Job summary
BAND 6 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST - TRAUMA AND ORTHOPAEDICS (27 hours per week)
An exciting opportunity has become available to join our supportive, forward-looking Orthopaedic Therapy Team as we expand services to support the development of our new Orthopaedic Elective Hub.
We are seeking a candidate to provide assessment and treatment of patients admitted with complex elective and traumatic orthopaedic injuries, those with spinal cord injuries and poly trauma patients. You will have your own clinical caseload and work closely with physiotherapists as we are a truly integrated service, with excellent working relationships with our orthopaedic consultants, matrons and ward sisters.
We are an innovative team and were early adopters in stopping the use of hip precautions for total hip arthroplasties, with a well-established Enhanced Recovery Programme for our elective patients, to which occupational therapy is central. We are also piloting a day case arthroplasty service and enhanced occupational therapy-led clinics for frail patients undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery. We are a research active team and involved with the RaCeR-2 and OPAL trials. Our team have presented their improvements at RCOT conferences and our Out Of Bed Project was published which has improved our hip fracture metrics. We are particularly interested in candidates who share our passion for service development and increasing the profile of occupational therapy in the speciality of orthopaedics.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will need to be an HCPC registered occupational therapist and need to demonstrate previous experience working in orthopaedics.
You will be responsible for your own caseload and support the development of junior staff within orthopaedics, using formal appraisal and supervision. Good prioritisation and organisational skills will be needed to balance clinical and non-clinical duties. You will use effective assessment skills to identify appropriate patients and formulate and implement individualised treatment and rehabilitation plans based on analytical and clinical reasoning skills. You will use communication skills to ensure successful multidisciplinary approach to patient care and be in regular discussion with patients, carers, colleagues and community partners on therapy plans. You will contribute to team in-service development and will be actively involved in the evaluation of your work using Evidence Based Practice projects, clinical audits and outcome measures.
In return, we would strive to offer a supportive, friendly working environment within a team who are open to new ideas. Opportunities for learning within the Trust would be provided, alongside regular supervision and allocated time for Continuous Professional Development. Opportunities for working with the wider multidisciplinary team will be available and strongly encouraged.
About us
The James Paget is a vibrant university hospital providing the best possible care to the people of east Norfolk and north Suffolk. Situated on the coast near beautiful beaches, we are within commuting distance of Norwich with many of our staff car-sharing from here. Onsite parking is available.
We know that development and wellbeing are key to your work, and you will receive regular supervision to discuss your progress and any ideas. We are committed to service development with many projects currently underway. We are forging strong links with the Research and Development Department and the University of East Anglia, and it is an exciting time to join us as this gathers momentum. We encourage attendance at courses and offer time and funding to engage in research and innovation activity to widen personal knowledge base and bring new skills to teams to keep our approach fresh and current. Our therapists represent the Trust at CSP, RCOT, BOA and BGS conferences and we support future staff to do this. In addition, we have an embedded flexible working policy with flexible hours to enable a better work/life balance but still meet the needs of the service.
We are an integrated therapies department and have close working relationships with the wider multidisciplinary team and community teams. The profile of Therapies is growing, and our voice and opinions are heard and valued at both departmental and higher management levels, so this is a brilliant time to join us.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- The post-holder will act as a senior occupational therapist for the assessment and treatment of patients admitted with complex elective and traumatic orthopaedic injuries, those with spinal cord injuries and poly trauma patients
- They will be expected to contribute to the co-ordination of occupational therapy in the trauma and orthopaedics therapy service and be professionally accountable for the delivery of patient care, including maintaining patient records
- They will be required to work autonomously and carry a clinical caseload, managing the assessment and treatment of patients within the speciality who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, in order to determine clinical diagnosis and occupational therapy treatment
- To work with the Team Leader and Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist to support the profession and service alongside the multidisciplinary team in the implementation of treatment pathways, e.g. fractured neck of femur and enhanced recovery for elective orthopaedic procedures
- Ensure the teams workload is appropriately prioritised and work is effectively distributed and co-ordinated across the team on a day-by-day basis in the absence of specialist colleagues
- To work closely with the multidisciplinary teams in order to receive referrals and use patient information to help prioritise the workload
- To provide advice and teaching to occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and therapy assistant practitioner colleagues and to other members of the multidisciplinary team
- To keep abreast of new research and development within the speciality, identifying any learning needs within the team and arranging training as necessary
- To be proactive in service development and individual development within the team, implementing changes as and when appropriate
- To implement clinical audits, ensuring regular monitoring of the quality of the service provided to patients and delegate work as necessary to other members of the team
Please see the attached Job Description for more details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.
Please watch the following videos for an insight into our Integrated Therapies Department:
Landscape version:https://youtu.be/tklpzav7UrU
Portrait version:https://youtube.com/shorts/U4lwU9T1wKA?feature=share
Core working hours are 8.00am-4.00pm but flexibility can be discussed, and you will work as part of our seven-day roster.
If this advert interests you, please contact Julie Power via [email protected] to find out more or to arrange a visit.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy (BSc/MSc)
- Current Health Care Professions Council registration
- CPD record should include evidence of up-to-date manual handling, relevant clinical courses and reflections of learning
- Undertaken a student/fieldwork educators' course
Skills, Abilities and Competencies
Essential
- Self-motivated, and able to problem solve
- Ability to act as an autonomous practitioner, and can organise, prioritise, and delegate workload as appropriate
- Good communication skills, including empathy, motivational and assertiveness skills
- Ability to work flexibly across clinical areas and adapt to the needs of the service particularly when the service is under pressure
- Role requires the ability to travel within the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area. Should hold a full current driving licence or be able to make own travelling arrangements to fulfil the duties of the post, including visits to patients' homes with and without patients, delivery of equipment etc.
- Competent IT skills, e.g. Microsoft suite, use of online resources
- Good presentation skills - verbal and written
- Recognises own limitations and knows when to ask for help
Other
Essential
- Physically fit and able to comply with Trust Manual Handling Guidelines
- Evidence of motivation for this Band 6 role
- Professional demeanour and appearance
Desirable
- Evidence of interest/motivation to work within this geographical area for James Paget University Hospital
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Evidence of experience working at a Band 5 level in an acute hospital environment managing patients with orthopaedic, general medicine, neurology, rehabilitation and/or general surgery conditions
- Significant experience of team working including in integrated teams
- Demonstrates clinical skills within trauma and orthopaedics including complex case management
- Able to formulate complex discharge plans informed by strong problem-solving skills
- Experience planning and implementing service improvement projects and utilising research into practice
- Experience of training and clinical supervision of clinical staff and students
- Experience and understanding of clinical governance, e.g. audit
- Demonstrates self-directional learning and the ability to evaluate own performance
Desirable
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
Employer details
Employer name
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address
James Paget University Hospital
Lowestoft Road
Gorleston
NR31 6LA