Hand Therapist Band 6; Physiotherapist​/Occupational Therapist

A Vacancy at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a band 6 hand therapist (either Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist) to join the Hand Therapy Team in the East Lancashire Healthcare Trust, based at the Royal Blackburn site. You will be joining a forward-thinking department which is valued and respected regionally, throughout the Trust, and the wider therapies service.

We seek an individual who is autonomous, forward thinking, and enthusiastic. The successful applicant must be able to undertake assessment of patients referred into the department with a diverse range of hands conditions. In addition, you will be able to demonstrate excellent communication and documentation skills plus prioritisation and delegation abilities. The service is committed to offering student placements.

This position offers an important opportunity and challenging career move for you to advance your clinical skills. Your role will include delivering education and assisting with quality improvement and research. We pride ourselves in supporting our team through education, training, and development. A band 5 to 6 development post would be considered and also slightly reduced hours would also be considered

The Hand Therapy Service receives referrals directly from a variety of sources including orthopaedic and fracture clinics in regard to the assessment and rehabilitation of hand/wrist injuries and disorders. Additionally, the Hand Therapy Service takes referrals for the provision of bespoke splinting and functional fracture braces only as part of multidisciplinary care.

Hand therapy specialist Occupational Therapists (OT) and Physiotherapists (PT) are autonomous independent practitioners who undertake biopsychosocial assessment in relation to injuries or disorders that affect the functioning of the hand. Therapy interventions and recommendations are provided on the basis of that assessment in order to maximise hand function in regard to the individual’s occupational priorities and independent living. Where prior levels of functioning cannot be achieved due to chronic dysfunction and/or deformity a hand specialist OT/PT will provide appropriate intervention, education and recommendation to support the process of acceptance and adaptation leading to agreed and acceptable levels of physical, psychological and social functioning.

The Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist remains accountable for the intervention provided and its outcome.

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures.

The band 6 will manage a caseload of patients with complex needs and provide highly specialised treatment, using evidence based and client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions, including the fabrication of bespoke splints. A band 6 OT/PT will develop advanced splinting skills, including dynamic, corrective and functional splints to address a wide range of conditions. The band 6 will also be trained in the fabrication of functional fracture braces.

The band 6 will, with supervision, be responsible for the prompt triage and management of cases being sent directly from fracture clinic at least one day a week. This will require a high degree of clinical prioritisation and time management skills.

The band 6 may be required to lead or participate in the hand/wrist rehabilitation group and the osteoarthritis of the hand groups.

The band 6 will contribute to the development of the hand therapy service within ELHT in conjunction with senior therapists and other MDT members in line with the agreed priorities of the service. This may include involvement in clinical audit, clinical guideline development and service/operational projects.

The band 6 will provide leadership, supervision and support to junior staff in the hand therapy Occupational Therapy team, including Technical Instructors and Assistants.

The band 6 will take responsibility for junior and support staff’s caseloads and delegate as required whilst providing appropriate support.

The band 6 will support and provide training to junior and student Occupational Therapists and other Health Care Professionals in relation to hand therapy.

The band 6 will promote close working relationships with other professionals, disciplines, service users, external organisations and voluntary groups.

Liaise effectively with all members of the multidisciplinary team/departments/services/and external agencies to ensure the delivery of an effective and coordinated approach to service delivery.

Gather information from patients,…