Occupational Therapist

The OccupationalTherapist (OT) reports into the Inpatient UnitManager and is responsible forproviding a highstandard of occupational therapy service on the Inpatient Unit, and across thehospice where appropriate. To use specialist technical skills in the assessmentand treatment of your own caseload to perform specialist functional assessmentof patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychologicalconditions., Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and teams clinical practice. Work with colleagues across the hospice to make recommendations and implement changes to practice or contribute to service protocols., The role entails but is not limited to : To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care. To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentations / multi pathologies; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to identify, plan and monitor patient focussed goals. Demonstrate collaborative working skills to screen referrals & identify appropriate patients for input. Work collaboratively with hospice staff to recommend levels of support required for discharge to family or Social Health & Care. This involves assessment of patient and carers needs and close collaboration with outside agencies. Advise on activities of daily living equipment for private purchase. Refer to outside statutory and Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) agencies as appropriate for follow-up. To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to patients, relatives, carers and other professionals. Promote understanding of the aims of therapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care. Assess patient understanding of OT treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment. To use a wide range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to effectively communicate with patients and carers (as appropriate). This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, cultural issues and who require interpreters. To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload, at all times. Work within hospice clinical guidelines and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) guidelines and to have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate. If undertaking any work in community and domiciliary settings, work as a lone practitioner with telephone support from the community lead and therapy colleagues if required. To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with RCOT Standards of Practice and hospice Policy. To abide by the RCOT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development. To provide and manage student therapy placements. Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced based practice in the area, developing specialist knowledge of particular conditions. Undertake therapy focussed evidence-based projects and develop improvements to therapy service delivery and clinical practice. Work collaboratively with Director of Clinical Services and hospice colleagues to make recommendations for change and implementation where appropriate. To regularly participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraiser and be responsible for complying with agreed personal development programmes to meet set knowledge and competencies. Undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidence based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually, with therapy colleagues, nursing colleagues, and therapists across the local community where appropriate. To attend and complete all mandatory training, as required by Hospice Policy. To undertake as directed the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects, where appropriate. To manage and undertake research into specific areas of clinical practice and / or service delivery using a range of research methodologies. Be actively involved in professional clinical groups and other professional development activities. Organisational Ensure that your own practice and that of staff under your supervision meets the required professional standards of therapy practice. To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and be involved in reviewing as appropriate. To be responsible for the safe and competent use of equipment by patients, carers, and students through supervision of practice. Additionally ordering, monitoring and ensuring that equipment use is safe by checking / testing equipment prior to use and maintenance reporting. To be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department on a monthly basis. To observe a personal duty of care in relation to all resources, equipment and assets encountered in the course of your work. To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change / arise. To assist with advising and mentoring newly appointed therapists and inducting them into the department Just so you know : We may review applications before the applicationreview date, however, if you apply after the application review date, yourapplication may not be considered. We will accept applications until we havesuccessfully filled the role, this may be earlier than the closing date. If you have not heard within 14 days of theapplication close date, then please consider that your application has beenunsuccessful at this time. As part of your application your data will bemanaged in line with St Giles Hospice Privacy Policy and kept for 6 months. Ifyou would like to see this in full, please visit Person Specification Other Requirements Essential

• Valid driving licence
• Eligibility to work in the UK
• Please note that St Giles Hospice does not hold a sponsorship licence and is therefore unable to accept sponsorship requests
  
  Evidence of continued professional development
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of an inter-disciplinary team and work independently
• Demonstrates sound clinical practice knowledge appropriate to Specialist Palliative Care level practice, in Palliative Care, Oncology or Community setting
Desirable
• Demonstrates knowledge and awareness of quality and governance
• Experience of ensuring continuous improvement
• Experience and competence in handling situations of grief and loss and patient advocating
• Experience in advance care planning, Empathetic
• Team player
• Able to work under pressure
• Collaborative
• Ambassador for St Giles Hospice, Relevant professional qualification & registration with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Willingness to undertake relevant study if required
Desirable
• Evidence of post graduate training in Oncology / Palliative Care / other relevant courses
• Evidence of leadership training
• Mentorship qualification
Experience Essential
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of an inter-disciplinary team and work independently
• Demonstrates sound clinical practice knowledge appropriate to Specialist Palliative Care level practice, in Palliative Care, Oncology or Community setting
Desirable
• Demonstrates knowledge and awareness of quality and governance
• Experience of ensuring continuous improvement
• Experience and competence in handling situations of grief and loss and patient advocating
• Experience in advance care planning
Values Essential
• Exhibits our hospice values and behaviours
• A positive attitude to all aspects of work including supporting and embracing change and managing uncertain situations
• Quality focused - customer care ethos
• Ability to foster positive relationships
Skills Essential
• Demonstrates interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate in writing, person and on telephone
• Assessment and treatment / intervention planning skills and an ability to cope with a range of complex options, find solutions, analyse, compare and decide on appropriate course of action
• Highly developed physical skills including dexterity, coordination & sensory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients
• An ability to prioritise and organise own workload
• Ability and skills to provide student and staff supervision and mentorship
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including an ability to provide and receive complex, sensitive and contentious information
• Teaching, assessment and presentation skills
• Demonstrates computer literacy with knowledge of databases, Microsoft (or similar), use of email and an aptitude to learn computer packages that are essential to the role
  
  St Giles Hospice is a registered charity founded in 1983 by the Reverend Paul Brothwell, originally to improve the care of local people dying with cancer.
We now support patients, and their loved ones, living with a terminal dedicated team provides individually-tailored care, free of charge, either at the hospice or in patients own homes across our communities. We spend close to £10 million a year providing our specialist services. With just 18% of this funded by the Government, we rely heavily on donations and income generation from the local community.