The Senior Occupational Therapist will:
· Be responsible for the effective and efficient delivery of an evidenced based, service user focused, quality infused Occupational Therapy Service.
· Apply Occupational Therapy (OT) knowledge, skills and experience to support transgender / gender questioning people.
· The successful candidate will possess skills and expertise in the area expected of a senior grade & work with the Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist.
· The development and maintenance of high standard of clinical practice within this area through clinical evaluation, completing audit and evidence based practice
· Serves as a leader in service improvement and development.
Implements clinical evidence based practice, and completes audit's as directed by the Clinical Specialist in the occupational therapy service within the national gender service.
Eligibility Criteria (i) Statutory Registration, Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc.
(ii) Candidates for appointment must: (iii) Be registered, or be eligible for registration, on the Occupational Therapists Register maintained by the Occupational Therapists Registration Board at CORU.
(https://www.coru.ie/)
And (iv) Have a minimum of three years full time (or equivalent) years post qualification clinical experience of which the candidate has some experience in the specific area of transgender care.
This experience may be from within the clinical specialism of endocrinology, chronic disease, disability sectors, neurodivergence, child / adolescent / adult mental health, gender services.
Experience of working with complex clinical presentations and co-occurring diagnoses would be beneficial.
And (v) Demonstrate a proven record of clinical excellence.
And (vi) It is desirable that candidates demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the required area of specialism, in the form relevant courses.
And (vii) Demonstrate achievement in the areas of clinical audit, quality improvement initiatives, practice development, teaching and/or research.
And (viii) Have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability, management, leadership and professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.
(ix) Provide proof of Statutory Registration on the Occupational Therapists Register maintained by the Occupational Therapists Registration Board at CORU before a contract of employment can be issued. (x) Annual Registration (xi) Practitioners must maintain annual registration on Occupational Therapists Register maintained by the Occupational Therapists Registration Board at CORU.
And (xii) Confirm annual registration with CORU to the HSE by way of the annual Patient Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC).
(xiii) Health A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
(xiv) Character Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities Clinical Practice The Occupational Therapist, Senior (National Gender Service) will: · Be responsible for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment/intervention programmes for service users presenting to the national gender service according to evidence base best practice and/or professional standards
· Demonstrate knowledge of Occupational Therapy evidence based practice in transgender care.
Participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings / case conferences and provide an occupational perspective to clinical decisions being made within the team as part of the initial assessment process.
· Be responsible for a clinical caseload and support and delegate appropriately to Occupational Therapy staff working within their area (as appropriate as the service grows).
· Ensure a high standard of Occupational therapy assessment, treatment and management is provided for service users under his/her care and ensure that professional standards of practice are adhered to.
Undertake standardised assessments of occupational performance, complete case formulations and collaboratively set goals to address any areas of functional limitations. · Promote changes in work practices, procedures and /or techniques having regard to the development of best practice and advanced practice in Occupational Therapy.
· Ensure the privacy and dignity of the patient is respected at all times.
· Communicate & network and build connections with other occupational therapists throughout the country and internationally to further develop clinical excellence and research.
· Advise own clinical team on the Occupational Therapy process for service users within the national gender service.
· Serve on and advise such committees that may be set up relevant to this area of clinical specialty.
· Be able to make clinical decisions following assessment of but not limited to complex cases for service users within the clinical area.
Work within the multidisciplinary team ethos and liaise with staff to ensure that effective communication takes place at all times. Keep abreast of research and practice developments in relevant clinical areas by attending seminars, conferences and post graduate courses. Supervision of staff grade Occupational Therapist within the HSE OT service and provide practice education supervision to Occupational Therapy students on placement within the National Gender Service. Undertake other appropriate responsibilities consistent with the nature of the post. Working Practice / Leadership · Represent the occupational therapy profession and promote the profile of Occupational Therapy both locally and at a national level.
· To work collaboratively with the OT manager, Clinical Specialist and the team in the National Gender Service in providing leadership that will positively influence quality improvements within the OT service and the clinical area at an organisational, regional and national level
· Interpret standards of practice in relation to the respective clinical area in addition to professional codes of conduct, professional and organisational policies ensuring these are incorporated into Occupational Therapy practice.
· Recognize when it is appropriate to refer decisions to a higher level of authority and include colleagues in the decision making process as appropriate
· Assist in the setting and monitoring of clinical standards, policies and procedures, evaluation of clinical practice, quality control and clinical audit.
· Build and maintain good relationships with other services in the region and with agencies, both statutory and voluntary.
· Undertake other responsibilities as agreed from time to time with the Occupational Therapy Manager or other such persons to whom he/she may be accountable to.
