Clinical Specialist OT Pathfinder

Accountability:

The clinical specialist occupational therapist is accountable to the occupational therapy manager in charge III, Beaumont Hospital.

Professionalism

1. Represent the occupational therapy profession and promote the profile of occupational therapy throughout the organisation, nationally and internationally
2. Demonstrate sound clinical reasoning based on experience and clinical expertise in care of the elderly service areas
3. Respect the values, beliefs and needs of patients and staff and include patients in decision-making processes as appropriate
4. Interpret standards of practice in relation to care of the elderly, as well as professional codes of conduct, professional and organisational policies ensuring they are incorporated into occupational therapy service practice
5. Recognise when it is appropriate to refer decisions to a higher level of authority and include colleagues in the decision making process
6. Promote initiatives that will ensure a high standard of professional practice development in line with improved patient care
7. Demonstrate understanding and respect for the roles of all members of the MDT
8. Keep up to date with developments within the care of the elderly service in own organisation, professional body, nationally and internationally and apply to practice as appropriate
9. Manage own work-life balance and support others with same
10. Contribute professional expertise to wider organisational initiatives/ committees/steering groups at local, national and international level
11. Provide specialist support to the care of the elderly service and staff
12. Where an Emergency Ambulance is not immediately, to assist the Advanced Paramedic to respond to medical and traumatic emergencies, where the timely intervention is a critical response to a life threatening emergency.

Managing a Caseload

1. Demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning and problem solving skills in completing occupational therapy assessments and interventions with patients referred to the Pathfinder team
2. Prioritisation and planning skills to ensure patients are placed on the appropriate pathway and the timely completion of onward referrals to other services
3. Demonstrate an advanced proficiency in ability to screen and prioritise patients according to clinical needs using clinical reasoning skills

4. Ensure collaboration with other relevant MDT colleagues for complex patient presentation to ensure holistic approach to patient care
5. Balance clinical demands with other responsibilities (e.g. research, administration, service development, teaching, CPD, staff supervision) through effective time management and organisational skills

Communication

1. Communicate oral and written information in a clear, concise and well-structured manner appropriate to the content and the target audience
2. Build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues at clinical and management levels within the Pathfinder service
3. Facilitate and maintain open communication within own service and department
4. Promote and foster effective cross discipline communications and evaluation processes with MDT colleagues
5. Deal constructively with obstacles and conflict to ensure patient focused decision-making within the MDT
6. Build relations and links with community colleagues, working together to promote and enhance appropriate patient pathways
7. Ensure that communication with patients and families /carers is appropriate and timely
8. Present lectures, service evaluation, audit and research projects at local, national and international level
9. Negotiate clearly and effectively with relevant stakeholders

Planning, Maintaining and Evaluating a Quality Service

1. Demonstrate an advanced level of clinical knowledge and skills of care of the elderly presentations and risk factors and provide senior support in decision-making for other staff
2. Demonstrate advanced clinical skills in care of the elderly, assisting with advanced diagnostic, prognostic and patient management within the service
3. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of care pathways appropriate to patients and proactively work with senior MDT colleagues to design and implement processes to improve care for patients
4. Recognise appropriate services and supports to optimise patient outcomes and identify the need for appropriate onward consultation or referral
5. Design and implement processes and procedures to ensure the highest standards of practice are met in the Pathfinder service by establishing governance systems
6. Report emerging risk issues to the occupational therapy manager as indicated
7. Work collaboratively with the MDT to identify, plan and implement interdisciplinary practices
8. Contribute to steering group level and assist with developing and implementing strategic service and business plans, quality initiatives, audits etc. based on up to date evidence based practice and report on outcomes in collaboration with the occupational therapy manager and other stakeholders
9. Liaise with steering group with regards to evaluating and advising on optimal resource utilisation for effective service delivery and optimal patient and service outcomes

