Children's OT Clinical Service Lead

Ealing Community Partners has an exciting opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated Occupational Therapist (OT) to Clinically Lead our PMLD and Complex Needs pathway. You will work jointly with the other OT Clinical Lead to manage a diverse and dynamic paediatric OT service. This service is part of Ealing Services for Children with Additional Needs (ESCAN) whereby Health, Social Services and Education professionals work closely together to provide holistic care to our children, young people and their families.
Ealing is home to one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse communities in London. Our service is keen to focus on evidence based family-centred care principles, and applying best practice guidelines to enable occupational participation. This post is a part time, fixed term position and would suit a progressive clinician who would like to further develop their leadership and management experience within a supportive team.
The role will involve working with the Children's Therapies Manager, Children's OT Clinical Service Lead, Children's SLT and PT Clinical Service Leads, therapists and assistants within the team in order to ensure consistent high quality delivery of Children's OT services. The post will involve bringing your clinical expertise to oversee and manage a small but complex PMLD caseload, and represent OT in Multi-Disciplinary Clinics for this caseload., You will be working closely with acute settings, colleagues in ESCAN, as well as other agencies in the borough, e.g. mainstream and special schools, children's centres, social care teams and care agencies. You will provide clinical and managerial support to the team of OTs working in PMLD and Complex Needs, related to paediatric equipment and home adaptations. As needed the post holder will also contribute to the delivery of the mainstream and clinic pathways of the service., Ealing OT Department feel strongly that Continual Professional Development (CPD) is central to the delivery of the service and the development of the staff who work within it. The department offers a wide range of opportunities for learning and is committed to providing excellent levels of support and supervision such as: - weekly clinical service lead meetings, supervision sessions and CPD days.
OT in CNWL has a long established professional structure which includes a Trust wide Professional Head of OT. This has the huge benefit of ensuring representation of our profession at all levels - both strategically and operationally. Additionally, this structure ensures our staff are kept abreast of the opportunities available as part of the wider organisation of CNWL e.g. leadership training.
We are a friendly team, committed to providing care and services which are inclusive and treat everyone with respect. We encourage our staff to be members of the range of networks available within CNWL e.g. Carers at work, Inclusive Heritage and work to ensure we are an actively anti-racist team. We are fortunate to work in Ealing, one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the UK, and strive to ensure our team reflects the communities we serve. We seek to ensure we are allies with our LGBTQ+ colleagues and families as well as our neurodivergent colleagues and families. We have a dedicated working group that focuses on staff wellbeing as we believe this is a priority., To provide clinical leadership and management of the Community Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service.
To act as a role model in expert practice facilitating and supporting the delivery of effective patient care and service development.
To be the Clinical Lead in the area of PMLD, equipment assessment, issuing and reviewing, as well as assessment and referral onwards for DFG and adaptations.
To develop partnership opportunities and joint workings with other clinical and non-clinical professionals and liaise with other agencies as appropriate, particularly MDT colleagues, schools, social services and SEN education colleagues within the London Borough of Ealing (LBE).
To be the clinical and managerial team leader for the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service: covering staff management and recruitment, service development and redesign and deliver on new business and integrated care opportunities, as these arise.
To be the CQC lead for the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service, ensuring services are safe, caring, compassionate, effective and well led and that timely action plans are developed relating to any quality & safety risks/gaps identified.
To work closely with the Children's Physiotherapy Clinical Team Lead and Speech and Language Therapy Clinical Team Lead(s) to ensure coordinated and effective clinical and managerial leadership.
Purpose:
· To provide high quality Occupational Therapy Services for the registered population of Ealing, ensuring equitable service provision but with a particular focus on reducing the inequality gap for children and young people predicted to have the poorest health outcomes.
· To instigate and promote service development to ensure clinical services are delivered in line with new guidelines and best practise meeting the needs to the local population.
· To provide a visible professional presence and strong clinical leadership that service users, staff and other professionals can access for assistance, advice and support.
· To show exemplary Trust values and behaviours in line with the CNWL Staff Charter., · To provide strong professional leadership for staff within the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Services, ensuring that individual clinical supervision, appraisals and development are robustly undertaken to optimise both individual and organisational performance. Ensure that all staff have access to continuing professional education and development to maximise performance.
· To support the Paediatric Occupational Therapy team to perform effectively in service delivery and ensure effective positive communication, promoting strong multidisciplinary and multi-agency working ensuring Safeguarding policies and standards are adhered to.
· To act as a senior clinical/professional champion for the paediatric occupational therapy service influencing staff to make change, ensuring that service improvements are acceptable and sustainable across both professional and organisational boundaries (i.e. adhere to organisational priorities & objectives)
· To be a source of a high level of clinical expertise across the field of Paediatric Occupational Therapy - specialising in PMLD with associated equipment and adaptations.
