This satisfying and rewarding role sits within our Community Service Line, which includes all community based mental health teams, such as our Integrated Recovery Hubs, Recovery and Support teams and Early Intervention services. These teams offer holistic care and support role for a caseload of clients with complex mental health needs. The Occupational Therapist (OT) as part of the team, provides standardised assessments using the Model of Human Occupation, individual work and group work for clients across the team, to promote recovery goals with the focus of stepping down and discharge from Mental Health Services. The post involves working closely with the MDT, in particular Recovery Support Workers and Employment Specialists. The OT will also promote working with our partners in the Involvement Team, working with external community organisations and advocating for Carers. In Merton, there is also a responsibility to provide assessments for social care, as our services are jointly provided with the Merton Local Authority.

The community Occupational Therapy team are committed to developing and supporting staff, to contribute to our evidence- based practice and to ensure the clinical effectiveness of our interventions. We offer a menu of high-quality OT interventions, which deliver consistency and clarity across the Community Service line.

Main duties of the job

The OT will work collaboratively as part of the team, demonstrating good time-management whilst working autonomously at times. As a team member, you will contribute to the MDT Risk Assessment and Care Plans, whilst adopting an occupational focus with those who have complex mental health needs.

You will join our friendly and innovative group of community Occupational Therapists to provide time limited OT assessments and interventions with an OT specific clinical caseload. The focus is on enabling individuals to develop personal recovery plans to support living well and to develop strategies to manage their experiences and difficulties.

You will be responsible for ensuring a robust system for collecting and evaluating outcome measures for Occupational Therapy interventions and represent and promote the OT Service within the team. The post holder will uphold appropriate the governance structures within the Community Service Line and professional codes of conduct. The OT will work closely with team members and colleagues, such as Recovery Support Workers and Employment Specialists and our Involvement Team, to strengthen the Recovery pathway for clients as they work towards discharge.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

Job description

Job responsibilities

• To provide Occupational Therapy four days a week with a maximum of one day duty cover in the team.
• To manage an OT caseload of clients with complex needs, using evidence based /client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
• To take responsibility for completing standardised assessments using The Model of Human Occupation and other frameworks as agreed by the Therapy Leads.
• To offer manualised interventions, both group and individual for example, GLOW (Graduated Living Outside of the Ward) and IPEL (Increasing Participation in Everyday Life)
• To offer Sensory Profiling to clients with sensory challenges
• To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of OT services within the Community Team, holding responsibility for defined projects.
• To engage with the OT referrals process, identifying and prioritising the need for OT specific interventions.
• To provide leadership to junior staff through supervision and appraisal.
• To regularly supervise OT students on practice placement (expected standard is two students per year).
• To provide professional leadership to the Recovery Support Workers and engage in co-working pathways.
• To promote recovery and social inclusion.
• To work alongside the Involvement Team to actively promote service-user engagement and co-production.
• To work collaboratively with the Employment specialist in the team, to enhance a positive vocational outcome for clients.
• To contribute to the maintenance and development of the Trust OT Service
• To contribute to streamline working from admission to discharge in keeping with the principles in the Adult Services Recovery Care pathway.
• To advocate for and promote the contribution of occupational therapy as a valuable resource with helping people to manage the impact of their symptoms on their ability to cope with daily occupations.
• To act as the designated Disability Champion leading the multi-disciplinary team in Disability Equality matters within the service and other areas as required.

Person Specification

Education, Training & Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
• Registration to practice in the UK
• Evidence of post registration training relevant to mental health practice
• Training in the theory and application of the model of human occupation within the first 4 months of appointment

Desirable

• Practice placement educators course within one year of appointment
• Apple registration

Experience

Essential

• Experience of carrying a caseload in a mental health setting
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of maintaining a written record of continual professional development
• Experience of individual and groupwork
• Experience of writing specialist occupational therapy reports
• Experience of participating in a service development project

Desirable

• Experience of working in a range of mental health settings
• Experience of supervising junior staff
• Successful completion of preceptorship
• Experience of being a practice placement educator
• Experience of using mental health services as a service user, or carer, relative, friend of a service user.

Knowledge and Skills - Communication

Essential

• Developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed & maintained with service users who have multiple & complex needs
• Basic word processing and IT skills
• Proficient standard of written communication skills
• Ability to promote & maintain the profile of OT within an MDT & the wider organisation

Knowledge and Skills - Personal and People Development

Essential

• Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities
• Ability to reflect upon and critically appraise own performance
• Ability to role model positive professional behaviour

Desirable

• Ability to deliver presentations

Knowledge and Skills - Health, Safety & Security

Essential

• Ability to work in a way that minimises risks to health, safety & security of self, service user & members of the public
• Ability to monitor work areas & practices to maintain a healthy, safe and secure working environment.

Knowledge and Skills - Service Improvement

Essential

• Ability to adapt own practice & style of working
• Ability to express constructive views & ideas in relation to improving service effectiveness

Desirable

• Audit skills

Knowledge and Skills - Quality

Essential

• Applied knowledge of confidentiality & consent issues
• Applied knowledge of current national legislation, policies & guidelines relevant to clinical area
• Good personal management skills in order to manage a clinical caseload & varied workload
• Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues
• Ability to work effectively within a team and understanding of the importance of collaborative working in the delivery of good quality services

Knowledge and Skills - Equality and Diversity

Essential

• Ability to apply equal opportunities & anti-discriminatory interventions that respect the service users' customs, values & spiritual beliefs
• Ability to recognise & report behaviour that undermines equality & diversity
• Ability to promote a culture of recovery & social inclusion

Employer details

Employer name

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

The Wilson

Cranmer Road

Mitcham

CR4 4TP

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

294-COMM-5825925-JB-A