Neonatal Occupational Therapist Advanced

Job overview

We are seeking a part time Neonatal Occupational Therapist for a fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave within our team. For candidates interested in a full-time, fixed-term position, please get in touch to inquire about additional opportunities on other pathways within the children's occupational therapy team that may complement the advertised vacancy.

Join our dynamic and passionate AHP Neonatal team as an Advanced Specialist Occupational Therapist! If you have a strong clinical background in paediatric complex needs and neonatal care, this is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of high-risk infants. The exact nature of your role, including whether you will work on the neonatal unit, the developmental follow-up clinic, or a combination of both, will be tailored based on your experience. You will be supporting our enthusiastic team of neonatal therapists, who deliver developmentally informed care across two Level 2 neonatal units in Lewisham and Woolwich, and provide developmental follow-up clinics in the vibrant borough of Lewisham.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will provide vital clinical expertise, working closely with an established neonatal occupational therapist and collaborating with a supportive, multidisciplinary team. This is your chance to join a forward-thinking service dedicated to advancing neonatal care and ensuring the best possible outcomes for our youngest patients.

To provide Advanced neonatal Occupational Therapy service to high risk neonates.    With this post there is a need to be able to provide a specialist service in:

• Neonatal care
• Premature babies up until the age of 2 years of age.

To support the co-ordination and  delivery of the Neonatal Occupational Therapy services.

To provide support and guidance to other therapists and the MDT as required.

To work with Neonatal unit and community AHPs, supporting them to establish programs of support, facilitating delivery of interventions recommended ensuring they are able to meet children’s Occupational Therapy needs

To collate statistical  and activity data relating to the caseload of the clinician. To assist in the meeting of clinical targets. and performance indicators.

To ensure services provided are evidence-informed  and to plan and participate in clinical audit, research and development related to team and to specialist area.

To contribute to the overall development of the AHP Neonatal service as the service evolves in line with organisational changes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To work as a Band 7  Neonatal Occupational therapist specialising in neonatal care.  Infants will have a wide range of diagnosis and in-depth understanding and experience is needed in neonatal therapy, as well as the ability to work competently at a band 7 level across the neonatal acute and developmental pathway.

To ensure the successful implementation of a specialist area of an occupational therapy clinical pathway alongside other service development initiatives. This will be within an MDT neonatal pathway.

To provide support and guidance to other Occupational Therapists and members of the AHP Neonatal MDT.

To work with the Neonatal unit and other community AHPs, supporting them to establish programmes of support, facilitating delivery of interventions recommended ensuring they are able to meet children’s Occupational Therapy needs

To be responsible for providing Advanced individual child focused assessments and intervention. Requiring integration of knowledge and understanding of child development, environment, disability and occupations, to address occupational performance skills, roles, contexts and activity demands.

To select, administer and apply an advanced level of analysis to standardised and non-standardised assessments, tools and materials specific to community paediatric occupational therapy, in order to provide diagnostic and predictive information and contribute to accurate diagnosis, prognosis and intervention.

To use a highly specialist level of skills in negotiating, agreeing and setting goals with the family, school staff and other professionals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (SMART) and address key occupational performance needs. To monitor, evaluate and modify intervention against set GAS goals in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness, negotiating new goals where appropriate.

To identify the need and where appropriate, assess and plan management/intervention to meet the assistive technology needs of children (Orthotics, equipment for home and school including special seating and postural management, AT, mobility equipment and environmental controls).

To be responsible for ordering, referral, liaison with other agencies and/or joint assessments and appropriate after care such as training, setting up equipment and reviewing progress

To undertake complex risk assessments in relation to children on caseload.

To assess for and advise others in determining appropriate and safe use of equipment and to assess the competence of others (school staff, family, carers) to carry out advice regarding safe use of equipment.

To address consent throughout involvement with a child and aim to work co-operatively with parents, teaching staff and other professionals.

To work with families from a variety of social, economic and cultural backgrounds and respond appropriately to clients’ needs.

To work with families and children with additional vulnerability and provide appropriate support (e.g. Children in care, children with terminal illness / degenerative conditions, child protection, challenging behaviours).

To adapt own style of communication to meet the differing needs of children and families e.g. use of an interpreter, sign language, uncomplicated language or pictures and symbols.

To record and maintain all client contact information and data in client files or on electronic recording system in an accurate and contemporaneous manner, adhering to local and national policies and guidance.