REACT Occupational Therapist

Job summary
We are looking for a passionate and motivated Occupational Therapist to join the Rapid Emergency Assessment and Care Team (REACT), a valued part of UHCW's Emergency Medicine Group.

Working across Emergency Medicine assessment areas and short stay wards, REACT plays a key role in supporting admission avoidance, facilitating timely discharges and delivering high-quality, patient-centred care.

We are passionate about enabling patients to return safely home whenever possible through holistic therapy assessment, effective discharge planning and close collaboration with community services and partner organisations.

REACT is a supportive interdisciplinary team of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Assistant Practitioners. We celebrate success, promote staff wellbeing and are committed to professional development. Team members benefit from regular supervision, a structured in-service training programme and a range of learning opportunities. The successful candidate will contribute to service development through supervision of junior colleagues and involvement in quality improvement initiatives.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop advanced assessment, clinical decision-making and discharge planning skills within a fast-paced emergency care environment while making a meaningful difference to patient outcomes.

This post is 27.5 hours per week. As part of our extended-hours service, we offer a variety of shift patterns designed to support a healthy work-life balance.

Main duties of the job

• To manage a caseload of patients with a varied range of conditions +/- complex needs using evidence-based practice with client centred principles in order to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions
• To effectively identify and utilise appropriate discharge pathways and services in order to promote a 'home first' approach and support patient flow
• To take a lead therapist role in managing clinical areas across the Emergency and Acute Medicine Footprint, providing day-to-day support to the wider team
• To support the learning and development of junior staff and students
• To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of the REACT service, including holding responsibility for defined projects
• To participate within a 7 day working model, including extended hours

The drive towards integrated care models means that there will also be opportunities for the successful candidate to be involved in service development.

Our service covers 7 days and extended hours enabling a variety of shift and working patterns, including long days and weekend working.

For further information, or to arrange an informal visit, please contact Lewis Malone via email (View email address on meeveem.com)

About us
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK.

We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.

Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.

We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation - please click the link for further details about this prestigious award. Pathway To Excellence - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (uhcw.nhs.uk)

By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.

The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.

Job responsibilities

• Be professionally and legally responsible & accountable for all aspects of own work
• Carry a clinical caseload consisting of patients with a varied range of conditions, complexities and health & social needs.
• Complete holistic and comprehensive assessments in order to determine appropriate treatment plans & discharge pathways, ensuring that decisions are patient centred
• Work collaboratively with patients, their relatives/carers and external health/social/voluntary services in order to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and minimise length of stay
• Work as an autonomous member of the multidisciplinary team, contributing to team discussions and influencing decisions about patient care and discharge plans
• Carry out therapeutic intervention using a broad range of modalities and clinical reasoning to allow selection of the most appropriate technique with the view to improve function and reduce deconditioning
• Evaluate therapeutic/discharge plans and modify as required in response to changing patient need
• Identify and prescribe appropriate equipment essential to support a timely and safe discharge, including appropriate risk assessment as required
• Complete accurate and timely documentation in accordance with REACTs Documentation policy
• Provide specialist reports on patient function, need and professional recommendations as required
• Contribute to the Trust and Emergency Medicine Group clinical governance arrangement and quality agenda
• Work in accordance with Professional and HCPC rules of professional conduct, in addition to those within local policies and procedures
• Effectively manage the recording, storage and sharing of information in accordance with Professional and Trust standards

For further details of the role please see the attached job description.
Successful applicants will be required to provide an immunisation and vaccination report, from either their current UK occupational health provider or their UK GP.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy
• Health and Care Professions Council Registration
• Practice Placement accreditation or commitment to achieve within 12 months

Desirable

• Postgraduate training relevant to Emergency & Acute Medicine / Admission Avoidance / Frailty
• Leadership Training
• Member of RCOT
• Completion of preceptorship

Experience
Essential

• Postgraduate clinical experience within an acute physical health setting
• Discharge planning experience
• Risk management
• Involvement with audit & service development projects

Desirable

• Clinical experience within Emergency/Acute Medicine settings
• Clinical experience within community settings
• Leadership experience
• Leading service development projects
• Student/junior supervision and appraisal
• Post preceptorship experience

Knowledge
Essential

• Good knowledge of health conditions relevant to clinical area and appropriate management of these
• Current legislation and guidance relevant to clinical area
• Clinical governance and its application to practice
• Current NHS issues, particularly those pertinent to Emergency Care

Desirable

• Local discharge pathways and services
• Member of specialist interest group

Skills
Essential

• Prioritisation and organisation of own caseload
• Appropriate delegation
• Positive and appropriate risk taking and management
• Work autonomously and use own initiative
• Good communication and ability to adapt methods as required
• Team working
• Quick, safe and effective decision making
• Effectively respond to fluctuating demands within caseload
• Understanding of IT systems
• Ability to meet physical demands of job role

Desirable

• Initiates innovative ideas to improve clinical practice
• Leadership

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's values. (As detailed in UHCW's Values in Action document below)
• Applicants applying for job roles with managerial responsibility will be required to demonstrate evidence of promoting equal opportunities through work experience

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).