Job Description
BROTHERS OF CHARITY SERVICES IRELAND (BOCSI) WEST REGION POST: TEMPORARY FULL-TIME STAFF GRADE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST - ADULTS SERVICES JOB REF: 127/2024MD Ethos The Brothers of Charity Services empower people with intellectual disability / autism and their families to live the lives they choose. Our focus going forward is to form a relationship/partnership with each individual and his or her family, enabling them to design their own service so that they can enjoy a real meaningful life in a real place with a healthy balance of supports. We wish to create opportunities for people with an intellectual disability to have valued social roles in their communities and to have the chance to form real friendships. In order to assist us to achieve this vision we wish to recruit innovative and proactive people who will relish the opportunity to assist in implementing this vision. We are delighted to invite applications for an Occupational Therapist to join our team to be part of a national Brothers of Charity project, funded through the HSE Strengthening Disability Services initiative. JOB SUMMARY This Occupational Therapist role is dedicated to an 18mth funded Strengthening Disability Services initiative awarded to the Brothers of Charity Services Ireland towards achieving additional measurable progress in reforming disability services. This post is part of a national project involving all Brothers of Charity regions within Ireland. The emphasis of this national project is to assess the associated outcomes of providing occupational therapy intervention for adults with Intellectual Disability and complex needs who experience sensory difficulties contributing to behaviours that challenge and ability to engage in everyday activities. ROLE The role will require close working with other members of the multidisciplinary team using a person centred approach to provide occupational therapy assessments and deliver interventions to adults with Intellectual disability and complex needs. The post holder will work alongside a Senior Occupational Therapist and will be responsible for measuring and reporting on occupational therapy outcomes as part of the project to inform service delivery. The post holder will be required, together with the Senior Occupational Therapist, to provide updates on the project outcomes to the Project Steering Group under two main strands i.e., assessment and implementation of strategies for project participants & development of resources to support sensory regulation and activity engagement. The role will require close collaboration with other Occupational Therapists involved with the project at a national level to develop a model of service, including development of training and resource packs for families, frontline and clinical support staff to better understand and support sensory regulation within the context of the persons occupational performance within relevant environments. The remit of the post is to develop, deliver, evaluate and report on this services outcomes working within the parameters of the national project initiative. This post, together with a Senior Occupational Therapy post, will provide occupational therapy under this project to people supported by the Brothers of Charity Services across Galway and Roscommon. Reporting/Responsible To: Occupational Therapy Manager/Deputy Works With: - People supported and families - Multidisciplinary Teams - Area Managers, Service Co-ordinators, Team-leaders and Front-Line Staff - Educational, Health, Vocational and Community Agencies - Line Manager/Occupational Therapy Manager and Occupational Therapy Dept. Staff - Members of national project operational group - Members of project steering group Eligibility Criteria Qualifications Candidates must at the latest date of application: Hold an Occupational therapy qualification recognised by the Occupational Therapy Registration Board at CORU. See AND Be registered on the Occupational Therapists Register, maintained by the Occupational Therapy Registration Board at CORU. Experience Candidates must have: Clinical experience working with people with a disability Clinical knowledge addressing poor engagement and sensory regulation issues It is highly desirable for candidates to have: - Experience providing Occupational Therapy (O.T) assessments and interventions for people with Intellectual disability, Autism and complex needs. - Relevant post graduate education and/or CPD accredited courses in Sensory Integration. - Experience of using sensory assessment tools, as part of a comprehensive O.T assessment, which considers sensory issues in the context of the persons occupational performance within relevant environments. - Experience of implementing sensory interventions that aim to facilitate occupational performance by adapting tasks, &/or the environment &/or improving the persons capacity for self-regulation. - Presentation/training/teaching/coaching skills. Skills Candidates must demonstrate competency in applying theory, knowledge and skills of Occupational Therapy using evidence based interventions. Flexibility and an openness to change are required. Candidates must have strong team working skills and be committed to a person centred approach. Fluency in verbal and written English is essential Excellent communication skills are required with an ability to communicate effectively with people who use varied methods of communication. A full clean driving licence and use of a car is an essential requirement of this post. Working Hours: 35 hours per week worked over a roster agreed with Line Manager. Contracted hours are liable to change between the hours of 8am 8pm as future service needs require.Health and Social Care Services are undergoing transformation and therefore it is critical that a flexible attitude to changing environments and work requirements is held by the successful candidate. Annual Leave: 27 days per annum. The annual leave is planned by prior arrangement with her/his Line Manager. Remuneration: Department