Highly Specialist Wheelchair Occupational Therapist | Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust
| Posting date: | 15 May 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £43,742 - £50,056 Per Annum |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 14 June 2024 |
| Location: | Norwich, NR23TU |
| Company: | Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 6312194/839-6312194-RB |
Summary
An exciting,21 month Fixed Term Contractopportunity has arisen for the Wheelchair Specialist Occupational Therapist role in Specialist, Systems Operations, and Children's Services (SSOCS) within NCH&C.
• To undertake advanced assessment and prescription of specialist wheelchairs and accessories for children and adults with palliative diagnoses; life-limiting diagnoses; learning difficulties; neurological impairment; developmental and congenital problems; general frailty; multiple pathology and who frequently have a highly complex presentation and highly complex communication needs.
• To ensure a high standard of care is maintained for each patient referred to the Wheelchair Assessment Centre by liaising and working with all disciplines and agencies involved with that patient. To communicate with these agencies, patients, family and carers in an appropriate manner, often with highly sensitive and contentious information regarding diagnosis and outcomes.
• Undertake physical assessments daily involving the use of hoists and transfer aids.
• To undertake a significant clinical caseload involving patients with highly complex presentations to a high professional standard using highly developed specialist knowledge from theoretical and practical experience.
• To appropriately offer patients Personal Wheelchair Budgets for highly specialist wheelchairs or accessories that may fall outside of the NHS provision. To have awareness of how a Personal Budget provision can meet the patient’s needs. This may include liaising with private mobility shops, charities, and the Trust Finance Department.
For full details please refer to the attached Job Description (JD)
Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an 'Outstanding' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.
• Good benefits package including a minimum 27 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays.
• Opportunity to join the NHS pension scheme.
• Wellbeing support (gyms, free eyesight test, cycle to work scheme, wellbeing resources)
• Free parking at most sites
• Supportive positive culture that is Well-Led with regular supervision
• Comprehensive in house and external training programmes available
Please note that applications are accepted by completion of our on-line application form. We cannot accept CV's.
• Continue to review and monitor prescribed equipment as patients’ needs change. This will also involve a need to assess, design and prescribe bespoke equipment/accessories to meet the patient’s needs.
• Assist patients in the prescribing of custom-built wheelchairs and ‘active-user’ chairs. This requires in-depth knowledge of a wide range of options, developing a chair in collaboration with the user and making the user aware of consequences of these changes. This requires a full understanding of the ergonomics of self-propulsion.
• Deliver highly complex or highly sensitive information to patients and family members in a way that is appropriate and accessible for those receiving the information.
• To demonstrate skilled management of complex patient behaviours that challenge, using knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act to manage behaviour in the patient’s best interest.
• Apply a high level of understanding of the effect of disability and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to patients’ social and physical environment. Frequently managing communication barriers and resistance to change or acceptance.
• By using a holistic approach and incorporating patient centred principles, provide highly specialist assessment, advice and support to colleagues and individual patients regarding postural management needs throughout a 24-hour period including wheelchair prescription.
• To care for a broad spectrum of patients ranging from infant to elderly. To be able to communicate in an empathic and supportive manner highly complex, highly sensitive or contentious information to patients, parents, relatives and carers where there may be significant barriers to understanding or acceptance.
• To have an extended knowledge and expertise of how our patient’s posture/function can be affected by progression of postural deformities and how postural management and interventions can be used to protect posture and maintain function. Assisting with decision making where there are highly complex multiple components to be considered and there is not an obvious solution or a ‘patient’s best interest’ decision needs to be made.
• To have an extended knowledge and expertise in the use of highly specialised postural management techniques which, in turn, reduce the cost of prescribing equipment.
• To frequently use specialist moving and handling techniques daily to manage patients with complex physical presentation and fully assess the patient’s complex posture. Requirement for specialist physical skills when lifting/moving patients to avoid harm.
For full details please refer to the attached Job Description (JD)
This advert closes on Wednesday 29 May 2024
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