· Be responsible for the maintenance of OT clinical equipment as appropriate to clinical area
· Keep up to date with change and developments within the Irish Health Service and look to review clinical area as appropriate in respect of these changes
Demonstrate knowledge of care pathways appropriate to service users availing of the service and proactively work with colleagues to design and implement processes to improve flow for service users. Design and implement processes and procedures to ensure the highest standards of practice are met in the occupational therapy service by establishing governance systems. Foster and lead a culture and practice of evaluating service outcomes appropriate to the specialist area and continually audit and evaluate the service with a view to maximising effectiveness, efficiency and quality. Collaborate and effectively communicate with the Occupational Therapy Manager(s) and multidisciplinary team regarding referral pathways to the specialist area and patient management to ensure a safe, effective and efficient service. Promote changes in work practices, procedures, techniques or technology having regard to the development of best practice and advanced practice in Occupational Therapy. Be aware of resource management and contribute to business planning and continuous quality improvement related to the Occupational Therapy Department and the specialist area. Assist in the setting and monitoring of clinical standards, policies and procedures, evaluation of clinical practice, quality control and clinical audit. Work collaboratively with the MDT to identify, plan and implement interdisciplinary practices. Communication & Documentation The Occupational Therapist, Senior (National Gender Service) will: Maintain comprehensive and accurate patient and activity records in line with national documentation standards. Compile and prepare reports/statistics as requested. Compile reports of a legal nature where necessary, based on the documented Occupational Therapeutic care of the service user. Comply with advances in technology (patient e-records etc.). Communicate oral and written information in a clear concise and well-structured manner appropriate to the target audience. Build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues at clinical and management levels. Build and maintain effective working relationships with other Clinicians in post and attend multidisciplinary, clinical interest group and team meetings etc.
where required. Promote and foster effective cross discipline communications. Build relations and links with community colleagues. · Facilitate and ensure open communication within own service and department.
· Deal constructively with obstacles and conflict to ensure patient focused decision making within the MDT.
· Ensure communication with service users and families / carers in appropriate and timely manner
· Look to develop appropriate resources for service users and their families.
· Work within the multidisciplinary team ethos and liaise with staff to ensure that effective communication takes place at all times.
Evidence Based Practice The Occupational Therapist, Senior (National Gender Service) will: Maintain knowledge of and critically analyse current literature and available evidence relevant to the clinical area and integrate same into practice. Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of interventions within the service and modify accordingly where new evidence emerges. Develops and continually revise clinical guidelines for own area of practice in accordance with evidence from National, International and professional bodies guidelines. Puts in place evaluating mechanisms appropriate to the specialist area and demonstrate practices of continual audit and evaluation of the service with a view to maximising effectiveness, efficiency and quality. To demonstrate knowledge of evidenced based practice through the process of clinical reasoning and decision making allowing knowledge to be applied in the complex/different situations Education The Occupational Therapist, Senior (National Gender Service) will: Contribute to a structured process for education of colleagues, undergraduates and other disciplines in the specialist area. Contribute to continuing professional development activities in the Occupational Therapy service, and attend where possible relevant post graduate courses and lectures. Co-operate in the provision of safe and productive clinical placements in accordance with the department's commitment to clinical training programmes. Have the necessary computer skills with a knowledge of Clinical Systems, Word Excel and PowerPoint. Continuing Professional Development The Occupational Therapist, Senior (National Gender Service) will: Identify own personal and professional learning needs. Deliver appropriate and effective feedback and be receptive to feedback. Identify and avail of formal and informal learning opportunities within occupational therapy and MDT contexts. Participate in clinical supervision. Comply with registration requirements as set out by the Health and Social Care Professional's Council (CORU). Research The Occupational Therapist, Senior (National Gender Service) will: Understand the principles of research and research methodology which underpin an analytical approach to clinical practice. Facilitate research projects relevant to the national gender service. Collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in respect of relevant research. Assist with the dissemination of research findings locally and nationally within occupational therapy. Explore innovative ways to contribute to research related to transgender care. Research and report on emerging practices and new evaluation tools for the occupational therapy service for transgender people. Health and Safety The Occupational Therapist, Senior (National Gender Service) will: Be aware of new and update existing policies and procedures relevant to their role to ensure a safe, effective, efficient service will be delivered. Be familiar with and ensure implementation of HSE and department policies and procedures, also ensuring compliance with Health and Safety legislation, Occupational Therapy Safety Statement etc. Collaborate with the Occupational Therapy Manager and deputy Occupational Therapy managers by contributing to the preparation of risk assessments and safety statement for the Occupational Therapy Department. Document all accidents, incidents and potential hazards immediately and report them to the Occupational Therapy Manager. Advise the Occupational Therapy Manager regarding any danger/deficiency in the specialist area. Report any emerging risk issues in a timely manner to the Occupational Therapist Manager and other relevant senior staff within their clinical team and OT service generally. Attend fire lectures, must observe fire orders and assist in maintaining the fire register. Participate as required in Occupational Health and Safety training. Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc.
and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role. Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service. The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. This Job Description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the position and is subject to regular review and amendment.
The role holder will be required to be flexible in this position and is expected to facilitate working additional hours on occasion, when requested. CVs will not be accepted, please fill in and upload the attached application form