of Health, 1st January 2024, Occupational Therapist salary scale - €42,200 x 12 increments - €59,542 (MAX) per annum. LSI €60,696 per annum is payable after 3 years on the maximum of the scale. Tenure of Employment: This post is temporary, full-time and pensionable for a fixed-term period of 18mths. Travel/Base: The person appointed must provide his/her own car and must furnish an indemnity from Insurers in favour of the employer. Travelling expenses at the appropriate rate will be paid in respect of travel necessarily performed in the discharge of duty. The position will work within the West Region (Galway/Roscommon). The exact base for this post will be agreed during the appointment phase. Probation: A probationary period of nine months from the date of appointment applies to the post. The employment may be terminated at any time during the probationary period should the employer find that the appointee is unsuitable to continue employment. The probation period may be extended at the Employers discretion. JOB DESCRIPTION The Brothers of Charity Services Ireland model of service is based on Personal Outcome Measures requiring employees to be flexible both in their approach and their working hours to provide a quality service delivery. Specific Conditions Staff must have a positive attitude towards working with persons with a complex disability and help to ensure that they lead as normal and enjoyable a life as possible. Staff must treat each person with an intellectual disability as an individual and at all times acknowledge and respect the rights and personal dignity of the person. Staff are required to establish and maintain relationships with individuals with disabilities that are based on respect and equality and that promote their independence. Staff must adhere to the National Quality Standards: Residential Services for People with Disabilities (Health Information and Quality Authority). Staff must maintain and further develop their professional competencies via continuous professional development and strive for excellence in their work practices. Staff must work in accordance with best practice per Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Occupational Therapists as developed by CORU. Principal Duties and Responsibilities Professional/Clinical Practice The Occupational Therapist will: Provide a quality service in line with best practice and professional standards, using clear clinical reasoning and a strong evidence base to guide practice. Carry a clinical caseload of adults with Intellectual Disabilities who meet the inclusion criteria for the project in consultation with multidisciplinary team, operational management, families, carers and staff. Work collaboratively with the Senior Occupational Therapist and other Occupational Therapists involved in the national project to develop, deliver, evaluate and report on Occupational Therapy (O.T) services and therapy outcomes. This includes the development of training and resource packs for families, frontline and clinical support staff to better understand and support sensory regulation within the context of the persons daily life within relevant environments. Provide updates on the project outcomes on request to the Project Steering Group under two main strands of the project i.e., assessments and interventions for project participants and development of user friendly resources that are in line with best practice and professional standards. Deliver occupational therapy services within the remit of the national project initiative and work within the scope and role of occupational therapy clinical practice in order to meet the expected professional standards of performance, ethics and conduct. Provide comprehensive occupational therapy assessment and intervention which includes assessment and consideration of an individuals sensory profile, preferences and needs and programme planning, monitoring, consultation and/or onward referral services, as appropriate for adults participating in the project. Engage in therapeutic and professional relationships with people supported and their families in a fair, equitable and inclusive manner. Use the occupational therapy process to assess needs, plan, grade, implement and modify effective interventions to optimise independence and participation within daily routines, enhance quality of life and maximise integration within the local community. Interventions may include individual and group interventions, consultative work, integration of therapy recommendations into daily routines, assistive equipment assessment and prescription, environmental modifications, staff training. Occupational therapy will be provided within a universal, targeted, specific intervention framework. Service delivery should be in keeping with the Personal Outcomes Model adopted by the organisation, taking into account person centred needs, staff/carer needs, environment and available resources, quality and value for money. Use appropriate assessment tools and processes to identify occupational and functional needs in areas of daily living including self-care, productivity and leisure. Work collaboratively with individuals, their family, multi-disciplinary services, frontline staff and other relevant stakeholders in setting meaningful goals to enhance engagement and participation in activities of daily living and measuring outcomes. Monitor and evaluate the Occupational Therapy practice within the designated service area. Effectively communicate with people supported, family members, multi-disciplinary colleagues, carers and relevant staff involved in service provision to promote understanding and follow-through of therapy recommendations. Work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team to support project participants actively participate in team work, team meetings, individual programme planning, joint working, case discussions, team-based planning and service development. Collaborate with all stakeholders across education, vocational, respite and community-based services, as required, in