Leadership and Service Development

1. This service will involve a collaborative leadership approach between BH OT/PT departments and the National Ambulance Service.
2. To liase with personnel from Dublin Fire Brigade and NAS personnel in relation to referrals and follow up of cases
3. Understand the principles of the operational management of the Pathfinder service and be responsible for the day-to-day management of this clinical speciality area
4. Act as an expert occupational therapy clinical resource for the Pathfinder service and students
5. Promote the role of  occupational therapy service in the Pathfinder service in the organisation and at national and international level
6. Joint leadership with the key stakeholders with regards to clinical decision-making processes in the Pathfinder servic 
7. Identify and prioritise the requirements of the Pathfinder service within a constantly changing environment 
8. Develop guidelines for safe and effective practice in the Pathfinder service 
9. Refine and advance  occupational therapy practice in care of the elderly and develop formal links with appropriate national and international networks in the speciality of elderly care
10. Represent occupational therapy in the Pathfinder service nationally and internationally as required
11. Deputise for the  occupational therapy management team in his/ her absence as required
12. Explore and champion new initiatives, practices and models of care, in line with best practice, to improve the patient experience and outcome
13. Seek to identify and avail of opportunities to assist with and contribute to strategic planning e.g. development of business cases
14. Develop and implement new service initiatives in collaboration with appropriate stakeholders such as physiotherapy manager, MDT members etc.
15. Assist the occupational therapy manager in the recruitment of staff.
16. Act as a role model for occupational therapy staff and staff of other professions, in the areas of clinical competence and attitude.
17. Collate and analyse workload statistics required for departmental purposes and for service reviews

Evidence- Based Practice

1. Demonstrate advanced level knowledge of evidence in relation to care of the elderly services
2. Apply this advanced specialist knowledge to local practice, working with colleagues to implement the necessary steps to achieve the highest possible standard of care  
3. Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of interventions within the service and modify accordingly where new evidence emerges or where evidence base is incomplete
4. Monitor and report on the use of best practice clinical standards and guidelines in the Pathfinder service and apply this specialist knowledge within the service 
5. Demonstrate expert understanding of service demands and trends and design processes, in consultation with the occupational therapy manager, to ensure demands are appropriately met 
6. Providing the best quality care to patients in terms of Home based assessment and follow on intervention where required

Research

1. Understand the principles of research and research methodology which underpin an analytical approach to clinical practice
2. Lead and facilitate research projects relevant to the Pathfinder service at local or national level
3. Collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in respect of relevant research projects
4. Co-ordinate and promote departmental research in conjunction with the occupational therapy department and the departmental strategic plan
5. Publish research, case studies and critical reviews in peer-reviewed publications
6. Lead the dissemination of research findings locally and nationally within occupational therapy and the wider healthcare arena
7. Explore innovative ways to contribute to research related to care of the elderly services
8. Research and report on emerging practices and new evaluation tools for the care of the elderly occupational therapy service
9. Identify gaps in the evidence base and initiate/facilitate research to enhance evidence based practice locally, nationally and internationally

Act as a Clinical Resource

1. Act in an advanced clinical advisory role to own colleagues and MDT
2. Identify the need for appropriate onward consultation 
3. Represent the profession/HSCPs at local, national and international level for care of the elderly services
4. Act as an advanced clinical advisor, nationally and internationally

Continuing Professional Development

1. Identify own personal and professional learning needs and seek support from  occupational therapy manager as indicated 
2. Facilitate staff in identifying their own development needs and addressing these needs through planned learning, clinical supervision and professional support as required 
3. Deliver appropriate and effective feedback and be receptive to feedback
4. Evaluate the training and development needs of staff working in the Pathfinder service and plan and implement training processes to meet these needs
5. Provide education, supervision, mentoring and support for senior staff in the Pathfinder and care of the elderly service
6. Contribute to MDT education as appropriate
7. Plan, deliver and evaluate education, training and health promotion activities, incorporating inter-professional education models as appropriate
8. Identify and avail of formal and informal learning opportunities within  occupational therapy and MDT contexts
9. Provide safe and effective under-graduate clinical placements
10. Provide expert advice and training to network, national and international colleagues in the field
11. Provide guest lecturing/education in the field of care of the elderly as required by the HEIs/others 
12. Take the lead on occupational therapy input into post graduate clinical placements
13. Contribute to educational policy and education of pre and post qualifying practitioner

The above Duties list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her, from time to time, and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.