Highly Specialist Acute Paediatric Occupational Therapist

As part of the Acute Paediatric Occupational Therapy team you will provide highly specialist acute occupational therapy assessment and intervention to children and young people admitted to the acute paediatric wards.

Alongside the Clinical Team Lead you will contribute to the ongoing growth and development of the service shaping the care of children and young people admitted to St George's Hospital.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking, dynamic team that is committed to innovation, collaboration, and making a lasting difference in the lives of children and families admitted to hospital.

1. Job purpose

As a Band 7 Occupational Therapist working in paediatric inpatients the post holder will be

responsible for performing highly specialist assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex medical, physical and psychological conditions, to develop and deliver an

individualised management/treatment programme, relevant to specialism. Following

assessment, the post holder will be responsible for making therapeutic diagnoses and treating their own caseload of specialised and complex patients/clients and maintaining associated records.

The post holder will be responsible for providing a highly specialist standard of care to patients.

The post holder will supervise the work of other more junior staff and support workers. The

post holder will be required to work across Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Paediatric Step Down Unit, the three general medical wards and occasional outpatient clinics when required. Together with other senior staff, you will act as a resource of specialist advice to the rest of the therapy service and other professions.

This post will provide input to long-stay patients, complex neurological conditions and

complex discharges.

2. Key stakeholders

Patients, families and carers

Acute Therapies Team (Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Dietitians)

Medical and Nursing staff within and external to GESH (St Georgs, Epsom and St Helier hospitals)

Other Allied Health Professionals in the acute and community settings

Other External agencies e.g. Social Services

Administration and Clerical staff

QI team

3. Key areas of responsibility

1. Clinical Practice

1.1 To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including

management of patients in your care and undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an

autonomous practitioner.

1.2 To provide comprehensive and specialist therapy assessment and diagnosis for patients

with a range of highly complex presentations, by utilising advanced clinical reasoning,

evidence-based knowledge, investigative and analytical skills and specialist assessment

techniques.

1.3 To work both independently and within a team structure, demonstrating leadership to

St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey.Our sites include St George's Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).

After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.

At gesh we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process.

Essential: - Degree in Occupational Therapy; - HCPC Registration; - Evidence of CPD relevant to area of acute paediatrics

Desirable: - Membership of Professional Organisation; - Membership of SIG; - Clinical Educators Course

Essential: - Significant recent clinical experience in relevant clinical area; - Evidence of a broad base of clinical experience at Band 6 level or equivalent; - Significant experience of working as an integral member of a multidisciplinary team and inter agency working; - Experience of service development/change management

Desirable: - Previous Band 7 or equivalent experience in relevant post; - Recent, relevant work in an NHS environment

Essential: - Advanced knowledge of assessment and treatment approaches for the effective management of relevant conditions; - Significant experience of working as an integral member of a multidisciplinary team and inter agency working

Desirable: - Knowledge of recent NHS developments and their impact on service provision