Are you an Occupational Therapist looking for an exciting opportunity to be part of a new service development in the Cheshire and Merseyside Region?

The Specialist Community Forensic Team have recently been commissioned to work with key stakeholders and partner agencies to enhance community provision for people who are autistic or who have a learning disability.

The Specialist Community Forensic Team are is multi-disciplinary team which consists of Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Psychology and Social Work. You would be expected to work across all areas of Cheshire and Merseyside and liaise with a range of partner agencies. As a developing service, there is likely to be an investment across disciplines in relation to CPD activity and further relevant qualifications to the post.

Working hours are primarily Monday-Friday 9-5pm, flexible working will be considered for all roles. You will be based at Hollins Park as our community base. We are looking to recruit two Band 6 Occupational Therapists, who will work alongside the Band 7 Occupational Therapist.

This post is subject toan enhanced check with adults barred listDisclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.

Main duties of the job

Within the role, you will be required to provide high quality Occupational Therapy consultation, specialist assessment and intervention to deliver effective and person -centred services for people who have come into contact or at risk of contact with CJS.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL Occupational Therapy Specific

To carry an Occupational Therapy clinical caseload for the CM SCFT with individuals with a Learning Disabilities and or Autism who present a risk of offending or have offended.

Undertake specialist Occupational Therapy assessments, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits in areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.

Identify barriers and opportunities surrounding an individuals engagement within their environment to promote participation in meaningful occupations and associated roles.

Plan and implement individual and/ or group intervention, using selected and graded meaningful activity to develop the individuals skills and identified areas of difficulty.

To collaboratively and creatively develop meaningful occupational treatment goals to initiate and monitor change to improve an individuals quality of life and reduce the risk of offending/ re-offending.

Contribute to ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the Occupational Therapy process in line with sound evidence based practice.

To ensure core Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention recommendations are integrated within wider clinical frameworks and care plans e.g. PBS/ and or Good Lives Model Framework.

Work closely with Occupational Therapy colleagues from other clinical settings / teams, providing individual and peer group support.

To undertake a thorough specialist assessment and screening of new referrals in MDT forums, using a range of tools that requires skilled interpretation and analysis.

Support the development of independent living skills, including vocations or employment, which promotes social inclusion and improves quality of life, reducing the risk of occupational deprivation and offending/ re-offending.

MANAGERIAL / PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

Exercise initiative and independence in carrying out activities at a professional level and deputise for identified management and clinical activities on behalf of the Highly Specialised Occupational Therapist.

Demonstrate engaging leadership skills to be able to initiate, monitor and implement change, leading by example and motivating others.

In line with local guidelines, review and reflect on own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.

To provide effective guidance, supervision and appraisals for junior staff as required both internally and externally.

To articulate the principles of Occupational Therapy to others and be a positive ambassador for the profession.

To attend, facilitate and chair multidisciplinary meetings when required, producing reports and giving feedback on individual cases.

To use verbal and non-verbal communication skills established through training and experience to impart sensitive information and manage difficult conversations.

To participate in the operational planning, and implementation of policy and service development within your team, leading on delegated projects.

To proactively engage in horizon scanning and identify potential gaps in service delivery.

CLINICAL Shared Team

To provide comprehensive risk assessment of offending and / or other complex behaviours and provide risk management strategies and recommendations within a multi -agency context.

Contribute to the development of a formulation of offending behaviour and/or risk within comprehensive risk assessment frameworks e.g. FARAS.

To uphold and advocate for least restrictive practice principles and uphold clinical responsibility within appropriate legal frameworks.

To participate in and/or lead service user reviews ensuring that service users needs are met and that the team has all the relevant information on which to base their clinical decisions.

To liaise with family members, carers and significant others as necessary when completing the assessment and developing care plans. To be a point of contact for service users and carers that have concerns regarding their care, making every effort to resolve their concerns sensitively and promptly, referring to and informing to senior management as required.

