Specialist Neonatal Occupational Therapist

Overview

We are seeking an enthusiastic, adaptable, and creative Occupational Therapist to join our neonatal team. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and lead how OT is delivered in this developing service. Working in an inpatient setting, you will collaborate with neonatal consultants, psychologists, nurses, and other AHPs to provide holistic care for babies on the unit.

As this is a new post, you will champion and establish the OT role as the clinical lead for neonatal care. You will promote infant neurodevelopment by empowering parents and caregivers to deliver developmentally supportive care, and by creating an optimal sensory environment to aid brain development.

You will also strengthen the parent-infant bond, guiding parents to interpret behavioural cues, manage stress, and support regulation during feeding, sleeping, and early interaction. In addition, you will provide specialist assessment and early intervention for sensory, motor, attention, regulation, and play development, helping infants reach their full developmental potential. You will carry a designated clinical caseload including highly complex and diverse patient groups and prioritise that work efficiently.

• Apply an enhanced level of understanding of the effect of preterm birth, perinatal problems and congenital disabilities on the development and occupations of infants and their families and make appropriate recommendations for intervention and support.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate programmes of individualised infant and family-centre developmental care, using evidence-based practice to support clinical outcomes as appropriate.
• Use advanced clinical assessments such as Prechtl General Movements Assessment, Newborn Observations (NBO), Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale (NBAS), Newborn Individualised Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP).
• Provide specialist support for colleagues and the families of babies in managing expectations around potential recovery, helping them to understand and plan for short/long term disability.
• Apply an enhanced level of understanding about the impact of the environment on the wellbeing of infants, families and staff, making recommendations regarding adapting the environment for optimal benefits.
• Support discharge planning and transitions to paediatric, outpatient and community services for caseload, providing relevant information to unit discharge team and internal paediatric and community teams.

• Registered Occupational Therapist with experience in neonatal or related paediatric settings (as detailed in the role description).
• Experience and ability to work within a neonatal multidisciplinary team and to lead the OT contribution to neonatal care.
• Knowledge or experience of infant neurodevelopment and family-centred care approaches.
• Familiarity with the following assessment tools is outlined in the role:
  Prechtl General Movements Assessment, Newborn Observations (NBO), Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale (NBAS), Newborn Individualised Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP).
• Ability to support families in understanding expectations around recovery and planning for short- and long-term needs.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work with parents, carers, and a range of professionals.

Croydon is a busy, exciting and diverse place to work. The borough has one of the youngest populations in London and continues to grow. Croydon Health Services cares for local people at Croydon University Hospital, Purley Memorial Hospital and in clinics and people s homes all across the borough. We are a close-knit and friendly organisation where every member of our 3600 staff is valued.

We believe our employees are our greatest asset and through Listening into Action - our way of engaging staff - we empower everyone at any level to initiate and bring about real improvements in our care.

Join us and be a part of the team that is making Croydon proud. #choosecroydon