Specialist Hand Therapist

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Hand Therapist

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Hand Therapist (either Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist) to work as part of a well-established and dynamic multi-disciplinary hand team. We seek an individual who is autonomous, forward-thinking, and enthusiastic.

Main duties of the job

This position offers an important opportunity and challenging career move for you to advance your clinical skills and expertise. You will manage a busy clinical caseload of non-surgically and surgically managed patients with traumatic and elective hand and upper limb injuries. Additionally, you have the opportunity to assess and manage non-surgical conditions referred from the community. You should expect to participate in local and national Hand Therapists' activities. There are opportunities for additional training.

About us

Our large and dynamic Hand Therapy team will support the successful candidate in developing specialist hand therapy assessment, intervention, and clinical decision-making skills.

Hand Therapy is part of the Integrated Care Strategic Business Unit with a supportive and progressive management structure. Departmental objectives are founded upon the core principles of the clinical governance framework and Trust Core Values. Research activity, robust evidence-based practice, and national guidelines drive forward our vision and direct service delivery.

Job responsibilities

• To manage a specialist caseload of both conservatively and surgically treated plastics inpatients and outpatients with trauma and elective hand and upper limb injuries using clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflection, and analysis to support assessments using a client-centred approach and current evidence base to assess, treat, implement, evaluate, and document Hand Therapy interventions.
• Assessments and therapeutic interventions may occur in the Hand Therapy Department, wards, outpatient clinics.
• To be responsible for Hand Therapy interventions within Hand Therapy and Plastic Surgery.
• To develop positive and collaborative working relationships across Health and Social Care.
• To be responsible for the maintenance and development of CPD and continuous learning.
• To supervise and develop Junior Hand Therapy Staff and assistants.
• To be responsible for the education of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students on Fieldwork Practice.

Person Specification

Skills

• Able to present information logically (written and oral).
• Able to work as part of a team, delegate, and motivate others.

Experience

• Experience in treating acquired and traumatic upper limb conditions.
• Experience in fabrication of hand, wrist, and forearm orthoses.
• Experience in implementing exercise programmes for upper limb patients.
• Post-graduate Hand Therapy outpatient experience at Band 6 level.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy.
• Post-graduate education in Hand Therapy.
• BAHT Membership.
• Accredited Hand Therapist.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Salary: £44,806 to £53,134 a year p.a. including HCA.