Band 7 Specialist Neurological Rehabilitation Occupational Therapist
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and experienced Band 7 Occupational Therapist to join our dynamic neurological rehabilitation team in Specialist Clinics at the West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre.
Specialist Clinics includes Young Adults Transition Clinic, Multiple Sclerosis Clinic, Neuromuscular Clinic, Non-Traumatic Spinal Injury Clinic, Spasticity Clinic, Intrathecal Baclofen Clinic and Complex Neuro Rehab Clinic.
The post holder will be responsible for providing specialist assessment, treatment and management to a diverse caseload of adult patients with a wide range of neurological conditions within our outpatients clinics. They will also be the clinical lead for the Young Adults Transition Clinic.
This role involves working autonomously, utilising advanced clinical reasoning skills and contributing to service development and multidisciplinary team working to optimise patient outcomes and facilitate their return to meaningful activities and independence within their community.The successful candidate will also be involved in supervision of junior staff and students.
Main duties of the job- Provide a comprehensive detailed assessment of patients attending the specialist Neuro Rehabilitation clinics, with subsequent Occupational Therapy (OT) intervention and advice
- To take a lead role in the coordination of a designated clinic.
- Play an integral part within the Interdisciplinary Team both clinically and developmentally.
- Work closely with Consultants in rehabilitation medicine within clinics and also provide
- In collaboration with peers to develop OT within the specialist clinics and evaluate
- Support the Clinical Group Lead in reviewing services and implementing service
developments
Working for our organisation
Be Part of Our Team...
BCHC has more than 5000 staff working across Birmingham and the West Midlands in a wide range of community nursing and specialist healthcare roles. BCHC delivers over 100 clinical services, in people's homes, health centres, clinics and inpatient facilities.We deliver a wide range of services for children, young people and families as well as adults and community services, two community hospitals, services for people with learning disabilities, the internationally recognised West Midlands Rehab Centre and one of Europe’s leading Dental Hospitals and School of Dentistry.
We deliver all of this with a commitment to integrated, personalised care that is rooted in our local communities. We have an ambition to deliver outstanding, integrated care as one of the key NHS providers in the West Midlands.
If you want to ‘Be Part of Our Team’ and work with a Foundation Trust which is continuously striving for best care and healthy communities, we want to hear from you.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- Team lead for Young Adults Transition Clinic
- Provide comprehensive assessment, including detailed physical examination, which
cognitive, physiological, social and emotional/mental health problems.
- Negotiate and set realistic goals with the patient and carers as an independent practitioner
expectations including discussions of poor diagnostic prognosis.
- Supporting and encouraging patient independence and autonomy by enabling them to
- Perform home / hospital / Satellite Clinic visits independently or alongside other clinicians.
- Assessing suitability of current or potential splinting options, using knowledge of the
- Manage a caseload in the specialist Neuro rehab and clinics, which involves complex
- Co-ordinate the assessment and rehabilitation programmes of people referred to the
services as needed.
- Assess, request and ensure the correct fitment of standard and specialist equipment using
the equipment loan stores from across the region. Ensure equipment is safe to use for
both patients and non funded carers. Provide accurate and personalised information aboutthe self purchase of equipment for patients and liaise with charities when required.
Deal sensitively with service users and families living with difficult diagnoses, deterioratingmobility and life limiting conditions.
- Act as a point of contact for ongoing advice to patients /carers and professionals.
- Communicate the clinical diagnosis and facilitate understanding of a mutually agreed
who have complex emotional, physical and psychological conditions, e.g. deafness, dysphasia, depression, chronic pain etc.
Establish good working relationships, communicationlinks and awareness and understanding of neurorehabilitation with service users, colleagues, other
departments, external organisations and the public.
- Work with MDT in Specialist Clinics to agree outcome measures and establish care
- Input to Specialist Clinics meetings and case conferences as and when required
Person specification
Qualifications/ Training
Essential criteria- HCPC registration
- Grad Dip OT/ Diploma in Occupational Therapy / Occupational Therapy Degree
- Evidence of relevant CPD
- Active Member of clinical interest group.
Experience
Essential criteria- Varied comprehensive rotations at junior grade, undertaken with substantial relevant post - registration experience.
- Extensive experience working in neurology.
- Extensive experience of assessing complex disability including clients with brain injury, spinal cord injury, progressive neurological disorders.
