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Occupational Therapist – Mobility Services

Location: Carshalton

Job Type: Permanent

Sector: Healthcare

Base: Hospital

Band: 6

Salary: £35,392 to £42,618 a year plus excellent benefits

Job Purpose

The post holder will provide wheelchair/seating assessment and recommendations for adults with a range of neurological conditions such as MND, MS, Muscular Dystrophy, Brain Injury, Stroke and Cerebral Palsy; assessments for people with disabilities who wish to learn to drive a car, or continue to drive after acquiring an illness, injury or disability or wish to travel in a vehicle as a passenger; assessment of relevant equipment including simple small devices to hi-tech solutions; assessment and advice for vehicle transfers to enable drivers and passengers to be able to access and egress a car; knowledge and understanding of general seating solutions; relevant equipment loading options; and subsequent driving safety.

This includes working with Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) to assess learner driver’s ability to meet driving test standards; working with driving assessors to review driving ability for current driving licence holders with neurological conditions, age related changes, learning difficulty and mental health issues.

Additional areas of the assessment provision include vocational driving and motorbike riding.

Duties

* To conduct a practical trial of product suitability for the client’s medical, physical and lifestyle needs, to recommend the most suitable electric powered wheelchair or mobility scooter and advise on vehicle stowage options and transport requirements including hi-tech solutions and wheelchair accessible vehicles.

* To undertake car transfer, equipment loading, seating and posture assessments, to advise clients of more suitable options and resolve manual handling concerns. A basic understanding of posture management is required to assess seating requirements to improve pressure care and comfort. This may include car seat solutions, wheelchairs and scooters and travel by any medium including aeroplane, bus, taxi and train.

* To undertake a driving assessment with a driving assessor to assess and advise on driving safety by conducting an initial assessment and pre-drive physical, cognitive, and visual screening tests.

* Liaise with external agencies to assess for and arrange provision of appropriate equipment and adaptations to maximise independence.

* Assist the ADI to monitor driving lessons and set goals for learner drivers

* Liaise with Pearson to enable special requirements for learner drivers to pass the theory test

* Assist in the preparation and delivery of internal/external training courses for professionals and others and participate in the delivery of in-service training for staff.

* Supervision of assistant staff and/or education and supervision of students on clinical placement as agreed.

* Maintain clinical records and write reports to a professional standard efficiently and effectively adhering to the COT guidelines for documentation and adhering to Driving Mobility documentation policy and standards.

Qualification, Skills and Experience

* Diploma or Degree in Occupational Therapy

* Membership of Health Professionals council

* Evidence of relevant post graduate courses/continual professional development

* Membership of BAOT/COT

* Driver with full driving licence

* Post qualification experience of working with physical disability and neurological rehabilitation

* Experience of assessing for and ordering/prescribing/fitting

* equipment and adaptations

* Experience in administering standardised assessments and clinical reasoning in choosing appropriate assessments including home visits

* Experience with manual handing

* Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team

* Experience in developing standards and application of national guidelines to clinical practice

* Excellent written and verbal communication skills including use of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook

* Can use own initiative to prioritise caseload and use clinical reasoning to make sound decisions and problem solve