Band 6 Occupational Therapist - OPAL

Our highly regarded frailty team works as an MDT providing timely, patient centred assessments to those with acute needs at the Front Door within Good Hope hospital. Offering admission avoidance services and therapy to prevent deconditioning and maximise independence in specialist areas of ED, Acute Medical Unit (AMU) and Medical Assessment Unit (MAU). This is also an exciting time to join the team, with OPAL expanding the service to Frailty Same Day Emergency Care unit (FSDEC). A FSDEC service is a hospital-based unit that will focus on delivering timely, coordinated care for people whose urgent health needs that cannot be managed in the community but do not require an overnight stay. As part of the OPAL MDT you will be responsible to ensure patients who have been referred receive:

• Early frailty identification using tools such as the Clinical Frailty Scale, within 30 minutes of arrival.
• Comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment, including medical, nursing, therapy, and pharmacy input.
• Rapid access to diagnostics, such as blood tests, ECGs, and imaging.
• Targeted interventions for common frailty-related issues like falls, delirium, mobility decline, dehydration, or medication problems.
• Same day discharge planning, with links to community teams for follow up support., The team operates a Home First ethos and works to creatively implement plans to enable people to return to their usual activities of daily living, within their own home environment wherever possible by proactively assessing patients and addressing issues relating to function, mobility, social needs, and referring to community services when required. This holistic service means patients receive the support and treatment needed, in the most appropriate setting for them, which will often be their own home and supported by community teams.
You will use your leadership, expertise and knowledge to advise and support patients through their journey to enhance their experience. The MDT include; Geriatricians, Junior Doctors, Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Senior Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, Therapy Support Workers, Healthcare Assistants and Social Workers.

The role requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to discuss highly sensitive matters with patients and relatives to provide a high quality of care. You will also be able to confidently refer patients for onward support in the community through the appropriate pathways and provided sign posting information.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.