Advanced Occupational Therapy​/Physiotherapy Practitioner Hand Therapy

The Advanced Therapy Practitioner in Hand Therapy has responsibility for advancing evidence-based clinical practice in this speciality, across East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. To exercise advanced clinical expertise, levels of judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care demonstrated through the four pillars of Advanced Clinical Practice:
Clinical skills, Leadership & Management, Research, and Education. This will be done in collaboration with AHP, medical and nursing colleagues., Provide specialist clinical expertise (both within own professional clinical discipline and across the multidisciplinary therapy team), making evidence-based decisions with the patient about their injury or surgery. Practitioners will use their clinical-reasoning skills to undertake an assessment of the presenting problem, interpret findings, develop working and differential diagnoses, and formulate, communicate, and implement management plans that take account of individuals' needs, goals and wishes, local service availability and relevant local, ICs and national guidelines and policies.

• Enable individuals to make decisions about their care using the principles of shared decision making:
  • helping them to identify the priorities and outcomes that are important to them.
  • explaining in non-technical language all available options (including doing nothing) o exploring with them the risks, benefits, and consequences of each available option o supporting them to decide on their preferred way forward.
• Deliver and promote programmes of supported patient self‑management, in ways that facilitate behavioural change, optimise individuals' rehabilitation and fulfilment of personal goals and independence relevant to their injury or surgery
• Provide clinical and strategic leadership within the multidisciplinary team, working with the leadership team, with responsibility for quality, training and clinical governance and research agendas.
• Monitor and lead improvements to standards of care through, supervision of practice, clinical audit, evidence‑based practice, teaching and supporting professional colleagues and the provision of skilled professional leadership.
• Lead on the development and delivery of an education programme for AHP, nursing and medical colleagues across primary and secondary care staff and partner organisations focusing on the assessment and management of the hand post injury or elective surgery from a Hand Therapy perspective.

• To be a clinical leader in the multidisciplinary delivery of hand therapy management, demonstrating advanced, expert knowledge and skills in interventions with patients and carers.
• Takes professional responsibility demonstrating high‑level decision‑making and clinical reasoning skills in the assessment and rehabilitation of patients within relevant clinical speciality - both within own professional scope of practice and the holistic MDT.
• Manages a complex caseload with supervision/mentoring as required. This includes the gathering and synthesise of information on the nature of the individual's presenting symptoms taking account of how these relate to relevant past medical history and investigations, developing and implementing rehabilitation and treatment plans based on best evidence, review and discharge planning.
• Request appropriate investigations based on their level of competence and interpret the findings to facilitate diagnosis and management plans of patients.
• To receive referrals from and make referrals to healthcare professionals review the patient and act, accordingly, thereby reducing length of time patients wait for intervention.
• According to current legislation to undertake independent prescribing and make appropriate use of the administration of medication using Patient Group Directions.
• Advise, initiate, evaluate and modify a range of interventions, which may include self‑management and lifestyle advice, specialist therapies, social and independent prescribing.
• Record the information gathered through taking individuals' history concisely and accurately for clinical management, and in compliance with local protocols, legal and professional…