Job summary
Team Lead Occupational Therapist - Band 7 HCOP
We are looking for a Band 7 Occupational Therapist with a special interest in Healthcare of Older People to lead our team of established therapists on our HCOP wards at Heartlands Hospital.
You will be required to lead a team of OTs, PTs and TSWs to manage complex older patients with falls, dementia, frailty, cognitive impairments and extensive social needs whilst navigating each patients family dynamics.
This post requires sophisticated multidisciplinary coordination and promoting of generic working between occupational therapists and physiotherapists for maximum efficiency. You will need to be skilled at timely and effective discharge planning and using onwards referrals to minimise readmission.
You will participate in seven-day working whilst driving service development initiatives that streamline care pathways and identify efficiency opportunities. You will be involved in teaching of the immediate and wider therapy teams, carrying out regular supervisions and appraisals. You will also be involved in taking students whilst on placement.
Working within our Kind, Connected, Bold values mean building supportive relationships whilst courageously leading change projects that genuinely improve patient outcomes.
Main duties of the job
Youll take professional responsibility for advanced occupational therapy assessment across both settings, managing complex cases requiring sophisticated clinical reasoning and autonomous decision-making where cognitive, physical and social factors intersect.
Day-to-day leadership includes supervising occupational therapists, physiotherapists and support workers, conducting appraisals, contributing to recruitment, and deputising for the Clinical Team Leader. Managing rotas, coordinating cover arrangements and addressing performance issues are integral responsibilities.
Your advanced communication skills address patients with compromised speech, cognitive difficulties or emotional distress. Youll negotiate treatment plans with resistant individuals, educate relatives and carers, and lead multidisciplinary meetings resolving complex discharge challenges.
Evidence-based practice improvement involves initiating audit projects, implementing outcome measures, and translating research into service protocols. This includes data collection, analysis, and presenting practice change recommendations to clinical leadership.
Teaching spans mentoring newly qualified therapists, supervising university students, delivering multidisciplinary training, and contributing to formal education programmes whilst assessing competencies and maintaining professional standards.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Good standard of general education including English language and mathematics, A levels or equivalent
* Degree in Occupational Therapy
* Registered with HCPC as an Occupational Therapist
* Evidence of relevant postgraduate training in specialist area
Experience
* Relevant postgraduate experience in specialist areas relevant to the post
* Experience of effective staff management and leadership
* Experience of management of adults within specialist surgery area of practice
* Experience of Occupational Therapy students at clinical tutor and supervisor levels
* Experience of leading audit
* Experience of training staff groups at all levels
* Evidence of working effectively in partnership with others within multi-disciplinary teams and across agencies
Additional Criteria
* Advanced knowledge of assessment tools and a range of therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group
* Advanced knowledge of trends and best practice in the clinical specialism
* Good working knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group) and their implications for Occupational Therapy
* Understanding of the principles of clinical governance /audit
* Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group)
* Understanding of the impact of local cultural and demographic factors influencing service
* Good knowledge of IT
* Good negotiation and influencing Skills
* Excellent problem-solving skills
* Excellent analytical and reflection skills
* Excellent organisational skills and prioritisation skills
* Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and function effectively in the multidisciplinary team, leading where appropriate.
* Demonstrates ability to be a good team leader
* Able to judge limits of skills/competence and recognise professional boundaries
* Supportive to other staff
* Excellent interpersonal skills
* Car driver. Able to meet the travel requirements of the position.
* Flexible to work between sites
* Participation in 7 day working
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check: 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.
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