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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities 

• To work as an experienced Occupational Therapist within the Sussex Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Support Service where you will be responsible for providing assessment, rehabilitation, re-evaluation, advice and equipment for patients, carers, and other professionals  
• To work as an autonomous professional according to the Royal College of Occupational Professional codes of conduct and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) regulations, working without the need for direct supervision, access to advice and support from a more senior occupational Therapist if required, but work is not routinely evaluated. 
• To work collaboratively with all healthcare professionals within each setting to ensure a seamless, coordinated service that meets the needs of the person with Spinal cord injury.  
• To provide supervision, education and participate in the appraisal of junior staff as required. 

 Patient Care Delivery 

•  To deliver comprehensive assessment and rehabilitation of patients with Spinal Cord Injury using advanced clinical reasoning skills of this condition and shared decision-making skills to provide a comprehensive management plan. 
• To assess for neurological changes e.g. sensation, tone, contractures, positioning, upper limb function and how these impact on ADL’s. 
• To recommend treatment plans for upper limb rehabilitation. 
• To advice on/provide adaptive aids and assistive technology to promote independence with ADLs and use of electronic devices. 
• To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all adjuncts to Occupational Therapy e.g. kitchen and bathroom equipment, moving and handling equipment and appropriate issue of ICES equipment and wheelchairs. This will include providing informal training to relatives, carers, and other healthcare professionals. 
• To assist with the development of cross profession competencies to facilitate timely access to equipment, and improve discharge 
• To provide planned and spontaneous advice and practical demonstration on specific aspects of patient care to other health care professionals, relatives, and carers e.g. positioning, safe methods of transfers and use of wheelchairs to promote understanding and ensure a consistent approach to rehabilitation.  

• Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment. 
• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools and use shared decision-making skills to communicate effectively with patients, relatives and carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes.  
• Formulate and deliver rehabilitation programmes based on a broad knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options. From clinical assessment and diagnostic evaluation provide specific treatment approaches. 
• To evaluate patient progress on a day-to-day basis using a range of PROMs (Patient Reported Outcome Measures) and PREMs (Patient Reported Experience Measures) and alter programmes of rehabilitation to maximise patient engagement and outcome. 
• To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload. 
• To take delegated responsibility from the Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Care Service Lead and partner organisation Team Leads to be responsible for providing advanced occupational Therapy assessment, rehabilitation, and advice for patients with Spinal Cord injury. 
• When working in the community and domiciliary settings, to adhere to local lone worker policy.  

  Service Delivery and Improvement 

•  To work as part of a networked team across Sussex to deliver enhanced care and rehabilitation for people with Spinal Cord injury. This will require enhanced communication skills and integrated professional practice.  
• To contribute to discussions on quality improvement / service development and evaluation. 
• To work within local trust clinical guidance and have a good working knowledge of national guidelines, policy, and standards within this clinical field. 
• To undertake as directed / required the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects. To participate in research into specific areas of clinical practice 
• To undertake the measurement and evaluation of own work and current practices using evidence-based practice projects, audit, and outcome measures, either individually or with more senior colleagues.