Senior Occupational Therapist

Job Title: Senior Occupational Therapist Department: Physiotherapy Job Type: Permanent Hours: 37 hours per week Blackrock Clinic is the leading and longest established private hospital and clinic in Ireland. Since it opened in the mid-1980s, the clinic has consistently built an unparalleled reputation in new high-tech surgical procedures, medical treatments, and ground-breaking diagnostics. Blackrock Clinic is now part of Blackrock Health private hospital group along with the Hermitage Clinic, Galway Clinic, and Limerick Clinic, some of the most advanced hospitals in Irish private healthcare. As a JCI accredited hospital, Blackrock Clinic is a progressive and pioneering hospital in which care for the patient is central to everything we do. Role Purpose: The Senior Occupational Therapist will Provide exceptional patient care in an environment where quality, respect, caring and compassion are at the centre of all we do. Develop and promotion of high standards of clinical practice and skills in the area of specialty. Work with the Head of Physiotherapy in developing a quality Occupational Therapy service within the hospital. Contributing to a structure process for education of colleagues, post-graduates and other health professionals. Involvement in audit activities. Act as an information resource for colleagues locally, regionally or nationally. Personally, and professionally, you are accountable to the patient. You are personally accountable for your own actions at all times. Qualifications: Candidates must hold a qualification recognised by the Occupational Therapists Registration Board at CORU. Bachelors in science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Dublin awarded to graduates on successful completion of the four-year University of Dublin pathway/programme to this award. OR Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Occupational Therapy from the University of Dublin OR Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from University College Cork OR Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the National University of Ireland, Galway OR Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (Professional Qualification) from the University of Limerick OR Diploma of the College of Occupational Therapy b) Hold a qualification previously recognised by the Department of Health. (In relation non-Irish qualifications and in respect of persons to whom Directive 2005/36/EC applies) and c) Have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office. Candidates must have at least 3 years clinical experience working with the adult population in an acute hospital setting, evidence of personal professional development and a Post graduate courses relevant to the clinical specialty. Key Responsibilities: Deliver an effective and efficient Inpatient Occupational Therapy Service based on assessment of needs. Administer the highest quality of service by identifying and implementing operational procedures in line with best practice standards. Keep abreast with new developments, skills and technology in Blackrock Clinic, to ensure continuing competence in the job. Provide care with minimal supervision in a timely accurate and safe manner. Maintain a safe environment for patients, visitors and colleagues. Advocate as necessary for the patients, respecting their dignity and confidentiality Function effectively in an emergency situation. Adapt to changing workloads Evaluate and update care plans appropriately. Evaluate personal practice as compared to standards of care and know own ability and competence. Participate in quality assurance by assisting to identify recurrent problems and co-operate in data collection and problem solving. You must comply with all hospital policies in relation to Infection Prevention and Control.Every employee has a responsibility to know how to reduce infection in their role. Candidates must demonstrate the following clinical competencies and demonstrate the following knowledge base: 1.Competent to carry out Cognitive Assessments. 2.Competent to carry out Functional Assessments. 3.Competent to complete Home Assessments. 4.Demonstrate strong experience in discharge planning in the acute sector. 5.Demonstrate knowledge in older person community services. 6.Competent with ADL equipment assessment and prescription. 7.Competent in the area of Pressure Care. 8. Competent in the area of seating prescription and wheelchair assessments. 9.Have basic upper and lower limb static splinting. 10.Demonstrate knowledge on the referral process for community occupational therapy. 11.Experience in Falls Risks Assessments and Intervention 12.Liaison with relevant community services to support discharge to home Management Responsibilities: To create and promote good working relationships through open communication with all other medical and Allied Health Professionals. Maintain appropriate records and statistics sufficient for organisational and legal purposes. Regularly review and update the OT policy, guidelines and protocol documents. Staff Management: To be professional, dedicated and punctual at all times. To encourage professional development of all team members through promotion of self-learning, formal courses and in-service training. Communication Skills: Maintain documents according to the policies and procedures of Blackrock Clinic. Update documents to observe physical and emotional symptoms and changes. Report relevant information verbally and in writing to appropriate nursing personnel. Respond appropriately to patient/family requests and questions. Communicate appropriate with colleagues and other members of the health care team. Recognise self-limitations and seek assistance. Attend and contribute in staff meetings and team briefing. Communicate in a manner that avoids antagonism, reduces conflict and prevents undue anxiety. Evaluation/Research: Demonstrate leadership and advise as required. Critically appraise the evidence base for therapy intervention and apply it to monitor/change practice. Actively participate in projects in clinical area. Initiate and undertake service evaluation. Professional Expectations Support the Mission Statement of Blackrock Clinic. Observe appropriate lines of authority. Demonstrate flexibility by assisting in other areas of the hospital as required Continue to develop personal knowledge and skills. Seek and take education opportunities in addition to those provided by the hospital. Participate in working groups to develop and promote quality care within Blackrock Clinic. Participate in the education of learners and assist with the orientation of new personnel. Present a professional appearance and be punctual. Accept responsibility for Acting Up in specific instances, as assigned. The position requires a high level of flexibility to ensure the delivery of an effective and efficient service. At the Blackrock Clinic, we are passionate about our people and believe in their development and growth. As a member of the team you can benefit from: Competitive salary Onsite parking Pension Discounted café Sports and Social club Employee Assistance Programme Discounted onsite pharmacy Please Note: Job descriptions are a reflection of the present service requirements and may be subject to review and amendments to meet the changing needs of the service. Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received. Blackrock Clinic is an Equal Opportunities employer, and we are committed to creating an environment that promotes equality and dignity at work. Blackrock Clinic is committed to providing reasonable accommodation when needed. Please advise if you have particular requirements, so that we can look into arranging reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. You can contact us at It is essential that you have valid work permission for the Republic of Ireland to take up employment for this position, or in the case of critical skills, you must be eligible for a work permit. Skills: Communication skills Staff Management & Decision Making Skills