An exciting opportunity has arisen for a forward thinking and motivated Occupational Therapist to work within the Complex Needs Pathways service in HMP Aylesbury as part of the multi-disciplinary team. The service is part of the community services in North London Forensic Service which is part of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust. The post is based within the complex needs service at HMP Aylesbury who provide assessment, treatment and consultation for male prisoners. The service caters for prisoners from across the establishment and is an innovative service, run as a collaborative team with both health and prison staff. The aim is to increase residents' level of independence through improvements in their psychological wellbeing, reduce recidivism and risk. T

Main duties of the job

The post will involve delivery and oversight of the Occupational Therapy provision to those on the Pathways caseload, focusing on functional daily living skills, transition into the community/progressive prison move and specific personality and risk issues. This will include the oversight, strategic development, planning, facilitation and outcomes of a range of therapeutic individual and group work and contributing to multidisciplinary team care planning and risk assessment. The residents are individuals with diverse needs and presentations, for example with mental health symptoms, personality difficulties and can exhibit aggressive behaviour and poor insight. The aim of the work is to increase residents' level of independence through the development of life and social skills which help to improve their emotional regulation, reduce recidivism and risk.

About us

The Aylesbury Complex Needs service is a multi-disciplinary team, working in collaboration with HMPPS to provide support for the people held in the prison. The team consists of forensic and clinical psychologists, OTs, creative therapist (music, art, drama) and prison officers.

Job description

Job responsibilities

This post holder will be responsible for overseeing the Occupational Therapy Provision for the service. The post holder will need to be a visible and positive presence within the service and wider prison establishment and be responsive and supportive to the needs of each person using the service. As well as being clinically involved in the therapeutic delivery of treatment within the team, you will also be contributing to the achievement of the One Small Thing Trauma Informed Care Certification. The clinical leads team in the service are committed to an extensive and co-ordinated CPD programme including a robust supervision structure. Support is available, when appropriate, to all staff to engage in external training to further the knowledge pool of the team.

Please see attached job description for full outline of duties.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

To be responsible for the day to day operational management of the therapy programme, ensuring the service is appropriately focused on priorities, integrated with the multi-disciplinary teams and responsive to client needs.

To regularly review the service, evaluating if it is responsive to need, achieves positive outcomes, is cost effective and is of value to those who use the service.

To assist managers of the service to plan future treatment options within the Pathways Team.

To work collaboratively with multi agency managers across the prison estate and the LPP to plan the continuity of services and work as a unified team for the benefit of prisoners.

To work collaboratively with all stakeholders in the establishment to support the overall pathways of residents into the community where appropriate.

To work collaboratively with officers in the team and be responsive to the demands placed on prison staff to ensure and collaborate approach to service delivery.

To take a lead role for service developments within Occupational Therapy and the Pathways Team.

To provide joint professional leadership, supervision and guidance for staff in the team, keeping up to date regarding professional developments and guidance from the College of Occupational Therapists and cascading this information, integrating it into departmental practice.

To advise the appropriate managers on the day-to-day running needs of the service highlighting any unmet needs in service provision.

To be a member of middle management within the service, taking the lead for specific managerial tasks as appropriate.

To coordinate the placement of students within the OT service, working closely with the senior therapists who are acting as fieldwork educators.

Be involved in developing standards, guidelines and protocols for the service.

Support the evaluation of practice through audit and the application of evidence.

Participate and oversee the monitoring of standards of care through audit, observation and apply evidence and lessons learnt to inform future practice

15 . Where necessary manage staff performance in line with trust policy.

Communication

To professionally manage and communicate sensitive or contentious information adhering to associated policies and protocols

Patient care

To participate clinically within the treatment programme and occupational therapy service which may include:

• carrying a small complex caseload
• carrying out specific short term clinical work
• Joint working with less experienced staff
• Running treatment groups
• Contributing to assessment and formulation processes

Professional Conduct

The post holder must comply with the College of Occupational Therapists Code of Practice for Occupational Therapists, and the Trust & Directorate Guidance on Professional Conduct.

People (HR) Management

To provide supervision and guidance to junior staff in the team, keeping up to date regarding professional developments and guidance from the College of Occupational Therapists and cascading this information, integrating it into departmental practice.

To be actively involved in service development working closely with the whole team.

To assist in the induction of new team members as delegated by the strategic clinical lead.

Information Management

To ensure that relevant records, reports and treatment statistics are produced in line with the trusts Data Recording Policy, service policy and departmental guidelines.

To ensure that relevant records, reports and treatment statistics are produced to a competent standard in line with professional guidelines, Trust policy, performance requirements and established service systems.

To attend multi-disciplinary clinical meetings and to support and share information regarding professional practice with other disciplines.

Policy Development

To develop and implement directorate policies relating to the management of risk and good practice within the rehabilitation areas of the service.

To work collaboratively with multi agency managers across the prison estate and the LPP to plan the continuity of services and work as a unified team for the benefit of residents.

