Senior OT - Dementia & Cognitive Imp
Job Description
Job summary
The States of Guernsey are seeking a Senior Occupational Therapist within our Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Team.
You will have specialist knowledge and experience in providing an effective case management of people with dementia and cognitive impairment, be used to managing risk, participating in MDT team meetings ensuring care pathways and protocols for clients with complex needs.
As a leader and advocate for this service, you will assist with the professional development of staff, develop the service to meet the changing demands ensuring a proactive approach to problem solving and crisis management.
If you feel that you meet this brief and can provide the service we are looking for, we want to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
- Responsible for the co-ordination of the Occupational Therapy service for people with dementia who are cognitively impaired and their carers in the hospital and community settings.
- To utilise a highly developed specialist knowledge in Occupational Therapy. To organise and develop the service providing advice on the future clinical and social care needs of this group of people. Provide appropriate assessments working within the multidisciplinary team. To prioritise in maintaining independence, well-being and life skills. To enable through the coordination of services and clear communication with carers and service users, the potential for people to retain their autonomy and remain within their own environment for as long as possible.
- Assist with the professional development of self and other staff in this field of practice in conjunction with the Institute of Health and Social care studies.
- To act at times as an advocate for this client group and to act as a Clinical Specialist to other areas of the HSSD as required.
About us
The Island of Guernsey is in the English Channel in the Bay of St Malo, 50km off the north-west coast of France and 120km from the English coast.
Guernsey has a population of around 63,000 and in Alderney just under 2,000. Working in a relatively small Health and Social Care Service like ours means you can effectively work with colleagues across the services, health and social care professionals can collaborate not only with each other but also other agencies, the third sector and the community.
We offer an attractive relocation policy and competitive salaries with great career opportunities, modern facilities, excellent training, revalidation and registration support and a healthy work-life balance.
As a health or social care professional who chooses to join our team, you can look forward to working in an environment that gives you the time to care that you hoped for when choosing this career.
Job responsibilities
Specialist Knowledge and Experience:
To provide effective assessment and case management of people with dementia and cognitive impairment from the occupational performance aspect and provide accurate and timely reports to the MDT.
Participate in the prevention of unnecessary and premature admissions to hospital or residential care wherever possible through the management of risk and the appropriate use of information technology.
Participate with the MDT team in developing more effective care pathways and protocols, especially for clients with complex needs in supporting the development of more intensive care packages to enable people to continue to live in their own homes or residential/nursing care, when ever they so wish or is practically possible.
Ensure a wider uptake of carer assessments and evaluate their needs via clinical audit and research. Support relatives and carers with ongoing specialist training programmes. Provide practical advice and be proactive in problem solving and crisis management.
Work closely with the Older Adult Mental Health Team to ensure improved management of people with dementia within primary and secondary care settings; also facilitate effective changes within the service.
Act as a resource to people with early onset dementia and their carers and families, and with the team develop a service protocol for this client group.
Professional Practice:
To maintain professional standards and behaviour as specified by the British Association of Occupational Therapists Code of Practice (2003) and in accordance with local policies.
Co-ordinate the assessment of the home environment and occupational function of clients referred to the memory clinic ensuring accurate and timely reports prior to the service users visit to memory clinic. Provide further information, support and practical advice pre and post diagnosis to clients and their carers through follow-up visits.
To act formally as a link between the third sector and Health and Social Care.
Provide specialist occupational therapy advice in the use of therapeutic activity within the continuing care services and day care facilities in conjunction with the Service Manager in the Health and Social Care.
Provide specialist occupational therapy input into the assessment ward (Tautenay Ward), undertaking the role of occupational therapy assessment and treatment and also to be actively involved in the discharge planning process. Attend, if necessary, the weekly service user review and provide accurate and timely reports on assessments.
Undertake risk assessments with people in the community who have dementia or cognitive impairment affecting their occupational performance and safe management.
Complete relevant statistical information and data as requested.
Maintain adequate professional records in accordance with Professional and HSC standards. Provide specialist Occupational Therapy reports relevant to practice setting.
Attend team briefings and ensure all relevant information is exchanged and communicated to all members and managers.
To provide support guidance, teaching and clinical supervision to junior qualified staff, occupational therapy assistants, colleagues, students and other healthcare professionals.
Management:
Always act within approved guidelines / policies / procedures in terms of management and professional issues.
Take responsibility for personal, professional development and education. Demonstrate an ability to conduct and coordinate research projects and disseminate findings, relevant to the service, evaluate current research and adopt best evidence base practice.
To undertake responsibility for the supervision and appraisal of students and other staff in this setting as required.
Ensure that relevant statistics are collected, collated and updated and that the Senior Manager Practice Development is fully informed.
Comply with the principles contained in the Data Protection Law 1986 concerning improper disclosure, misuse or breach of confidentiality in respect of information held on computer systems or otherwise.
To ensure compliance with the Health and Social Services Departments Health & Safety Policy and any departmental policy.
Educational and Development:
To maintain and develop professional knowledge and be conversant with professional developments, evidencing critical appraisal skills and Continuing Professional Development and a sound understanding of governance.
To develop and maintain an agreed area of professional interest and expertise and act as a resource to other members, accessing relevant external training.
To participate in clinical audit as requested.
To actively promote an understanding of the role of occupational therapy within this specialist field.
To participate in staff and service development through attendance at service meetings and in-service training, including taking a lead in facilitating such events and presenting information as appropriate.
Organisational:
To contribute towards the evaluation of the service through audit and the use of outcome measures -service research projects where appropriate take a lead in implementing those which have an occupational therapy element.
To actively influence service improvements and quality issues.
To comply with organisational policies relating to Equal Opportunities, Data protection and Health and safety at work legislation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy or Diploma in Occupational Therapy and post graduate Higher Degree in Occupational Therapy or a related Healthcare subject together with HCPC Registration.
- Evidence of post-graduate accredited study/or higher degree in Occupational Therapy.
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience of older people in mental health settings primarily with a diagnosis of dementia.
- Experience of working with carers and relatives with the ability to assess the needs of carers and deal with those problems in a positive way.
Desirable
- Experience of research and audit.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it ...
