Paediatric Occupational Therapist
Job Description
Job summary
Following a retendering process, the children's service is due to be transferred to the new provider on the 1st April 2025. Given this post sits within the transferring service, in line with legislative requirements, the successful candidate will be part of the TUPE transfer along with other colleagues.
Are you a Band 5 or 6 Occupational Therapist keen to be part of a developing and innovative team supporting children & young people to develop independence in everyday living at home, nursery or school and in leisure pursuits?
Are you organised and enjoy working as part of a team? If you are passionate about delivering high quality, evidenced based, family centered Occupational Therapy, we want to hear from you!
Experience of working with children, young people and families with or without disabilities is desirable but not essential. We value support and mentoring, therefore if you are looking for a change or are newly qualified we recognise that transferable skills are a valuable asset.
We are a proactive service responsive to best practice evidence, we deliver services targeted at the whole population supporting early years settings, schools and parents to meet needs pre- referral. We work along side Physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, health visitors and the wider education and health service.
Due to the community nature of this post you will need to be able to work independently and be a car driver
Main duties of the job
This role is currently joint commissioned which means that you will be involved in identifying the health and educational Occupational Therapy needs of children from 0 - 19 years old.
As a service we actively promote Surrey families and education settings to access our universal 'Support for all' Occupational Therapy offer as we recognise the value of Occupational Therapy being part of children and young peoples every day life to enable them to participate in self care, leisure and learning. The Occupational Therapy team is key is ensuring this happens.
Supervision and mentoring is highly valued in the Occupational Therapy team and your contribution will be essential.
As part of our service, training and workshops to external partners and families is an important part of our role, as part of the team you will take a part in onward development and delivery.
About us
CSH Surrey are part of the NHS and are Surreys largest and longest established NHS community services provider, so our 1500+ employees get NHS pay and pensions, and also receive the Fringe High-Cost Allowance of 5%.
Our staff enjoy excellent training and development opportunities, including the care certificate, apprenticeships, numeracy and literacy courses, access to the Nursing Associate programme, and a wide variety of management and leadership courses and programmes.
We CARE about our staff though through our values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence. Our active employee council called The Voice, elect employee representatives to ensure colleagues' voices are heard at Board level. CSH is a diverse organisation, if you are a passionate, person-focused individual then apply to join CSH Surrey today!
We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who meet the essential criteria of the job you are applying for and if you require any reasonable adjustments, please contact the named individual for this advert, or our recruitment team.
Job responsibilities
The post holder will provide a high standard of Occupational Therapy within the services covered by the department and perform comprehensive assessments of children some of whom will have complex needs.
To devise child centred treatment plans through selective techniques and graded activities to ensure that the individuals full potential is developed or maintained.
To work as an autonomous practitioner, undertaking a significant clinical caseload, working without direct supervision but with access to a Band 6 Occupational Therapist for regular clinical supervision.
To ensure professional competence is maintained by participating in all CPD opportunities and maintaining a portfolio.
Principal duties to include:This list is intended to summarise the key responsibilities and is not intended to cover every task that may be required of the role: -
- To manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner.
- To supervise junior Occupational Therapy staff and where appropriate, Occupational Therapy students and therapy assistants.
- To communicate effectively with all disciplines involved in a childs care both those from within the organisation and those outside, ensuring effective multidisciplinary working.
- To communicate complex and sensitive information to clients, carers and other staff including imparting unwelcome news relating to their rehabilitation potential.
- To attend relevant multi professional and multi-agency meetings as appropriate, in order to ensure appropriate management of clients.
- To attend actively participate in staff meetings, ensuring understanding of information imparted.
- To apply a flexible approach in communicating both verbally and non-verbally with clients, carers and other professionals.
- To ensure timely and effective communication with the Occupational Therapy leadership team on all professional matters.
- To effectively plan the daily management of a caseload of children linked to allocated work.
- To respond to urgent referrals and occasionally unpredictable work patterns. To prioritise clinical work and balance other patient related and professional activities as the department requires.
- To administer specialist assessments used to identify functional and environmental needs impacting on the childs functional performance.
- To implement, within your clinical practice the standards and policies in each specialty and where applicable propose changes to working practice.
- To use and maintain sound clinical reasoning skills throughout the therapeutic process to ensure best practice and identify risk.
- To assess clients, carers and other professionals understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- To use a range of treatment/ management options in formulating programmes of care.
- To formulate accurate prognoses through standardised and non-standardised assessments and recommend best course of intervention, developing comprehensive therapy/discharge plans.
- To evaluate childrens progress, re-assess and alter treatment programmes if required.
- To effectively plan the daily management of a caseload of children.
- To respond to urgent referrals and occasionally unpredictable work patterns .To prioritise clinical work and balance other patient related and professional activities as the department requires.
- To communicate any changes in care plan or treatment approach to other Occupational Therapists as necessary, e.g. part time workers, before or after weekend working.
- To evaluate childrens progress, re-assess and alter treatment programmes if required.
- To produce appropriate information for the use of service users.
This job description is subject to review and development from time to time in liaison with the post holder. As an employee of Central Surrey Health Ltd you will be required to adhere to all the organisations policies and procedures.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- B.S.C Hons or diploma equivalent in OT
- Health Care Professionals Council License to Practice
- Experience of working with children and young people and / or evidence of working in a field of Occupational Therapy which provides transferrable skills.
Desirable
- Specialist course relevant to specialty eg school AMPs, CO- OP, Essentials in Occupational Therapy, Sensory integration,
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of legislation and government policies.
- Broad knowledge of current best practice in occupational therapy and childrens services.
- Awareness of Evidence -Based Practice and application to professional practice
- Adhere to Professional code of ethics, boundaries.
- Ability to establish rapport with colleagues, clients and carers
- Ability to work alone.
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance in relation to current best practice and develop skills accordingly.
- Planning and decision making skills and problem solving.
- To be able to demonstrate knowledge development across several clinical fields.
- Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
- Ability to deliver training ...