To be involved in service wide initiatives and developments working closely with the whole team.

Service Development

To ensure a comprehensive in-service training programme for therapy staff is enabled.

To directly provide staff professional development opportunities via teaching sessions.

To support the delivery of staff support / reflective groups across the whole prison establishment.

To provide liaison and in-put to linked college of occupational therapy.

Resource Management

Management of OT equipment and materials budget.

Effective use of supervision

Liaise with strategic team Lead to manage any absence from work and annual leave.

Liaise with service team leads regarding training needs or requests.

Systems and Equipment

To demonstrate and understand the appropriate use of security systems i.e alarms, keys, access areas.

To have relevant IT skills to complete reports and assessments and document clinical notes.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• oMinimum 4 years Relevant clinical postgraduate experience in Occupational Therapy, including a minimum of 2 years experience as a senior practitioner working with people with mental health problems in particular personality disorders, challenging behaviour, depression, psychosis and dual diagnosis

Desirable

• oPostgraduate training to achieve clinical expertise and specialism at Masters level or equivalent oE.g. MSc in Occupational therapy.

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• oUp to date knowledge of developments in OT, secure care, prison therapy, to inform clinical decisions, and best practice for self and for the service. oTo include Specialist Knowledge of: oClinical conditions and their functional implications within Forensic and Adult mental health, including personality disorders, depression, anxiety and psychosis, substance misuse, Dual Diagnosis and PTSD oThe Mental Health Act and its significance for service users and impact on clinical practice oRisk issues and risk management techniques with this client group oO.T. models of practice oThe evidence base for O.T. interventions with this client group used to inform best practice oTheory and models of supervision oResearch and its application to forensic mental health oAudit and its implication to mental health services oClinical Governance and National Service Framework for Mental Health and their impact on the clinical environment and practice oNICE guidelines relevant to mental health practice oCurrent developments/initiatives effecting O.T. practice oDirectorate and Trust wide strategic plans relating to area of service oTrust policies for staff recruitment and management oExperience in Forensic and secure care occupational therapy. oExperience of working autonomously, being responsible for own practice and managing a varied workload. oExperienced lead planner and facilitator in a range of treatment sessions on a group or individual basis including: Practical based, discussion, support and psycho-educational groups. Including experience of working with clinical staff of a variety of grades to support their development of treatment skills. oExperience in the use of the Model of Human Occupation, MOHOST and other standardised assessments. oExpertise in carrying out functional assessments. oExperience of using a range of evaluation tools and outcome measures. oExperience of planning, monitoring and evaluating therapy programmes to ensure the most effective use of clinical priorities. oExperience in producing and maintaining client-centered treatment plans and instructing others in the same. oExperience of assessing and managing risk issues within OT and Mental Health and contributing to multidisciplinary teams risk assessments, care plans and the discharge process. oExperience of supervision and appraisal of junior staff.

Desirable

• oExperience working in a therapy team in a prison setting. oExperience in dealing directly with finance and human resources to ensure management of the service is in line with Trust policies and procedures. oExperience of managing a staffing and non-staffing budget and ensuring the effective use of resources. oExperience of implementing service improvements. oExperience of using a range of evaluation tools and outcome measures. oExperience of negotiating and managing change. oExperience of initiating an audit. oExperience in the recruitment and selection of staff including: owriting adverts oshort listing oarranging interview panels oexit interviews owriting references oExperience of co-ordinating and monitoring an on service training programme for therapy staff. oExperience of chairing and co-ordinating meetings, including agenda setting. oExperience of developing guidelines and policies. oExperience of representing Occupational Therapy in wider range of working parties, committees, project groups and strategy groups - Clinical Governance etc. oExperience of investigating serious and untoward incidents, formulating recommendations and plan relating of these.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Essential

• oEffective verbal communication skills to include - presentation of information to clinical meetings, management teams and chairing meetings. oEffective personal management skills, including excellent time management and the ability to prioritise, delegate and problem solve. oEffective leadership skills. oSelf-motivated and confident in working independently in a clinical and managerial capacity. oEffective written communication skills to include oclinical records and reports oreports for senior management teams oAbility to read, understand and process information quickly. oAble to establish working relationships with supervised staff and colleagues across the service. oAbility to identify clinical needs of client group and apply this knowledge in service planning and development. oAbility to apply and utilise the knowledge base for forensic mental health in service delivery. oAbility to provide clear clinical reasoning for interventions across the service. oAbility to incorporate risk assessment into service delivery. oDemonstrates professional approach and appropriate boundary keeping with staff and patients and able to instruct others on professional standards of communication. oEffective supervision skills, which include workload monitoring, clinical advice, managerial advice, personal development and performance appraisal. oAble to formally and informally teach and advice staff and students in the service on aspects of mental health and occupational therapy practice. oAbility to promote the role of OT within the multidisciplinary teams. oAble to critically appraise literature and research and use to inform own practice and service development.

Desirable

• oEvidence of project management skills. oEvidence of ability to me
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