Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To take clinical responsibility for the management of a specific paediatric caseload; to assess and review level of need and to organise this efficiently and effectively regarding clinical priorities and available resources.

To undertake skilled assessment of the needs of children and/or young people with complex needs requiring housing adaptations.

To provide specialist occupational therapy advice in the process of housing adaptations to other professionals including architects, housing officers and colleagues in social care.

To explain and discuss treatment options and develop an agreed individualised, outcome-focussed treatment plan with the child or young person and their parent / carers using excellent clinical knowledge and sound clinical reasoning skills.

To discuss prognosis with child or young person and their parent / carers and develop negotiated person-centred goals.

To assess patient and parent / carer understanding of treatment proposals and methods, gaining valid informed consent from appropriate person(s) taking into account factors such as age, mental capacity, parental responsibility etc.

To continually assess and manage clinical risk within patient caseload.

To demonstrate safe therapeutic manual handling skills continually assessing the frequently changing levels of risks involved.

To prescribe specialist moving & handling equipment, demonstrate its safe use to carers, providing training where required and completing relevant risk assessment documentation, which may include that from other agencies e.g. Education and/or Social Services.

To assess for, trial and prescribe, specialist, non-stock items of equipment from specialist suppliers. This will include demonstration of safe use of this equipment to all appropriate agencies, the provision of training where required and the completion of relevant risk assessment documentation, which may include that from other agencies e.g. Education and/or Social Care.

To provide planned specialist advice, teaching and instruction to parents, carers and other relevant professionals in health, social and educational services, to promote understanding of the aims of occupational therapy and to ensure a consistent, coordinated approach to optimise patient care.

To act as a consultant for the paediatric occupational therapy service regarding housing adaptations, particularly working closely with the child's therapist

To provide advice for Education, Health & Care Plans and child specific advice for Educational Manual Handling Risk Assessment.

To provide specialist advice and peer support to health, social care and educational colleagues in the overall management of the child presenting with complex problems in a range of community settings.

To work collaboratively with multi-agency professionals to develop comprehensive support packages for children and their families living with complex disabling conditions and to ensure that occupational therapy aims are included within the integrated care plan. This will include the discussion of patient treatment, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning and may necessitate the preparation of reports and attendance at multi-disciplinary and multi-agency meetings and case conferences.

To delegate tasks to occupational therapy assistants, ensuring that the assistants have the competencies required to undertake these tasks, including competencies regarding the safe use of items of equipment.

To participate in the training of occupational therapy assistants and students within the department.

To promote evidence-based practice within the occupational therapy team by challenging and supporting all occupational therapy practitioners to access up-to-date information regarding clinical conditions, therapy approaches etc.

To represent the occupational therapy team when requested by the Service Lead, Team Leader or more senior managers.

To provide clinical support to more junior members of the paediatric occupational therapy team.