Vocational Rehabilitation Band 7 Occupational Therapist

The OT will work as part of an MDT to support patients following a stroke overcome obstacles to accessing, maintaining or returning to employment or other useful occupations or to support with a dignified exit from work if this should be the patient's desired outcome.
The team will consist of a senior OT, Speech and Language Therapist and Clinical Neuropsychologist. The role of the senior occupational Therapists alongside the MDT will be to carry out assessments, provide information, explore and support with generic and/or specific work skills In order to set goals and work towards a patients desired outcome.
As this is a service working across three sites within West Essex and Hertfordshire there will be an expectation to travel. There will be an opportunity for Service development and leadership experience., The post holder will be part of the provision of a new Vocational Rehabilitation service across Hertfordshire and West Essex.
The post holder will be responsible for providing expert Vocational Rehab service (VRS) to stroke survivors within the Herts and West Essex ICS. To assess and treat a caseload of stroke survivor patients as an autonomous practitioner.
The post holder will be responsible for the clinical development of the VRS within the team.
The post holder will be an OT clinical lead in VRS and provide clinical expertise to members of the team and staff within outpatient clinics, community services, groups and also virtually. This role will require travel across the ICB area of Herts and West Essex.
The post holder will have responsibility for the day to day VRS delivery promote the review and planning of the service with support and direction from the clinical leads across the ICS., 1. To carry out specialist Vocational Rehabilitation and OT assessments of patients, as an autonomous practitioner using high level clinical reasoning skills and integrating knowledge of evidence based practice.
2. To support patients according to their individual needs to return to employment (paid or voluntary) return to education or other means of vocation or by supporting a dignified exit.
3. To establish and work within clinical pathways including but not inclusive of triaging, referrals and prioritisation of caseload and schedules. Ensuring monitoring of the service and outcomes are reported and escalated to service leads.
4. To have overall accountability for the planning and management of a highly specialist VRS and clinical caseload.
5. To lead in the monitoring and evaluation of the service through collection of appropriate data, use of evidence base, audit and outcome measures and lead implementation of change as required.
Communication
1. Responsible for establishing/maintaining effective communication systems across MDT and multi-agency networks within the ICS.
2. Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to their needs, using appropriate communication services, including interpreters if required.
3. To demonstrate good negation skills across a range of issues., 1. To initiate and undertake research/clinical governance/audit projects within area of expertise.
2. To represent the team within multi-disciplinary systems of clinical governance within the trust
Management
1. To plan, prioritise and delegate VRS workload, effectively and efficiently with regard to patient care and professional demands.
2. To lead in the monitoring and evaluation of current practice, through the collection of appropriate date, evidence based practice projects, audit and outcome measures and lead implementation of change where required.
Financial and Physical Resources
1. To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as appropriate.
2. To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standings of infection control and safety are maintained.
Information Resources
1. To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with professional standards and local trust policies and supervise junior staff in this area.
2. To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines.
3. To gather and update activity data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local trust guidelines.
Policy/Service Development/Implementation..
1. To contribute to the development of policies and standards in other clinical areas and to assist in their monitoring within the team.
2. To contribute to inter-agency and inter-disciplinary team building and policy development, this will require an understanding of the impact of national guidelines and legislation.
3. To be aware of, adhere to and implement service and team plans and policies.
4. To use specialist knowledge to inform service/policy developments as appropriate.
Freedom to Act
1. To provide leadership for the junior staff within the team.
2. To interpret national and local policies and research relevant to VRS of Stroke in order to inform the service development.
3. To manage complex caseload independently working as an autonomous professional
4. To monitor and evaluate own highly specialist service delivery and provide progress reports.
5. To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.
Physical Effort
To have due regard for your own personal safety and that of patients and carers, in particular to have regard to moving and handling regulations, restraining policies and ensure the safe positioning of self and others.
Mental Effort
To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of patient management for prolonged periods.
Emotional effort
To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of patients and their carers, in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the physical, perceptual or cognitive deficits and implications of the same.
Work Conditions
To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with conditions related to patient contact as they arise: for example exposure to body fluids, infectious
Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered 'suitable alternative employment' to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.
Important Professional References
Make sure that as a part of your application you have professional references with business contract information covering your last three year employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.
As a newly appointed employee you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post, the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.
Applications for Job Share are positively welcomed.

EPUT provides community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk. Also:
+ We are among the largest employers in the in the East of England region, with more than 10,000 staff working across more than 200 sites.
+ We run the COVID-19 vaccination programme across mid and south Essex and Suffolk and north east Essex.
EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT). A new leadership team was established at the Trust in 2020.

Our vision and values
Our Vision
"To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care".
Our Purpose
"We care for people every day. What we do together, matters".
Our Values
+ We Care
+ We Learn
+ We Empower
Our strategic objectives
+ We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
+ We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
+ We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
+ We will help our communities to thrive.
Our services
+ Mental Health Services
+ Community Health Services
+ Learning Disabilities Services
+ Social Care
Find out more about the services we offer in our service directory., The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.
Covid Vaccination
Although Covid vaccinations are no longer a mandatory requirement within the NHS we continue to encourage and support the vaccination uptake as this remains the best line of defence against Covid19. The safety of our staff and patients is a top priority for us at EPUT.
If you would like to book a Covid vaccination or would like more information please contact us by emailing [email protected].

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
+ Season Ticket Loans
+ NHS discounts for staff
+ Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
+ Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
+ The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
+ Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
+ Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank