Occupational Therapist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical:

·       Provide specialised occupational therapy assessment and treatment for people who face significant occupational performance and environmental challenges as detailed in relevant Integrated Care Pathway (ICP).

·       Manage referrals for occupational therapy as received by the multi-disciplinary team including the prioritisation of cases, management of waiting lists, allocation of work to junior qualified staff and support workers ensuring that individual care is provided.

·       To be responsible for own time management.

·       Utilise the conceptual framework of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and other evidenced approaches to underpin clinical practice and support clinical reasoning.

·       Provide specialist assessment utilising MOHO tools and other standardised assessment tools as relevant to client needs commensurate with skills and knowledge.

·       Ensure that the service user is at the centre of goal setting and treatment formulation, in consultation with significant others as appropriate for each individual.

·       Continuously evaluate effectiveness of assessment and treatment using appropriate outcome measures.

·       Assess capacity and gain valid consent to assessment and treatment in line with Trust policy and legislation.

·       Ensure risks associated with intervention and environment are assessed and managed in collaboration with multi-disciplinary team.

·       Communicate effectively and maintain productive working relationships with service users, carers, multi-disciplinary team and relevant agencies in order to maximise treatment potential and ensure understanding of risks and benefits of occupational therapy.

·       Apply a range of alternative individualised communication strategies with service users experiencing significant communication difficulties with support from senior occupational therapy colleagues.

·       Ensure occupational therapy is delivered with sensitivity and responsiveness to the cultural, racial and social backgrounds and expectations of service users and carers.

·       To prescribe adaptive equipment to enable occupational performance in line with Trust policies.

Professional:

·       To provide training and support to primary and secondary health care professionals, social care providers and carers to enable them to better meet the occupational needs of service users.

·       Maintain accurate, informative and contemporaneous records of all interventions.

·       Initiate referrals to other services and provide substantive letters, and formal reports as required within Trust and professional standards.

·       Participate and contribute to all service user care planning and review meetings for your caseload.

·       Regularly attend and actively contribute to multi-disciplinary, team and professional meetings and forums.

·       Maintain, update and record own professional knowledge and skills through continuing professional development (CPD).

·       Review and reflect upon own practice and performance through regular clinical, professional and managerial supervision and appraisal in accordance with Trust policy.

·       To contribute to implementation of theory driven evidence-based practice, including research and development activities.

·       Work within and adhere to trust policies and procedures, ensuring the code of professional conduct is upheld at all times.

Leadership:

·       To provide clinical supervision as required to occupational therapy staff.

·       Deputise for the Band 7 Department Manager in their absence, as directed.

·       Contribute to the fieldwork education of occupational therapy undergraduates, other students and volunteers.

·       Contribute to the occupational therapy role in service planning and development of services as required by team leader / lead occupational therapist.

·       Participate in recruitment and retention of occupational therapists in consultation with senior staff.