Job summaryWe are looking for an enthusiastic, well motivated and skilled band 6 Occupational Therapist to join our Acute Medical Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy Integrated Team working across all ward areas and departments within the Medicine division. You will need to have an enthusiastic approach, be forward thinking, have a passion for humanising patients' recovery and have a problem solving approach to patient management. The ability to work within a fast paced and pressured environment is essential, along with having excellent communication and interpersonal skills and demonstration of the ability to support other team members. You will have a wide range of clinical expertise in multiple settings. You will be responsible for the provision of occupational therapy assessment, intervention and discharge planning / stepping down of patients with multiple, sometimes complex, diagnoses. You will also need to work independently as well as with other members of the MDT, in order to provide a patient centred service, working to identify holistic short and long term goals, and rehabilitation plans. There will be the opportunity to develop your acute skills and knowledge, whilst continuing to embed the role of occupational therapy in this setting. You will participate in service improvement, new models of working, clinical audit and continued professional development.A band 5-6 development post would also be consideredMain duties of the jobOccupational Therapists carry out independent, holistic professional assessments of a person's needs, with regard to independent living and functioning/ occupational performance. Occupational Therapy intervention is provided on the basis of that assessment. The post holder will be responsible for the provision of an Occupational Therapy service at a specialist level for the designated area. This post will involve carrying a defined caseload of patients that require specialist Occupational Therapy skills. The post holder will implement the Occupational Therapy process with patients presenting with a variety of complex needs. Patients will have chronic, complex, disabling, life limiting or challenging conditions. The post holder will be an autonomous practitioner, responsible for providing specialist Occupational Therapy assessment, treatment, rehabilitation for medical patients and provide advice to other multi agency professionals, junior staff and Occupational Therapy students. The post holder will have responsibility for monitoring, organising and supervising junior members of the Occupational Therapy Service including Occupational Therapists, support staff and students. Assist the lead OT in planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating of the OT service provided. The post-holder will act as a source of expertise and demonstrate advanced knowledge, skill and experience in their role.About usEstablished in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements. The Therapies and Orthotics directorate is driven by the trusts strategic objectives and values, alongside the new ELHT AHP Strategy and we look for people who are strongly aligned with them.Job descriptionJob responsibilities1. Undertake a comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment at a specialist level with patients, allocated to your caseload. This may involve the selection and application of standardised and non-standardised assessments addressing occupational performance. 2. Interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical factors including physical, environmental, psychosocial, mental, spiritual, political and cultural aspects of the patients life, in order to identify occupational performance deficits, and provide specialist advice and intervention for the facilitation of optimum level of occupational functioning. This will require the post holder to consider a range of options, some of which may conflict and require negotiation, having to consider the needs of individuals, families and carers. 3. Formulate goals in partnership with the patient, clearly communicating your clinical reasoning, in order to justify your recommendations, and utilising most appropriate treatment/intervention for the patients needs. 4. Implement a variety of evidence based Occupational Therapy interventions to a specialist level according to the needs of the individual patient. 5. Evaluate and modify the treatment programme as appropriate, implement moving, handling and positioning of patients to enable to participate in treatment episodes and carry out activities of daily living. 6. Independently manage a varied and complex caseload on a day to day basis, organising your time effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities; ensuring good use of skills within the team by delegating and allocating work to junior staff as appropriate. (Integrated Therapy Asssitants) 7. Advise, support, and educate patients, carers and other professionals in the self management of patients condition. 8. Initiate and organise case reviews involving multi disciplinary and multi agency staff. The post holder may be required to take the key worker role. 9. Develop, maintain and demonstrate specialist clinical skills related to clinical area, which are underpinned by theory, research and practical experience. 10. Responsible for assessing for and recommending both minor and major adaptations / environmental modifications, seeking advice from senior staff when necessary. This will require a good working knowledge of the process of eligibility for specialist equipment. 11. Assess for and provide standard and specialist assistive technology for patients in accordance with local criteria and pathways for provision. 12. Advise, instruct, and educate patients, carers and other professionals in the use of standard and specialist assistive technology, and environmental adaptation where appropriate. 13. Undertake risk assessments, and manage and document risk. 14. Have the ability to deal with unexpected events during the course of duties in a specialist area. Complete incident reports in line with Trust guidelines. 15. Work as an autonomous practitioner where there is a requirement to make decisions to optimise patients recovery, develop and adopt rehab programmes in relation to patient goals. 