absences when senior staff are not available.

To deputise day to day operational management for senior staff in their absence within the designated speciality area.

To provide Occupational Therapy expertise at appropriate local and regional working parties or meetings to develop, implement and redesign service delivery.

To respect the equality, dignity and diversity of the individual, and be responsible for the provision of a service which is sensitive to these needs.