Team Lead Paediatric & Neonatal Occupational Therapist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Duties:

• ·         To autonomously carry a designated clinical caseload including highly complex and specialist neonatal inpatients and complex and diverse inpatient paediatric patients, who present with a wide range of neurological and/or functional deficits.
• ·         To be able to prioritise a designated caseload efficiently, considering clinical and service priorities and using highly specialist knowledge to underpin decisions.
• ·         To be able to use assessments and outcome measures specific to a neonatal population, including independently assessing patients in the neonatal neurodevelopmental follow-up clinics, writing comprehensive assessment reports, and making appropriate recommendations for ongoing support.
• ·         To be competent in the assessment of all domains of impairment, activity and participation as defined in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and their impact on a child’s occupational performance.
• ·         To be competent in the use of standardised and non-standardised assessments, screening tools and outcome measures specific and/or relevant to the paediatric neurological and non-neurological population.
• ·         To be able to identify infants at risk of neuro- development difficulties and manage as appropriate.
• ·         Identify the key performance areas that the infant/ child and family wish to prioritise and formulate patient centred goals for therapy and rehabilitation.
• ·         To be able to use expert clinical reasoning to select appropriate OT intervention approaches and to be able to work flexibly to adapt this approach to meet the needs of the infant/ child and family.

·         To be competent in assessing the need for, and the prescription of, assistive technology and/or adaptive equipment to enhance the infant/ child’s function and occupational performance; making recommendations to clients/ carers, Social Services Occupational Therapists, Schools and Educational Institutions.

• To issue such equipment with due regard to safety of the equipment, and in line with legal, national and local guidelines.
• ·         To understand the effect an acquired disability has on both the child and the function of the family unit and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the child’s social and physical environment.
• ·         To monitor, evaluate and modify interventions to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• To keep abreast with emerging evidence within the specialist fields of practice, and adapt assessment and management accordingly, particularly in line with any change in national guidance.
• To contribute to production of clinical guidelines and local policies ensuring evidence-based, implemented and audited.
• To work collaboratively with other multidisciplinary team members and participate fully in the interdisciplinary approach to therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation.
• Liaise with external support services to facilitate case management activity such as requesting and attending stakeholder meetings, making recommendations for the type of services and level of input the infant/ child requires; educational provision and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) entitlement.
• To provide expert advice and guidance to other professions within the multidisciplinary team, and other health/educational/social care professions involved with the child and young person to promote the infant/ child’s successful reintegration to community and full engagement in home life, school life and social life.
• ·         Promote infant/ children’s well-being, safeguarding them from harm, and working within agreed policies for reporting concerns including concerns about colleagues.

Communication

• ·         To be highly skilled in communicating with children of all ages and abilities, including those with cognitive and/ or communication difficulties and/or challenging behaviours.
• ·         Provide infants, children, families and other carers with specialist advice or instruction to promote the understanding of the aims of occupational therapy and to ensure consistent patient management, including the use of specialist equipment and therapy programmes.
• To be able to sensitively communicate with parents and families of babies admitted to the neonatal unit, utilising appropriate principles of intervention including Trauma-Informed care, Family Integrated Care and Developmental Care.
• To be able to engage and motivate patients through effective communication skills.
• ·         To provide and receive information from patients, carers and other professionals regarding a patient’s condition and treatment progress. This will include the sharing and receiving of some complex and/or sensitive information and ensuring that communication is accessible and in adherence with Trust Equality, Diversity & Inclusion policies.
• ·         To communicate effectively with patients and carers to optimise therapeutic benefit and rehabilitation potential and to improve understanding of the condition, facilitating the best possible communication outcome e.g. use of interpreters, visual aids etc.
• ·         To establish robust communication networks with patients, carers, care agencies, Multidisciplinary team members, education services and other agencies such as the charity sector.
• ·         To promote awareness of the role of Occupational Therapy within the wider multi-disciplinary team, negotiating priorities where appropriate.
• ·         To be integral in discharge planning including liaison with community staff and providing timely discharge reports.
• ·         To take an active part in departmental meetings.
• ·         To ensure open lines of communication within own team and guide junior staff in effective communication skills.

Documentation

• ·         To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with Professional and Trust standards and provide specialist OT reports relevant to practice setting.
• ·         To provide full, accurate and timely statistical data

Professional Ethics

• ·         To comply with the RCOT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and national and local policies and procedures.
• ·         To comply with the HCPC Standards of Proficiency.

Training Staff & Students

• ·         To contribute to the induction, training of students and other staff both within the Trust and, where appropriate, externally.
• ·         To be responsible for the supervision and written assessment of OT students on practice placement within the Trust.
• ·         To teach on the OT and wider MDT in-service training programmes.

Service Development & Delivery

• To develop, implement and review the occupational therapy service of the neonatal units at DH and PRUH sites.
• ·         To develop, implement and review the neuro-rehabilitation service.
• ·         To be actively involved in the choice of and use of specific outcome measures and the collection of data regarding the service.
• ·         To participate in the operational planning and implementation of policy for the neonatal and paediatric Occupational Therapy service, leading on delegated projects.
• ·         To participate in the delivery of the Occupational Therapy service objectives and development plan.
• ·         To be responsible for advising on resources to deliver an effective service.
• ·         To carry out routine admin duties as required.
• ·         To maintain equipment inventory, ensure equipment is ordered appropriately and investigate bids for further equipment.
• ·         To be responsible for regular inspection and maintenance of therapy equipment in line with standards and policy, including infection control, and ensure timely reporting of any defects.
• ·         To be aware of the cost/benefit implications in the selection of appropriate equipment to be provided for patient long-term use as an individual and by the team.

Professional Development

• ·         To apply specialist skills and knowledge to establish professional competence and fitness to practise as a senior OT.
• ·         To demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in supervision, internal and external development opportunities, recording learning outcomes and reflections in a portfolio.

Clinical Governance, Quality Standards

• ·         To contribute to the formulation of departmental policies and procedures and participate in agreed developments in the occupational therapy service or its organisation.
• ·         To initiate and implement changes to working practices related to research findings or service initiatives e.g. following demand and capacity work including evaluation of such changes.
• ·         To undertake clinical audit, report on findings and, after discussion with the clinical lead, implement changes and re-audit.
• ·          To have a sound knowledge of Clinical Governance and have an active role in clinical effectiveness and audit within the department, taking a lead role as required
• ·         Contribute to the Trust’s, directorates and teams’ clinical governance arrangements and quality agenda, including the setting and monitoring of practice standards.
• ·         To apply national guidelines/legislation relating to health and social care in the NHS service provision

Research & Practice Development

• ·         To undertake audit projects relevant to Occupational Therapy and/or the specialist field of therapy in neonatology, neurodevelopment, neurology, and neurorehabilitation, disseminating findings at local level and specialist forum level.
• ·          To broaden research opportunities within the specialist fields and participate in local audits and national research projects with other specialist centres to contribute to the growing body of evidence within the field of occupational therapy and neurology.
• ·         To lead in journal club presentations and in-service training programmes.