Location
University Hospital Lewisham, Stadium Road, London

Hours
Full Time (hours not specified)

Salary
£39,959 per annum

About the Role
As a Band 6 Occupational Therapist, you will manage a designated caseload with complex needs using evidence-based, client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment. You will maintain records fulfilling legal requirements and regularly supervise O.T. students on practice placements. This role involves providing leadership for junior and support staff through supervision and appraisal as delegated by senior staff. You will participate in a rotational scheme covering Elderly Care, General Medicine, Stroke Unit, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Complex Neurological conditions (including major trauma), and Community Rehabilitation.

Your clinical responsibilities include assessing and treating a specific caseload, conducting initial screens, designing individual treatment programmes, assessing functional levels related to daily living activities, selecting and conducting cognitive and perceptual testing, and carrying out risk assessments. You will advise on and provide aids and adaptations, conduct home and community visits, set client-centred goals, monitor and evaluate treatment effectiveness, and participate in discharge planning and placement decisions.

In community and domiciliary settings, you may work as a lone practitioner with telephone support from senior OTs. You will refer patients to appropriate agencies for ongoing treatment and participate in weekend service provision.

Effective communication with patients, carers, colleagues, multidisciplinary teams, and other agencies is essential. You will participate in multidisciplinary meetings, staff meetings, and case conferences, and provide education regarding aids, equipment, and safety.

Documentation duties include maintaining up-to-date activity data and records, providing reports on home visits, and preparing reports for other agencies.

You will adhere to the COT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, maintaining confidentiality and respecting patient dignity, privacy, culture, and wishes.

Leadership responsibilities include participating in performance reviews, using supervision and appraisal to reflect on practice, supervising junior/support staff, delegating tasks, providing day-to-day advice, and deputising for the Senior I when required.

Training duties involve planning and implementing induction, training and education for students and staff, supervising and assessing O.T. students on placement, delivering presentations, and organising departmental training.

Service development tasks include ensuring equipment maintenance and stock monitoring, managing caseloads to achieve timely and safe discharges, assisting senior staff with policy implementation, undertaking specific departmental duties, and collaborating on service development and practice improvements.

Personal and professional development is encouraged through participation in internal and external training, mandatory and statutory training, demonstrating increasing skills and knowledge, and maintaining a professional portfolio for CPD.

Experience
Experience managing a complex caseload in acute and community settings is essential. Previous experience supervising students and junior staff is desirable. Knowledge of a broad range of clinical conditions including elderly care, stroke, surgery, orthopaedics, and neurological conditions is required.

About you
You should be a motivated and skilled Occupational Therapist with strong clinical reasoning and leadership abilities. You must be able to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, communicate effectively with patients, carers, and colleagues, and demonstrate commitment to professional ethics and continuous development.

Qualifications
Registered Occupational Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Commitment to ongoing professional development and maintaining a CPD portfolio is required.