Specialist Occupational Therapist - London - ref. j41763019
Job overview
This is an exciting time for a Specialist Occupational Therapist (band 6) to join the @home service, which boasts as being one of the largest and longest running Urgent Community Response teams in London. On offer is a fixed term, 12 months maternity leave cover for an Occupational therapist with a passion for urgent response.
We are continuously expanding the service in line with the NHS Long Term Plan to support England’s ageing population and those with complex needs. Achieved through developing virtual ward pathways, supporting elderly fallers to remain at home, reducing pressure off LAS, and working more collaboratively with social care and other community therapy teams; putting the patient at the heart of all we do.
The @home service are searching for a dynamic, enthusiastic and experienced Occupational Therapist to join the team. Ideal candidates may be currently working at band 6 level and seeking new challenges; a current band 5 looking for progression into a band 6 role; or a returning to practice Occupational Therapist.
The role involves assessing patients in homes within the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, requiring the use of public transport; or via holding a current and valid UK driver’s licence and /or vehicle that can be used for work purposes.
Main duties of the job
The successful post holder will demonstrate higher levels of assessment, specialist interventions and knowledge; patient-centred goals setting abilities; and engage in collaborative multidisciplinary discharge planning in a face-paced environment.
Previous community experience and a passion for urgent therapy assessment, intervention and rehabilitation in supporting patients to remain in their own home is desirable. Our locality means you will be working with some of the most diverse populations, cultures and languages in London.
You will have supervisory, teaching and training responsibilities for the Nursing Rehab Support Workers, Allied Health Students, and the wider multidisciplinary team. Furthermore, you will be an active participant in evidence-based projects, departmental research and audits including recommendations for changes in practice as required and in line with current NHS directives.
Excellent communication skills are essential, and you must be enthusiastic, flexible and able to work autonomously using strong clinical assessment and clinical reasoning skills. You will have opportunities for career progression and development an extended scope of practice role within the service; supported through regular supervision and performance development reviews.
Working for our organisation
GSTT @home is a hospital at home service covering both Lambeth and Southwark boroughs, and is a joint venture between health and social care. @home provides high quality, safe, intensive multidisciplinary acute treatment and monitoring in the patient’s usual place of residence that would otherwise be carried out in hospital.
The service operates 7 days per week, with therapists working 08.00hrs to 20.00hrs as the standard shift pattern. With this post being full-time it is essential the post holder be able to work their hours flexibly and to contribute fully to both existing and new rota's.
Patients conditions range from those requiring a single episode of care e.g. postoperative to IV or antibiotic therapy; through to patients living with complex and long-term conditions, including the frail elderly, who may require periodic short-term intervention to maintain the best possible quality of life at home.
The service accepts referrals from GP’s, LAS, Guys and St Thomas Hospitals, Kings College Hospital, St George’s hospitals as well as other community services.
@home encompasses two main streams of work:
- 2-hour, same day or next day response to support early discharge from hospitals from Guy’s & St Thomas, King’s College and is integrated with secondary care.
- Hospital admission avoidance, with 2 hour or same day response, working in conjunction with LAS, GPs, Community Matrons, District Nurses, Social Care and the other community therapy teams.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the full job description for comprehensive summary of the essential and desirable criteria for this role. Main headings include:
- Professional and clinical responsibilities
- Communication
- Service Development - Research / Audit / Quality
- Staff management and Leadership
- Education and Training
- Personal and Professional Development
Key relationships include: Head of Nursing, Deputy Head of Nursing, Deputy Chief AHP, Therapy Lead Practitioners, Clinical Development Matron, Matrons, @home GPs, Nursing staff and the wider MDT, District Nurses and Community Matrons, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Allied Health Professionals, Consultants and Junior Medical Staff, community and acute therapy and rehabilitation teams, Social Services staff administrative and support staff, Home Care Provider Staff, Voluntary Sector Staff.
General points to note
This job may involve frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions, e.g. bodily fluids, unpleasant smells, and occasional exposure to verbal aggression. This is a community-based role and will involve entering patients’ homes.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria- Degree in Occupational Therapy
- Evidence of Continued Professional Development including attendance at recent post graduate courses relevant to the clinical field
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
- Member of RCOT
Experience
Essential criteria- Broad postgraduate experience across a range of clinical areas including working with adults and older people with chronic conditions and complex co-morbidities
- Rehabilitation experience in all core areas: acute medicine, vascular, orthopaedics, and care of the elderly
- Experience of actively contributing to multidisciplinary team working
- Previous experience in rapid response, acute or urgent care setting
- Rotational experience including working in the community
- Supervisor for junior staff or students
- Experience facilitating in-service teaching and research/audits
Skills/ Knowledge
Essential criteria- Examples using evidence based practice (including clinical outcome measures) to evaluate outcomes
- Demonstrated application of Occupational Therapy models of practice
- Demonstrated ability for autonomous practice, and making higher level clinical judgments / decisions regarding patient care
- Demonstrated ability to plan and organise provision of care to a complex and constantly changing clinical caseload
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure with frequent interruptions
- Demonstrated ability to risk assess across a variety of settings
- Examples of skills sharing and collaborative multi-professional working to achieve patient outcomes
- Demonstrated ability to develop effective therapeutic interpersonal relationships through negotiation, active listening, observations and empathy
- Demonstrated ability to effectively manage conflict and/or difficult situations timely and following a supportive approach
- Demonstrated ability to be innovative and flexible, and to support change management
- Able to travel across boroughs via public transport
- Evidence of excellent time management, prioritisation and organisational skills
- Hold a UK valid and current drivers licence and/or personal vehicle for home visiting