Job Description

Job Summary



To work as a clinical expert in the occupational therapy management of infants on the neonatal units. To promote infant neurodevelopment on the neonatal unit. To take responsibility and be accountable for developmental care. To provide leadership, direction, teaching and support to facilitate high quality individualised care to infants and parents/carers in collaboration with the MDT. To develop the service in accordance with local and national targets and government directives. To provide specialist advice within the neonatal services across the Trust and within the national operational delivery network (ODN) as required. To carry out detailed neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioural observations of infants using advanced skills. To maintain good communication and relationships with London neonatal operational delivery network leads and maintain a profile within the network. To manage complex and vulnerable infants and any challenging family situations. To ensure occupational therapy clinical guidelines and referral criteria are in-line with latest evidence. To benchmark service provision against national recommendations and develop/advise on any service improvement projects.

Job Summary



To work as a clinical expert in the occupational therapy management of infants on the neonatal units. To promote infant neurodevelopment on the neonatal unit. To take responsibility and be accountable for developmental care. To provide leadership, direction, teaching and support to facilitate high quality individualised care to infants and parents/carers in collaboration with the MDT. To develop the service in accordance with local and national targets and government directives. To provide specialist advice within the neonatal services across the Trust and within the national operational delivery network (ODN) as required. To carry out detailed neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioural observations of infants using advanced skills. To maintain good communication and relationships with London neonatal operational delivery network leads and maintain a profile within the network. To manage complex and vulnerable infants and any challenging family situations. To ensure occupational therapy clinical guidelines and referral criteria are in-line with latest evidence. To benchmark service provision against national recommendations and develop/advise on any service improvement projects.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites--Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital--along with award-winning clinics across North West London.



Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.



We continually invest in our facilities, including a 30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an 80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.



We are committed to equal opportunities and believe that diversity drives innovation and excellence. As part of our dedication to equity, we actively welcome applications from individuals from the global majority, veterans and underrepresented communities. We value the unique perspectives and experiences that diverse teams bring and are committed to creating an environment where all voices are heard, respected, and empowered to succeed."



If you haven't heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.



Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.



CLINICAL



To be a clinical expert in the occupational therapy management of infants on the neonatal unit, ensuring appropriate referral criteria in place, appropriate time frames for review and smooth referral pathways to other services or transition to paediatric wards. To autonomously manage a highly specialised clinical neonatal caseload for neonates with complex medical, surgical, neurodevelopmental, social and emotional challenges throughout their admission. To carry out highly specialised assessments, acting as a source of expertise, using advanced and complex clinical reasoning skills, demonstrating critical thinking, reflection, evidence based practice and analysis to implement and evaluate individualised infant and family-centred developmental care programmes. To use advanced clinical assessment skills (e.g. Prechtl, NBAS, NIDCAP) to formulated detailed neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioural observations of infants using advanced skills and to assess physiological, motor, sensory, state regulation and cognitive behaviours. To provide specialist support for colleagues and the families of babies in managing expectations around potential recovery, helping them to understand and plan for short/long term disability. To apply an advanced level of understanding to the effect of preterm birth, perinatal problems and congenital disabilities on the development and lifestyle of infants and their families and make appropriate recommendations for intervention and support. To apply an advanced level of understanding about the impact of the environment on the wellbeing of infants, families and staff, taking the lead in evaluating and adapting the environment for optimal benefit. To provide individual patient equipment as required. This will include evaluating and recommending developmental care aids and adaptations, and modifications to the environment at large. To issue any equipment with due regard to safety and in line with local and national guidelines. To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of your work, including the management of infants on the neonatal unit by other members of the occupational therapy team. To act as an expert opinion in neonatal occupational therapy for therapy teams both locally within the Trust and across North West London sector. To engage with national neonatal groups. To keep up to date with latest evidence and developments in neonatal care, and disseminate information within the Trust as appropriate. To provide peer support and clinical supervision to the paediatric/neonatal therapy teams and other members of the MDT as required. To support more junior therapy and other allied health professional staff, often in the most highly complex presentations, in the development of their assessment, treatment and clinical reasoning skills to ensure a high standard of care to neonatal infants and their families. To prepare, update and monitor developmental care competencies and induction training for medical, nursing and therapy staff. To provide accurate written records of assessment and input according to trust standards, including providing a high standard report/discharge summary as indicated. To be aware of boundaries of own scope of practice and to effectively manage associated clinical risk at all times. To work with the divisional therapy lead and neonatal physios, SLTs and dietitians in developing and implementing strategic and operational improvements to the AHP role in neonatal care. This will include evaluating and measuring impact of the AHP roles on the units.

Please view the Job description attached for the full roles & responsibilities



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