- Proven ability to assess and treat patients with neurological conditions, using clinical reasoning skills
- Knowledge and understanding of the rehabilitation process.
Skills & Knowledge
Essential criteria- Understanding of community support agencies and other professions, and ability to work and liaise with them.
- Basic computer skills.
- Basic working knowledge of orthotics.
- Evidence good organisational skills including prioritisation of workload and time management skills and the ability to work independently.
- Ability to demonstrate sound knowledge and application of up to date clinical trends, practices and models used in the treatment of people with neurological conditions, including evidence based ones.
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of current legislative changes affecting the NHS, especially those relevant to OT.
- Ability to demonstrate individual responsibility for health and safety.
- Ability to communicate effectively with patients/carers/colleagues and other agencies, which may include sensitive and/or contentious information. This may require explanation, may require explanation, instruction, persuasion, motivation, negotiation, reassurance and require expert verbal and non verbal skills. Simple and more complex communication technology may be used by patients. Interpreters may be used.
- Demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a team.
- Ability to generate written communication which is relevant, concise, accurate and legible.
- Ability to manually handle patients and/or equipment safely to attain positioning that is necessary to perform safe and effective clinical assessments and treatments.
- Demonstrate splinting skills or are prepared to develop these.
- Ability to use cognitive, behavioural and communication strategies to ensure optimal treatment outcomes and rehabilitation goals are met.
- Supervisory experience.
- Presentation skills, including use of power point.
- Knowledge of use of augmentative aids to communication.
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of and an understanding of the principles of clinical standard setting, audit process and evidence based practice.
- Understanding of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and clinical indications for its use.
- Basic skills in digital photography and use of associated computer software.
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria- Reliable.
- Ability to demonstrate initiative and motivation when working in a variety of situations
- Ability to demonstrate flexibility within the changing NHS environment.
- Willing to develop new skills as required by relevant services
- Commitment to interdisciplinary team working.
- Ability to work under pressure
- Demonstrate commitment to anti discriminatory practice and valuing diversity
Other
Essential criteria- Able to travel when required to various work locations e.g. for meetings, training and domiciliary visits.
Disability Confident Employer and Guaranteed Interview Scheme
BCHC offers a guaranteed interview to any candidate who is Disabled, Neurodiverse, has a hidden or long term health condition as recognised under the Equality Act 2010, providing they meet the essential criteria of the job role, as set out in the person specification.We encourage applicants to submit their applications and to request any reasonable adjustments where required.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Birmingham is a fantastic place to live and we serve a wide range of people and communities. BCHC are an advocate of diversity and strive to mirror the community we serve as much possible.
We are committed to and actively promote equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals from all areas of the community who meet the specific criteria are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage/civil partnerships.
Promoting Workforce Equality
In response to data held by BCHC which demonstrates that individuals from particular protected characteristics are under-represented, BCHC are striving to redress these imbalances. In order to do this, the Trust is committed to the employment and career development of individuals with these protected characteristics.As part of this commitment and given this under-representation, the Trust guarantees an interview to any applicants from under-represented groups for positions at Band 8a and above whose application meets the essential criteria for the post as detailed on the Person Specification.
The Trust is currently under-represented in terms of people who identify as Black, Minority Ethnic (BME) and welcomes applicants from these communities. Selection will be on the basis of merit. In order to ensure the diversity of our workforce and understand the differing needs of our communities, the Trust is committed to the principles of Positive Action.
Flexible Working
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) supports a variety of flexible working practices and, where possible (given our range of services and community settings) dependent upon the requirements associated with the role, will actively consider requests made and support these where practically possible.This may include hybrid patterns of working to enable colleagues to request the flexibility of a mixture of home/base working.
In accordance with the NHS People Promise, the Trust is committed to facilitating a healthy work/life balance that is essential to health and wellbeing and to making BCHC a ‘Great Place to Work’. We will be happy to discuss and consider all requests relating to working patterns and hours at your interview so please do ask!
Using Artificial Intelligence
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust acknowledges Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Generative AI (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini etc; are powerful tools that can help you in various stages of your job application and how they can be used in certain circumstances during your application process with BCHC.You can read more about acceptable use on our internet pages here
Benefits of working for us:
- Full NHS terms and conditions including extensive holidays, Agenda for Change pay with enhancements
- Attractive relocation payment if you relocate to the local area.
- Discounts for local and national retailers
- Dedicated well-being services for all employees
- Flexible working where possible