Specialty Occupational Therapist – Oncology & Haematology

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication

1. To consistently deploy effective communication and engagement skills enabling effective working relationships with all members of the multi-professional team.

2. To effectively communicate with patients and their carers/family members, including the sensitive management of complex or contentious issues.

3. To deal effectively with patients suffering from conditions that may lead to psychological distress including anxiety, depression, and aggressive behaviour.

4. To overcome barriers to effective communication, such as those caused by pathological impairment or language differences, by deploying effective mitigating strategies.

5. To engage and build relationships with external agencies and providers to enhance patient care continuity and outcomes.

6. To be able to motivate and positively influence others through effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

7. Be able to write complex reports accurately describing patients’ clinical status and ensuring that the information provided aids effective continuing care and clinical management.

Clinical

1. To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of own professional practice.

2. To carry out comprehensive assessments of patient with an oncology or haematology diagnosis, including those with complex presentations, and form treatment and rehabilitation plans in partnership with the patient and their carers/family.

3. To interpret and analyse multiple sources of clinical information to form accurate occupational therapy diagnoses in oncology, haematology, and palliative older adult care; drawing on guidance from senior occupational therapists when required.

4. To formulate and deliver holistic and patient centred treatment, rehabilitation, and discharge plans, based on clinical skills, evidence-based practice, and patient preferences.

5. To evaluate patient progress against agreed treatment goals and be able to modify plans accordingly.

6. To determine a patient’s mental capacity to understand and to gain informed consent for treatment. To work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent and are deprived of their liberty.

7. To co-ordinate intervention where there is a need to collaborate across multiple disciplines.

8. To assess and treat Oncology and Haematology outlier patients on other wards.

9. To work in other areas of the OUH trust when requested and provide support to the Churchill surgical ward therapy teams during periods of heightened operational pressure to ensure continuity of patient care across all departments.

10. To maintain accurate written records using an electronic patient record system and maintain fidelity to professional standards.

11. To determine and mitigate for risk of patient and staff harm using the agreed risk assessment frameworks and the Trust’s manual handling policy.

12. To demonstrate physical ability to carry out occupational therapy assessment and interventions including manual therapy techniques and therapeutic handling

13. To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients

14. To represent occupational therapy and/or individual patients at multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure delivery of co-ordinated care.

15. Recognition and management of complications and symptoms of cancer and its treatments, e.g., Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression, bone metastasis, lymphoedema.

Leadership and management

1. To be responsible for the competent use and maintenance of rehabilitation equipment and support others in the effective and safe use of this equipment. 
2. To assist in the supervision, teaching and appraisal of junior staff and assistants.
3. To undertake delegated tasks and roles from the team lead and be able to deputise for them on occasions.
4. To effectively plan and organise own time, patient caseload, meetings, training and be able to adjust plans as required according to staffing levels and unpredictable factors.
5. To assist in the planning of junior staff, students and assistant timetables and deputise for senior staff in organisational duties.
6. This role does not currently involve weekend working; however, the applicant should be aware that this may change in the future to meet the needs of the service.

Education and training

1. To organise and contribute to the team’s training and post-registration education programme.
2. To contribute to the education of multidisciplinary groups, patients, families and carers as appropriate.
3. To be responsible for individual undergraduate student occupational therapists’ supervision and practice-based learning.
4. To adopt a proactive approach in learning from others within, and outside of the occupational therapy profession.
5. To be responsible for continuing professional development and maintain a portfolio record to evidence this.
6. To maintain contemporary knowledge to apply and maintain best practice in oncology, haematology, and rehabilitation.

Research and development

1. To actively participate in the department’s quality improvement and clinical audit programme through the completion of authorised projects.
2. To implement and maintain evidenced-based occupational therapy practice through continuing professional development.
3. To ensure good working knowledge and application of national and local clinical standards.
4. To participate in local and national clinical interest groups appropriate to the clinical field, and to demonstrate the ability to share and disseminate knowledge with colleagues working in the team