· Providing both general and highly specialist advice for clinicians delivering interventions, on the full range of relevant issues including aspects of risk assessment and management and safety issues in relation to programme delivery by partners within education/ schools and EHCPs.
· To work alongside key colleagues, including MDT colleagues to develop appropriate and constructive relationships both within and external to the organisation.
· To ensure that appropriate methods are used to ensure the inclusion of patient's perspectives as central to service improvements.
· To work closely with the Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy Clinical Service Leads in Children's Services, including to identify and jointly lead on the delivery of productivity and efficiency savings.
· Lead on the implementation of redesign and service developments as necessary to deliver on new integrated care and business opportunities, support staff through changes. Operational and managerial support will be accessed through the Head of Children's Therapy/Children's Therapy Manager.
· To work with the Head of Children's/ Children's Therapy Manager and implement systems and processes to manage risk and ensure full compliance with internal (bimonthly governance reporting, audit planning, patient/user experience) and external (CQC PCAs, NICE Guidelines& NHSLA standards) governance procedures within across paediatric occupational therapy and OT.
· To contribute to the annual business planning cycle & fully support new business
· To work with the other Children's Therapy Clinical Service Leads to ensure adequate senior cover for the service e.g. planning and coordinating annual leave.
· To deputise for the Head of Children's/Children's Therapy Manager as required
· Prepare written and oral progress reports setting out progress in relation to the work, performance and learning within the occupational therapy service.
· To monitor capacity and demand within the service and to problem solve solutions/develop action plans to highlight pressures on the service and if appropriate fully support any business case/s that may arise.
· Complete risk register as appropriate and inform the Head of Children's Therapy/Children's Therapy Manager.
· Ensure all Trusts/service policies are disseminated, understood and implemented across the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Services.
· Undertake risk management, quality standard setting and clinical effectiveness across the service.
· Carry out the informal investigation stage of complaints and potentially serious incidents within the service area, ensuring the investigation is thorough, speedy and that remedial action is taken.
· Complete investigations for informal concerns/ complaints.
Leadership/ Clinical
· Act as a role model in expert practice facilitating and supporting the delivery of effective and efficient care by use of clinical judgement and decision making skills.
· Ensure use of the framework of informed consent.
· Ensure staff across the Occupational Therapy Service are held to account to maintain compliance with mandatory training, professional development and registration, clinical and safeguarding supervision and timely meaningful appraisals.
· Lead on the professional development of the paediatric occupational therapy service, taking forward and implementing best practice and research based effective models of care delivery.
· Work closely with the SLT and PT Clinical Service Leads and senior band 7 team members, in order to ensure that strong leadership for the occupational therapy service is provided, delegating duties as appropriate.
· Ensure that there is clear public and service user involvement and ensure the service works closely with other ESCAN MDT colleagues, Local Authority, Children Centres, GP's, School/Education/Early Support colleagues and other statutory agencies.
Infection Control
· Support patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures
· Apply infection control measures according to local and national guidelines
Professional Responsibilities
· Provide expert clinical advice to the Occupational Therapy Service
· Maintain an up to date professional HCPC registration and pursue personal/professional life-long learning, identifying CPD objectives in appraisal
· Be accountable for own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.
· Critically reflect on own performance through clinical / managerial supervision.
· Contribute to own appraisal and maintain own professional development/update in accordance with professional HCPC/RCOT standards.
· Attend study sessions/courses as agreed with the Line Manager and maintain current registration/CPD in line with required qualifications for the post with the HCPC.
· Prepare reports as required; keeping accurate records of daily activities, support finance and performance teams.
· Ensure own professional knowledge remains current and is reflective of changes and innovations in practice, & is reflected in own clinical caseload practice.
· Attend Trust mandatory study days.
· Adhere to HCPC and RCOT guidelines and code of conduct.
· Ensure a sound working knowledge of the principles of clinical/quality governance and their application to professional practice including risk management.
· Maintain a sound working knowledge of relevant procedures/statutory requirements including "Safeguarding Children", "Working with Vulnerable Adults" and other legal frameworks and support staff in these areas.
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further details on the role. When completing the supporting information section of your application, please ensure you show how you meet each of the criteria of the person specification providing illustrative examples where possible; as this is what you will be shortlisted against.
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

The team in Ealing has been highly successful in securing funding from different agencies, comprising of more than 22 full time posts for OTs. We have a strong professional structure with 2 Clinical Leads (Band 8a) and 7 Advanced Therapists (Band 7), each leading on different aspects of service delivery. There are also Band 6 & 5 Therapists and a Band 3 Technician. You will be part of an innovative and forward-thinking department who are committed to putting research into practice to improve patient outcomes. This post will be an ideal opportunity for a therapist looking to develop their leadership skills in paediatric occupational therapy who also has values that align with those of our organisation and is passionate about making a difference to children and young people.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.