Skip to main content

This site is independent of the NHS and the Department of Health.

Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Children Young People and Specialist Services
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 30 hours per week
Job ref
150-MM0001-CSS
Employer
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Chailey Clinical Services
Town
North Chailey (Near Lewes)
Salary
£43,742 - £50,056 PA
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
06/05/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist

NHS AfC: Band 7

Job overview

This post offers a fantastic opportunity for an experienced occupational therapist to provide clinical expertise to the Occupational Therapy team working at Chailey Clinical Services. 

Chailey Clinical Services have a commitment to provide outstanding services to children and young people with complex neuro-disabilities. You will provide a high level of clinical expertise to professionals and families within Chailey Clinical Services and SCFT. You will manage a complex caseload and work as a highly specialist practitioner in the assessment and management of children and young people with complex neuro-disability.

You will have the opportunity to support  exciting projects, and play a role in improving the way services are provided whilst championing clinical excellence and supporting to embed the CQC agenda within the team.

Great communication, curiosity and a passion for working within excellent services are central to this job role. If you are interested, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Lara King, Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist and Team Lead-  [email protected] 

Main duties of the job

  1. To undertake specialist clinical assessment, carry out diagnostic procedures and interpret the results for children and young people with complex neurological conditions using investigative and analytical skills.
  2. To undertake specialist assessments of children and young people with complex postural management presentations. Using physical assessment, clinical reasoning, therapeutic handling and listening skills, achieve an accurate analysis of their postural management and mobility needs.
  3. To undertake specialist assessment and evaluation relevant to the development of function and occupational performance skills in the areas self-care, play, use of assistive electronic technology and access to education; this will include the use of specialist standardized assessments and equipment when appropriate.
  4. To formulate, evaluate and reassess individualised treatment aims, using specialist clinical reasoning skills and utilising a wide range of therapeutic interventions, in order to formulate a specialised therapy programme or intervention.

Working for our organisation

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex. Our 6,000 staff serve a population of 1.3 million providing essential medical, nursing, and therapeutic care to adults and children.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community, helping people plan, manage, adapt to changes in their health, supporting avoidable hospital admissions and reducing hospital stay times.

We have opportunities for everyone across our wide variety of services including medical, clinical, support and corporate services.

Why work for us?

  • Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, scoring highly in compassionate culture & leadership, and staff wellbeing support
  • Variety of working environments across the community, in patients' homes, within our community hospitals and bases across the county
  • Supportive flexible working patterns such as: part time, flexi time, annualised hours, and flexi retirement options
  • Excellent training and development opportunities 
  • Research opportunities
  • Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove and Brighton
  • Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
  • Level 3 accredited Disability Confident Leader, committed to creating inclusive workplaces
  • Veteran Aware Trust, achieving accreditation from Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA)
  • Located in stunning Sussex, with easy access to the South Downs and the coast
  • Access to a wide range of benefits and discounts for NHS staff

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  1.  
  2. To maintain an accurate and evaluative clinical record, according to departmental and professional standards, and to supervise the records of less senior staff and students within the team.
  3. To keep up to date with clinical developments in the fields of paediatric rehabilitation and neurodisability, analyzing current research and discussing and implementing changes in clinical practice in consultation with multidisciplinary teams and therapy leads.
  4. To ensure effective communication in all aspects of clinical care through appropriate attendance of clinical meetings, liaison with clinical colleagues and completion of required clinical documentation and reports in line with service standards.
  5. To develop and contribute to specialist areas of clinical expertise through evidence based and reflective practice as part of the occupational therapy team and as part of the multidisciplinary clinical teams and support less experienced members of the team.
  6. To take joint responsibility with the occupational therapy team for the administration and smooth running of the department.
  7. To participate in effective recruitment and retention procedures

 

Person specification

Qualifications and/or Professional Registration

Essential criteria
  • Degree or equivalent qualification in Occupational Therapy
  • Health and Care Professions Council registration
Desirable criteria
  • Member of BAOT
  • Member of relevant professional clinical interest group or body
  • Masters or equivalent in relevant postgraduate qualification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Minimum of 5 years as a qualified therapist with a minimum of 3 years clinical experience in neu-rology and/or paediatrics.
  • Experience of delivering supervision to peers and junior members of staff

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Advanced understanding of the principles of postural management, including the theory underpinning clinical interventions and equipment provision.
  • Ability to modify and adapt communication styles appropriately in response to family, children and young people’s needs in order to offer practical and emotional support.
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to use Makaton signing to facilitate communication.

Qualifications and/or Professional Registration

Desirable criteria
  • Evidence of relevant postgraduate training, courses and/or qualification in the areas of postural management, assistive technology and neuro rehabilitation

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Substantive clinical experience of working with adults or children with multiple and complex dis-abilities
  • Experience of working within and leading multi-disciplinary clinical teams
  • Demonstrable experience of participation in re-search, audit and/or service development activi-ties

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Advanced clinical reasoning and analytic skills in the management of complex neurodisability
  • Advanced assessment and treatment skills in areas of clinical specialism using clinical observation and relevant standardised/non standardised assessment
  • Knowledge of neurological and orthopaedic conditions, including treatment approaches, interventions and use of specialist equipment
  • Excellent written, verbal, digital and interpersonal communication skills
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of electronic assistive technology and clinical application to children’s functional independence and learning in relation to pow-ered mobility; use of computer programmes to access school curriculum and communication.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Advanced understanding of the principles of postural management, including the theory underpinning clinical interventions and equipment provision.
  • Established experience and expertise in the assessment and provision of specialist equipment including wheelchair seating, moving and handling and personal care equipment.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

We are a Living Wage EmployerCommitted to being an Inclusive EmployerVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyDisability confident leaderMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Armed Forces Covenant Bronze Award

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Lara King
Job title
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist Lead
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01825 722112
Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies