Highly Specialist Outpatients Occupational Therapist

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification:

Undertake and oversee all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.

2.1. The Band 7 Occupational Therapist is responsible for the provision of a high quality and evidence-based service. The post holder is a skilled practitioner, who will act as a source of knowledge and expertise for patients, families and other members of the health care team. The post holder takes a lead role in planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the occupational therapy service within areas of advanced clinical practice.

2.2. Provide a holistic assessment of patients with cancer. These patients may present with complex physical, emotional and psychological needs as a result of their cancer diagnosis and its treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, protons and systemic anti-cancer therapy.

2.3. Provide a holistic therapeutic assessment of patients with cancer symptoms as a result of tumour activity, metastatic disease or treatment. These patients may present with complex physical, emotional and psychological needs as a result of their cancer diagnosis and its treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, protons and systemic anti-cancer therapy.
2.4. Work with the multidisciplinary team to provide Occupational Therapy assessment and treatment of patients with complex rehabilitation needs. Act as a source of knowledge and give support and guidance where necessary to progress patients and plan timely onward referral.
2.5. Develop and deliver individualised treatment programmes and make appropriate referrals to other disciplines.
2.6. Provide advice, support and supervision for designated junior Occupational Therapists. Supervision with junior members of staff takes the form of formal training, reflective practice and clinical reasoning.
2.7. To be a source of knowledge and expertise for patients, relatives and colleagues of all disciplines both within the Trust, locally and nationally. The post holder works closely with all members of the multi-disciplinary team to provide specialist input to a planned programme of co-ordinated care.
2.8. The band 7 Occupational Therapist has developed an advanced area of clinical practise within Occupational Therapy and oncology and palliative care. The post holder has a responsibility to share best practise, answer queries and provide education within this specialist area.
2.9. Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects in conjunction with colleagues to further clinical practice and service development.
2.10. Contribute to service development by identifying and/or implementing specific changes to practice, in conjunction with the rehabilitation team.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy
• State Registration with Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC) for Occupational Therapy.
• Evidence of experience in clinical supervision and appraisal.
• Evidence of experience in leadership, project management, audit, outcome measurement and clinical governance.
• Evidence of experience in presentation and teaching skills.
• Post-grad study days/courses in oncology/palliative care.

Desirable criteria

• Approved fieldwork supervisor course.
• Membership of a clinical interest group in occupational therapy
• Accredited wheelchair course.
• Accredited splinting and hand therapy course.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant post graduate clinical experience with a minimum of two years' experience in oncology and palliative care.
• Evidence of experience in clinical supervision and appraisal.
• Evidence of experience in leadership, project management, audit, outcomes measurement and clinical governance.
• Evidence of experience in presentation and teaching skills.

Skills Abilities/knowledge

Essential criteria

• Advanced knowledge of functional assessment and treatment techniques for oncology and palliative care patients, including physical, cognitive, psychosocial functional assessments and treatment, as well as specific symptom and lifestyle management techniques (e.g. relaxation, anxiety, breathlessness and fatigue management).
• Risk assessment: Ability to carry out risk assessments concerning patients and staff safety, including Manual Handling.
• Ability to assess risks associated with lone working, take responsibility for reporting to colleagues and ensuring self and patient are safe at all times.
• Ability to assess potential risks with regard to patients' discharge from hospital.
• Expertise in group dynamics, planning, facilitating, running and evaluating therapeutic groups.
• Advanced clinical reasoning as well as analytical and creative problems solving skills.
• Communication skills: Advanced communication skills with particular ability to work with complex/sensitive situations with patients, carers, OT colleagues and the wider MDT; Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills as required in an oncology and palliative care setting; Ability to deal with imparting bad news.
• Written and documentation skills: Ability to produce professional and accurate notes and records including management reports, service development proposals, multi-professional care plans, letters, assessments for hospital and external agencies.
• Reflective Skills: Ability to reflect on and make positive changes to own and departmental clinical practices.
• Team skills: Ability to facilitate supportive team working to maintain efficacy, efficiency and morale.
• Autonomous working: Ability to work in a highly motivated self-directed manner on clinical and departmental activities.
• Organisational skills: Ability to prioritise workload and organise time effectively to manage multiple priorities.
• Supervisory skills: Ability to fulfil supervisory and mentor role for junior staff and undergraduate students
• Educational skills: Ability to teach both patients and carers in areas relating to rehabilitation; Proven ability to prepare and deliver presentations and education sessions to health care colleagues and members of public.
• IT skills: Ability to enter data, prepare reports, formal written documentation and multi-media presentations. Confident in the use of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Power Point and Excel.
• NHS/Trust: Sound understanding of current NHS and the Trust's issues

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Please ensure your information is accurate to avoid errors with processing your application

All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination - What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.

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