Hand Therapist (OT/Physiotherapist) - ref. j8206803

We love what we do and we think you will, too!

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined-up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people’s own homes and in a range of other locations across the county.

We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care. We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking ‘what matters to you’.

We’re passionate about making sure that everyone can contribute to achieving our mission and we are continually working to support healthy and happy high-quality teams in all areas of the Trust.

Our application process aims to understand each candidates knowledge, skills and experience. We have found that candidates that use AI to generate their answers can lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description.

It is really important to personalise your application to convey your individual skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively and for us to understand why you are applying for this role with GHC. We discourage over reliance on AI-generated applications as it will lessen your chances of success in securing an interview with us .

Job overview

The post holder will work within an established and friendly team of out-patient hand and MSK therapists, in addition to a wider team of experienced hand therapists who offer a high-quality specialist Hand Therapy service across Gloucestershire.

• The post holder will be part of the MSK Outpatient Team based at Cirencester Hospital and Stroud Therapy Department
• A Band 6 Hand Therapist (OT/PT) participates as a member of the wider hand therapy and MSK team independently managing a specialised clinical caseload. The post holder has no budgetary responsibility.
• The post holder will provide hand therapy advanced assessments and interventions, be responsible for carrying out evidence based assessment, intervention and evaluation of hand conditions and occupational performance needs particularly in the area of hand therapy and splinting.
• They will be expected to manage a caseload of clients, including chronic and acquired hand conditions, RA, hand trauma, post hand surgery and clients with multiple needs. This will be facilitated in outpatients clinics, or other community settings as appropriate
• They are expected to have supervisory and teaching responsibility for more junior members of staff and students

Working for our organisation

We have in excess of 5000 staff working over 50 sites, providing a diverse range of services. We strive to support an organisational culture that is welcoming, builds and celebrates inclusivity and diversity and provides a sense of belonging and trust.

The annual NHS Staff Survey gives our people the opportunity to tell us about their experience working at the Trust. For the 2023 survey just over 2800 colleagues gave us their views (58.5%). It was great to see from the results that colleagues are saying that:

• 89.7% believe they are making a positive difference to patients/service users;
• 73.3% would recommend the organisation as a place to work;
• 82.4% agree that care of patients and service users is the organisations priority;
• 76.7% would be happy with the standard of care for a friend or relative

Our results put us as 5th nationally as a Community, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities NHS Employer of Choice and 1st equal amongst all NHS Provider Trusts in the South West. However, we know we have more to do and will continue to drive forward our commitment to making GHC a Great Place to Work.

• To be responsible for carrying out in-depth, evidence based assessment, intervention and evaluation of occupational performance needs
• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner and work alone as a highly skilled clinician providing guidance within their specialist field
• To be professionally and legally accountable for a designated patient caseload and to decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related, service and professional demands
• To treat referrals in a timely and appropriate manner prioritising and triaging as required
• To document interventions on S1 IT systems as required by the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
• To complete therapy and close referrals within appropriate timescales
• When necessary, to make internal or external referrals to the appropriate team or service
• To work as an autonomous practitioner to manage a caseload of clients with various levels of need i.e. rheumatology, medical, neurological conditions and/or psychosocial needs. Often in an acute phase of illness/injury and to provide therapy intervention in order to enable optimum occupational performance maintaining and/or developing their current roles e.g. employment
• To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload
• To carry out risk assessments and risk management independently
• To assess patients’ capacity, gain valid informed consent to treatment and where such capacity is lacking/absent to work within a legal framework in the management of the patient
• To undertake the comprehensive assessment and accurate diagnosis of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using expert investigative analytical and enhanced clinical reasoning skills
• To design therapy/rehabilitation plans in collaboration with the Service User and/or carer using a range of rehabilitation approaches to achieve occupational performance goals
• To apply a high level of understanding of the effect of disability and provide training, advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the physical, psychological and social environment to meet the occupational performance needs of the client
• To provide the assessment, design, manufacture of splints as appropriate to the Service User needs, to enable the maximum safety and independence in ADL
• To provide professional supervision to junior members of the team
• To take on the responsibility of practice educator for hand therapy students placements as required
• To contribute to the day to day management of the Hand Therapy Service as delegated by the Clinical Lead Hand Therapist
• To use effectively and efficiently all IT systems as required by Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
• To maintain relevant data, statistics, workload and manpower information for yourself and your team. To support monitoring and performance management of the team
• To ensure all health and safety legislation and departmental policies are implemented to promote a safe working environment
• Attendance at appropriate committees/forums/meetings to develop and maintain services as delegated by a senior member of the team
• To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers, other disciplines and agencies to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy for each individual patient and to ensure continuation of the individualised treatment programme. This will include manual handling advice
• To understand and apply relevant national clinical guidelines and relevant national standards to which quality and effective practice should be monitored

Please see the attached Job Description and Personal Specification for full information regarding this post and its requirements.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Current and valid registration with Health and Care Professions Council
• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
• Relevant Post graduate experience in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy

• British Association of Hand Therapists Level 1 Introduction to Hand Therapy

Experience

• Relevant postgraduate clinical experience
• Evidence of having worked unsupervised and independent management of a clinical caseload
• Experience of having supervised staff who are directly accountable to the post holder

• Experience of implementing clinical guidelines and standards

PROFESSIONAL / MANAGERIAL / SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE

• The ability to demonstrate and discuss the clinical reasoning process in the management of common and complex hand cases
• The ability to facilitate reflective practice and learning in others
• The ability to identify and act upon adverse clinical signs
• Evidence of continuing professional development and participation in supervision

• The ability to demonstrate critical appraisal skills

PERSONAL SKILLS ABILITIES AND ATTRIBUTES

• Excellent verbal, non-verbal and written communication when interacting with members of the team, other professionals, clients and their families
• Can understand the main text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialism

When joining us, as well as becoming part of a team that makes a difference, we also offer:

• Free car parking at many of our sites
• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service
• A broad range of training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships up to Level 7 qualification.
• A multi-professional preceptorship programme for all Newly Qualified; Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners.
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when if you work unsocial hours
• Flexible, family friendly and agile working opportunities
• Recognition and long service awards
• Fast Track physiotherapy
• Our Wellbeing line
• Access to discounts and salary sacrifice schemes; including Cycle to Work, Car scheme and discounts on travel, leisure and retailers.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application.

For more information please see the attached 'Additional Information for Applicants' document.