To collaboratively develop crisis contingency plans consistently promoting meaningful engagement of service users in their care and treatment.

To use skills gained through training and experience to de-escalate situations where service users may become physically or verbally aggressive.

To utilise core interpersonal skills to quickly and effectively build positive relationships with external agencies whilst managing expectations, recognising need for both compassion and negotiation.

Essential

Degree/Diploma/MSc Accelerated in Occupational Therapy

Evidence of post registration study

Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration

Enhanced DBS disclosure

Desirable

Post registration training in Occupational Therapy assessments (e.g. AMPS MOHOST, VQ, ACIS, OCAIRS AND Case Formulation)

Post registration training in leadership

Practice placement education qualification

Sensory Integration Training

Membership of professional body

Forensic Risk Assessment (RSVP, HCR-V3 & FARAS)

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Have significant post qualification experience as an Occupational Therapist.

Experience of working with service users who have Learning disabilities and/ or Autism (risk of offending/behaviours of concern)

Ability to work in a multiagency context and identify opportunities and barriers to change.

Experience of communicating with people on complex matters, issues and ideas and / or complex situation.

Experience working with staff teams, providing consultancy, training and clinical/ management supervision to staff.

Experience of service development.

Experience using both group and individual treatment skills.

Experience of critical analysis of research and how to embed into current practice.

A good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act, DOLs, Safeguarding and the legal frameworks applicable to working with offenders in a community setting.

Desirable

Experience of working in forensic services.

In depth understanding of the Criminal Justice Process.

Understanding of the Good Lives Model.

VALUES

Essential

Continuous Improvement

Accountability

Respectfulness

Enthusiasm

Support

High professional standards

Responsive to service users

Engaging leadership style

SKILLS

Able to work both collaboratively and autonomously using own initiative to prioritise and manage own time effectively.

Effective leadership qualities.

Skills in using IT and multi media to develop and deliver training.

Ability to network and influence decision making.

Ability to work with difficult issues (e.g. abuse & sexual offending) make decisions and recognise limits of own competency.

Skills in responding to crisis situations and provide advice / guidance in ensuring service users, their carers and members of the public are kept safe.

Ability to utilise assessment skills and tools effectively.

Ability to formulate relevant reports in a timely manner.

Skills in record keeping.

Flexible approach/ creative thinking.

Ability to lead by example and role-model.

Ability and willingness to travel across the North West.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant professional OT qualification
• Current HPC registration

Desirable

• Fieldwork Educators certificate
• Post graduate accredited study e.g. PSI, CBT, MSc in relevant health studies

KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Previous experience in relevant health settings
• Supervision of staff
• Effective team working within a multi-agency framework
• Experience of service development
• Experience using both group and individual treatment skills
• Demonstrate experience of problem solving approaches
• Audit and research practices relevant to clinical area
• Assisting with effective budgetary management
• Evidence based and experience of reflective practice
• Recovery Model of Care
• Model of Human Occupation
• Safe Guarding Children
• Effective Care Coordination
• Relevant national policies and guidance
• Up to date clinical knowledge relevant to the care environment
• Audit and research methods
• Vulnerable adults guidelines
• Able to discuss/explain specialist OT role
• Awareness of own
• strengths and limitations

Desirable

• Post graduate clinical experience, within mental health services
• Wider range of statutory and non-statutory services
• Risk management training

SKILLS

Essential

• Ability to utilise assessment skills and tools effectively
• Ability to communicate in a variety of settings
• Ability to formulate relevant reports
• Delegation and coordination
• Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
• Mentorship skills
• Accurate Record keeping
• Flexible approach/ creative thinking
• Able to move and handle clients
• IT skills

Desirable

• Effective leadership qualities
• Presentation skills
• Ability to network and influence decision making
• Team Building skills

Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hollins Park

Hollins Lane

Winnick

WA2 8WA

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

350-SC6528358