delivering appropriate occupational therapy and team-based interventions. Actively participate in cross-services and inter-agency working, fostering a positive, efficient and supportive working environment. Write accurate, clear, contemporaneous records in accordance with legal and professional requirements, and Service policy. Use available electronic and information technology systems for effective communication, information exchange, record keeping, statistics and data analysis. Operate within the scope of occupational therapy practice as per CORU requirements and in accordance with local guidelines. Contribute to the development of clinical support structures for Occupational Therapists. Administrative/Organisational: The Occupational Therapist will: Contribute to the co-ordination and delivery of service within the remit of the role. Promote good working practice and uniformity of standards of best practice. Promote quality by contributing to the review and evaluation of the Occupational Therapy service outcomes regularly, identifying changing needs and opportunities to improve services, in collaboration with the senior occupational therapist, line manager, project governance structure and relevant others. Evaluate and report on therapy outcomes using evidence based evaluation tools and clinical outcome measures. Maintain statistics on workload as requested through the line management system and project governance structure. Maintain accurate records in line with best clinical governance, organisational requirements, the Freedom of Information Act, General Data Protection Regulation (2018) and render reports and other information / statistics as required. Promote good team working, and a culture that values diversity. Participate in the co-ordination of Occupational therapy equipment resources in conjunction with the Line Manager. Engage in IT developments as they apply to people supported and service administration. Keep up to date with developments within the organisation and the Irish Health Service. Act in accordance with the ethos and national and local policies of the Brothers of Charity. Respect the dignity of all persons supported. Aim for the highest possible professional ethics and expertise. All matters relating to the Service are confidential in nature. Respect of the confidential nature of all information conveyed either verbally or in writing during the course of work is expected. Education and Training The Occupational Therapist will: Identify own training needs and undertake training for the purpose of continued professional development in agreement with the line manager. Participate in mandatory training programmes. Participate in continuing professional development including in-service training, attending and presenting at conferences / courses relevant to practice, contributing to research etc. as agreed through the line management system. Participate in the provision of relevant training and teaching programmes for parents, staff, people supported, multidisciplinary team colleagues and students as required within the remit of the post. Participate in the practice education of student therapists. Take part in teaching / training / supervision of other staff / students as appropriate to the grade and attend practice educator courses as required within the remit of the post. Assist in the development of community awareness in the field of Intellectual Disability and Autism, in agreement with the line manager. Attend and participate in department/team meetings as relevant and appropriate to this post. Engage in regular supervision with the senior Occupational therapist or other designated persons or in peer supervision with other Occupational therapists; and participate in performance review. Quality, Health & Safety and Risk The Occupational Therapist will: Promote a safe working environment in accordance with Health and Safety legislation and, in particular, to comply with employees obligations as set out in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Be aware of and implement agreed policies, procedures and safe professional practice by adhering to relevant legislation, regulations and standards. Report all accidents to staff or people supported promptly to the relevant manager and/or Director of Services. Be aware of and become familiar with fire drill procedures i.e. fire detection, evacuation and firefighting. Actively participate in risk management issues, identify risks and take responsibility for appropriate action. Report any adverse incidents in accordance with organisational guidelines. Other Operate within the policies and procedures of the Service at all times. Ensure the service is operating in line with the Health Information and Quality Authority Standards (HIQA). Promote dignity at work and show respect to individuals supported by the service, colleagues and stakeholders in the course of duty. Perform such other duties as assigned from time to time by the Occupational Therapy Manager/Deputy. All duties must be carried out in person at all times. As the duties and responsibilities of any post in the Service are likely to change with the ongoing needs of people supported, i.e. age, level of disability, Personal Outcome Measures, etc, staff are expected to have a high level of flexibility, and a willingness and an ability to develop new approaches to their work as the needs of people supported demand. The role of the post holder will not be limited by reference to this job description. It would be expected that the role will evolve as professional, structural and service user demands change and the post holder will be expected to demonstrate flexibility skills that will facilitate this. Informal enquiries to Anne Yore Closing Date for receipt of completed CVs/Application Forms on-line is Sunday 29th September 2024 Interviews for this post will be held Monday 14th October 2024 The Brothers of Charity Services Ireland is an equal opportunities employer Skills: Staff Grade Occupational Therapist Intellectual Disability Clinical Experience