Job overview
Due to an increase in funding an exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and highly committed individual to work within this unique and vibrant OT team. Are you a band 7 looking for a new role or a band 6 thinking I would like to the take the next career steps. If so, we are looking for you!
We are looking for an experienced, motivated and creative OT to join our paediatric occupational therapy service. The post holder will support in the co-ordinating and leading of a highly specialist Occupational Therapy service to children and young people attending mainstream and secondary special schools within the borough of Harrow. This role will involve working in mainstream schools and a special school with children, aged 11-19 with a physical disability, in Harrow to ensure they have the adequate skills, knowledge and training to support children and young people in their educational setting.
You will have opportunities to lead and influence service development and support the professional development of other staff and OT students. You will work closely with and be supported by the leadership team.
Main duties of the job
1. The post holder will hold a specialist caseload of children (aged 11-19) with physical disabilities, profound and multiple learning difficulties within a special school setting, along with providing support for children within the mainstream school setting. The post holder will have advanced skills in working with children with physical disabilities and prescription of specialist equipment in the educational setting to include specialist seating and moving and handling equipment. The role allows for a high level of MDT working, with PT/SLT, within the specialist settings.
2. He/she will be expected to manage their own caseload, travelling between schools working alongside teaching staff to ensure highly specialist therapy programmes are in place for the children under their care. He/she will be expected to work collaboratively with children/young people (CYP), parents/carers and with colleagues in Health, Education and Social Services,in service planning, policy and delivery of services to this specific client group.
3. They will provide clinical education and training to Occupational Therapy students and provide clinical supervision to Occupational Therapy Assistants and OTs developing specialist skills in this field.
Working for our organisation
We are a very friendly and dynamic team who are passionate about supporting children, young people and families in Harrow while also supporting you and your wellbeing!
We strongly encourage staff input and influence to help design the OT service and the wider MDT team. We value personal development and we have an established internal training programme along side regular opportunities for external training.
We are based at Alexandra Avenue where there is a high level of integration and collaboration between different health, education and social care services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
4. To communicate complex patient related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with multidisciplinary team members across health, education and social services and the voluntary sector. In particular to work with early years and school staff to ensure the delivery of a well co-ordinated care plan and/or individual education plan which facilitates the development of sensory, perceptual, motor and daily living skills.
5. To work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team in /Schools
6. To support access to and differentiation of the Foundation stage and National Curriculum for children with physical difficulties/developmental disabilities.
7. To advise on manual handling risk assessment, access school environments and provision of specialist equipment (seating and hoisting equipment) and aids to daily living
8. To share information with others, observing confidentiality and data protection guidelines and having due regard for local guidance on sharing information with colleagues in education, social services and voluntary sector.
9. To communicate highly complex condition related information (both verbally and in the written form) from assessment to CYP, parents/carers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions. This includes child specific information as well as training packages to parents, teachers and other professionals around the management of CYP with physical, sensory and perceptual difficulties.
10. To have due regard for the cultural and linguistic differences of children/families concerned.
11. To work closely with CYP, carers and families, involving them in decision-making regarding intervention approaches, demonstrating and ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist (i.e. hearing loss, communication difficulties, English as an additional language and learning difficulties).
12. Lead clinician for provision of comprehensive specialist assessment and differential diagnosis of individual children and neonates with diverse and complex presentations using a range of specialist assessments/technique
13. Planning, delivering and evaluating highly specialist treatment programmes in the area of school and special school provision
Vaccination
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
14. Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
15. Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the
16. Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.