Job summary
Employer heading
Highly Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist
NHS AfC: Band 7
Job overview
Exciting opportunities have arisen for an enthusiastic and highly committed individual to work within this unique and vibrant OT team. Are you a band 7 looking for a new role or a band 6 thinking I would like to the take the next career steps. If so, we are looking for you!
We are looking for a positive and creative band 7 OT to join our mainstream school service. You will have your own clinical caseload, providing specialist assessment and intervention for children aged 5-19 within schools and clinic.
You will have opportunities to lead and influence service development and support the professional development of other staff and OT students. You will work closely with and be supported by the leadership team.
Main duties of the job
You will work with children with a range of complex health and physical disabilities and Special Educational Needs (SEN) attending, mainstream and special schools across Harrow.
There will be regular opportunities to work with the MDT team in both assessment and treatment.
You will manage your own caseload, travelling between schools and working alongside /teaching /schools staff to ensure highly specialist therapy programmes are in place for the children under their care.
You will be able to work collaboratively with children/young people (CYP), parents/carers and with colleagues in Health, Education and Social Services, in service planning, policy and delivery of services to this specific client group.
The post holder will be able to develop their supervision skills through supervision and support of Associate practionners, band 6's and students.
Working for our organisation
We are a very friendly and dynamic team who are passionate about supporting children, young people and families in Harrow while also supporting you and your wellbeing!
We strongly encourage staff input and influence to help design the OT service and the wider MDT team. We value personal development and we have an established internal training programme along side regular opportunities for external training.
We are based at Alexandra Avenue where there is a high level of integration and collaboration between different health, education and social care services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To communicate complex patient related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with multidisciplinary team members across health, education and social services and the voluntary sector. In particular to work with early years and school staff to ensure the delivery of a well co-ordinated care plan and/or individual education plan which facilitates the development of sensory, perceptual, motor and daily living skills.
- To co-ordinate the day-to-day provision of Occupational Therapy input for CYP with special needs, prioritising workloads and resources to ensure CYP’s needs are met.
- To manage a highly specialist and complex caseload of CYP with SEN particularly those attending specially resourced provisions for CYP with Physical Disability.
- Lead clinician for provision of comprehensive specialist assessment and differential diagnosis of individual children and neonates with diverse and complex presentations using a range of specialist assessments/techniques
- Using highly specialist manual handling techniques
- Referring on to other services/professionals as appropriate in particular, Harrow Wheelchair services, Community equipment store, Consultant Paediatricians,
- Using specialist knowledge and demonstrating advanced skills in dealing with complex issues, including those where there are conflicting clinical indicators, to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management and wider issues relating to service provision for pre-school/school children
- Writing reports reflecting highly specialist knowledge and providing specific advice for statutory assessment of special educational need.
- To work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team in /School.
- To advise on manual handling risk assessment, access school environments and provision of specialist equipment (seating and hoisting equipment) and aids to daily living.
- To lead project working groups aimed at achieving team objectives particularly those relating to clinical specialism involving OT colleagues and other professionals e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Educational Psychology and early years.
- To provide line management/clinical supervision to more junior Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants and lead their Personal Development Plans (PDPs) and appraisals.
Person specification
Other
Essential criteria
- Car Driver
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Recognised Occupational Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- Health Professions Council – Licence to Practice
- Evidence of CPD in portfolio including attendance of specialist short courses relevant to CYP with special needs/ disability
- Training in Moving and Handling people with disabilities
- Member of College of Occupational Therapy
Desirable criteria
- Advanced training up to Masters level equivalent in area of Paediatric Occupational Therapy e.g. sensory integration Paediatric Bobath Course, child development sensory Integration modules
- Member of College of Occupational Therapy
Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience to of working with pre-school and school aged children: • with complex needs • physical and learning disabilities • perceptual-motor disorders • Neuro-developmental disorders
- Extensive experience of : • Assessment, treatment and management of CYP with complex needs • Working as part of an MDT within an early years setting • Managing own caseload • Working with parents / carers • Writing clinical notes and reports
- Experience of: • Teaching other professionals/parents • Clinical audit, research. • Line management/Supervision of staff. • Contributing to Appraisal of others • Leading teams/projects.
Desirable criteria
- • Knowledge of a range of specialist aids, equipment and seating systems including wheelchairs and assistive technology
- • Knowledge of, foundation stage and National curriculums
Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- • Well established knowledge of assessment tools and appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to CYP with complex needs physical difficulties
- • Well established knowledge range of specialist aids, equipment and seating systems available to CYP including wheelchairs, seating and assistive technology.
- Working knowledge of the roles of: • Other professionals in Health, Education and Social Care involved with CYP
- • Occupational Therapist in the Education system.
- • Understanding and application of standards of record keeping and reporting
- • National policies and procedures in particular safeguarding children, SEN and disability act, SEN reforms, Childrens and families act, National Service framework for children, the children’s bill and foundation stage and National curriculum’s.
- • Clinical governance/audit
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential criteria
- • Excellent organisational skills
- • Ability to communicate effectively with children and young people of all ages and abilities
- • Excellent interpersonal skills – including observation, listening and empathy skills
- • Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal (English)
- • Negotiation and problem solving skills
- • Ability to work in an unpredictable environment and to prioritise own and others workload
- • Good analytical and reflection skills
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Elizabeth Poultney
- Job title
- Clinical OT Team Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0203 911 6984
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