16. Actively involved with research activities including literature searching. 17. Work across agencies and have a working knowledge and understanding of the systems within Health and Social Services in order to facilitate the recommendation of treatment approach, equipment, access, and adaptation issues. 18. Understand and demonstrate a working knowledge of national guidelines and legislation relating to Health and Social Care relevant to Occupational Therapy. Undertake evaluation of work and current practices through use of audit, reflective practice and outcome measures and make recommendations for change. 19. Record patient contact statistics. 20. Delegate, monitor, organise, and supervise the work of junior staff as appropriate. 21. Actively involved in the day to day running of the department. 22. Deputise for senior staff in the day to day running of the department as required. 23. Is a member of the team and shares information as required. 24. Maintain treatment areas and equipment used to an appropriate standard in accordance with health and safety, infection control, and other relevant guidance. 25. Assess capacity of patients in order to gain valid informed consent for intervention and work within organisational policy with patients who lack capacity. COMMUNICATION 1. Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing, therapy, education, social services staff, and others to ensure the delivery of a coordinated multi disciplinary and multi agency approach and facilitate and maintain good working relationships. 2. Communicate complex or sensitive information, in an empathetic and reassuring manner to patients and carers in a language understandable to them. This may include imparting unwelcome news relating to future needs. 3. Use a range of techniques to overcome barriers to communication. 4. Adapt your own communication style and utilise advanced communication skills appropriate to the patient in order to foster an effective therapeutic relationship. 5. Deal with challenging situations including verbal aggression/distress from patients, carers and relatives. 6. Advise, instruct, and educate patients, carers and other professionals regarding the occupational therapy process. 7. Maintain the ability to communicate effectively when faced with situations of conflict or high emotion from patients, carers, family and other staff members. 8. Promote and educate others regarding the role of Occupational Therapy and the importance of occupational to health and well being. 9. Provide comprehensive occupational therapy reports clearly outlining clinical reasoning and recommendations. 10. Provide clear information (verbal and written) regarding Occupational Therapy intervention in a variety of settings. 11. Ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with professional standards and organisational guidance. 12. Have basic IT skills including use of Internet, E-mail and any special programmes used within the service. 13. Ensure that resources are available to meet the differing communication needs of the population e.g. ethnic minorities, hearing impaired, etc. 14. Attend and participate in team meetings. Taking the lead when required. 15. Assist the Occupational Therapy Service in involving service users, their carers and family in service improvements. 16. Act as an advocate on behalf of patients. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 1. Continue to develop and demonstrate skills related to Occupational Therapy / specialist clinical area, to a specialist level, ensuring that those skills are underpinned by philosophy, theory and professional standards. 2. Keep up to date with evidence based practice. 3. Complete all required mandatory training. 4. Responsible for your own continuing professional development including maintaining your own developmental portfolio and assisting others in the development of theirs. 5. Participate in your own annual development review and supervision, undertaking post registration training related to area of work as required. 6. Responsible for the support and supervision of qualified and support staff as required and as outlined in service guidance. 7. Take responsibility for the learning of students and nurses as required, and be willing to work towards accreditation. 8. Involvement in research activity, e.g. journal clubs, evidence based practice and clinical audit as required. 9. Provide training to colleagues, the wider multi disciplinary team, and other agencies as required. 10. Keep up to date with relevant legislation and current issues relating to occupational therapy in your area of work in areas such as Health, Housing, Social Services, and Education. ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Promote and implement organisational policies, procedures, standards and guidance. 2. Act as agents and make prescriptions/recommendations for equipment 3. Responsible for the induction of new staff as required. 4. Work towards achieving service and organisational objectives. 5. Undertake/lead tasks related to team/ service development/governance as required. 6. Participate in the recruitment and selection of Occupational Therapists and/or support staff as required. 7. Able to deal sensitively with complaints following procedures, managing them where necessary and directing them to an appropriate person within the team, if required.Person SpecificationQualificationsEssentialDiploma/Degree in Occupational TherapyDesirableExperience Taking StudentsExperience and SkillsEssentialPost graduate therapy experience in a relevant setting.Able to use a variety of assessments/interventions.Supervision skillsAdvanced communication skillsWorkload management skillsResearch skills.OtherEssentialHCPC registered.Commitment to lifelong learningCar driver and has access to a car undertake visits in the community as requiredAbility to work weekends on a rotaDisclosure and Barring Service CheckThis post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).Employer detailsEmployer nameEast Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustAddressRBHHaslingden RoadBlackburnBB2 3HHEmployer's websitehttp://jobs.elht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)