The Wandsworth Learning Disability Healthcare Team is seeking a Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join a multi-disciplinary team working with adults with learning disabilities in the community.

The Wandsworth Learning Disability Team (WLDT) is a multidisciplinary service, which provides community-based health care for adults over the age of 18 with learning disabilities, who have a Wandsworth GP. The WLDHT provides specialist assessment, intervention and healthcare they facilitate access to mainstream services where appropriate. The service aims to respond to the individual needs of people with learning disabilities in a way that is both empowering and recognises their goals and aspirations whilst working in collaboration with professionals from health, social care and other agencies.

The Occupational Therapists are responsible for providing a high quality, expert service to service users and support and advice to their families and carers. The service is sensitive to the highly complex physical, mental and behavioural needs of service users and their variable socio-economic, ethnic and cultural diversity.

Main duties of the job

You will have at least two years' experience of working as an Occupational Therapist post qualifying and evidence of a special interest in Learning Disabilities. You will be able to work autonomously and demonstrate enthusiasm and creativity in your approach to your work. A holistic approach to assessing the needs of people with learning disabilities and planning interventions involves a partnership approach with the service user, their carer(s), professional colleagues and any organisations involved in their care. Excellent communication and organisational skills will enable you to manage a varied caseload. You will have the opportunity to develop supervisory skills through supervising more junior staff and participate in education of students on placement within the team.

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 high quality Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions to service users with learning disabilities who are experiencing mental health difficulties and complex behaviours.
• To provide a variety of interventions including direct clinical work with service users, support for families and carers and consultation with members of the multi disciplinary team and across the wider professional networks.
• To participate in multidisciplinary supervision and provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal.
• To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of OT services within the identified service, holding responsibility for defined caseloads.
• To contribute to the maintenance and development of the Trust OT Service.
• To regularly supervise OT students on practice placement.
• To promote Recovery & Social Inclusion.
• To act as the designated Disability Champion, leading the multi-disciplinary team in Disability Equality matters within the service and other areas as required.
• To contribute from an occupational therapy perspective to individual care plans
• To maintain accurate and timely clinical records
• To participate in multidisciplinary meetings bringing the Occupational therapy perspective to MDT discussions

Person Specification

Qualitification

Essential

• Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
• Registration to practice in the UK

Experience

Essential

• Fieldwork experience in physical and mental health/learning disability settings
• Experience of multidisciplinary working

Desirable

• Experience of individual & group work
• Experience of using mental health/Learning Disability services as a service users or carer/relative/friend of a service user

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Good interpersonal skills with service users and their support networks, relevant agencies and colleagues
• Basic IT and word processing skills
• Ability to reflect on & critically appraise own performance
• Ability to support junior colleagues & peers in their development e.g. offering information, alerting them to training/development opportunities
• Evidence of CPD & development activities
• Ability to work in a way that minimises risks to health, safety & security of self, colleagues, service user & members of the public
• Ability to assess and manage risk
• Ability to assist in maintaining a healthy, safe & secure working environment

Desirable

• Knowledge of current policy and guidelines relevant to occupational therapy practice eg CPA, clinical governance , NSF
• Knowledge of Equal Opportunities legislation & its implications for working with service users & colleagues

Employer details

Employer name

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

Balham Health Centre

120 - 124 Bedford Hill

London

SW12 9HS

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

294-MHCA-6375303-JB