We are looking to recruit a Band 5 Occupational Therapist to join our team, based at Green Lane Hospital, Devizes. Poppy is a 20 bed acute admissions ward for adults of working age in the acute phase of their mental illness.

We are looking for Occupational Therapists who are passionate about mental health and ready to develop their occupational therapy skills. You will be working as part of the multidisciplinary team with other allied health professionals, nursing and medical colleagues, focussing on mental health recovery, but additionally physical function and practical abilities of service users. This is a role where you can develop all your occupational therapy skills. Whether you are newly qualified, about to graduate, returning to practice or looking for a change this could be the role for you.

We can offer regular supervision, preceptorship, exciting training opportunities and links to the wider therapy team in AWP. You will have support of Band 6 and Band 7 Occupational Therapists. There are opportunities to work flexibly which can be discussed prior to or at interview.

Main duties of the job

Responding to the needs of the service, under supervision and working alongside the experienced Band 6 Occupational Therapist, you will develop your skills in a range of OT assessments and group interventions.

You will be equipped with training and a toolbox of assessments that can be used, including Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability, Allen Cognitive Level Screen assessment and Model of Human Occupation assessments. You will need to be a flexible and versatile practitioner who is committed to lifelong learning in order to deliver to an outstanding service. Reflective practice and the use of evidence based interventions will enable you to grow in confidence in this role.

You will be an active and involved member of the multidisciplinary team with an emphasis of developing integrated and meaningful person centred plans of care and promoting the OT role.You will be required to work both in the ward environment but also conduct home assessments to facilitate a safe discharges.

You will have the opportunity to develop the service and the OT team are currently exploring the use of sensory spaces and strategies on inpatient wards.

Please do not hesitate to contact Megan Moody, Lead Occupational Therapist to find out more about the role or ask any questions, megan.moody@nhs.net.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job description Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities, Patient Contact

Accountable for designated caseload, working within an evidenced based occupational therapy treatment plan and care programme approach under the guidance of the supervising occupational therapist. Service users may demonstrate behaviours that challenge and have difficult family situations of relevance.

Undertakes occupational therapy assessments, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits.

Assesses and manages risk effectively in clinical and community settings including the service users own home

Works with service users and carers to identify Occupational Therapy goals as part of the overall Multidisciplinary Team plan.

Develops and implements individual and/or group interventions, in collaboration with the service user(s) and MDT to achieve therapeutic goals.

Uses technical and creative skills to engage service users in therapeutic activities and encourages them in a compassionate manner, to support them in achieving their identified goals.

Monitors and evaluates occupational therapy treatment in order to measure progress and modifies treatment plans to ensure effectiveness of clinical interventions.

Provides reports on service user progress at clinical meetings and participates in the clinical decision-making process regarding service user care programmes as part of the multidisciplinary team.

Provides advice, education and training to service users, carers and other healthcare staff involved in service users care.

Undertakes health promotion activities.

Assesses service users for and fits adapted equipment in the home, as appropriate.

Acts as lead professional for service users if no other professional is involved in the service users care and may undertake care co-ordination for service users on Care Programme Approach where there is an occupational therapy component identified.

Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of service user harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the service user.

Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding thesafeguarding of children who may be at risk.

Demonstrates safe moving and handling of service users, using equipment as required.

Demonstrates safe physical interventions in the management of violence and aggression as required.

Administrative Responsibilities

Undertakes administrative tasks in relation to own work.

Uses Microsoft Office applications on a daily basis.

Responsibility for Information SystemsResponsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive service user records using RIO or other electronic systems approved by the Trust and in accordance with the Trust and professional record keeping standards.

Writes letters and reports on service users progress for distribution to other healthcare professionals.

Contributes to MDT reports.

Records information required for statistical purposes in an accurate and timely manner.

Uses recording tools (e.g. Clustering tool) and related assessments accurately as a key part of the system requirements, where appropriate.

Responsibility for Planning/Organising & Strategic/Business Development Plans own workload, managing competing demands (e.g. urgent referrals) to ensure care is delivered according to clinical priority.

Delegates work to OT assistants whose competence has been established, whilst maintaining professional accountability and ensuring their work meets required professional standards.

Plans, organises and writes session plans for individual service users or groups.

May undertake care co-ordination for service users on Care Programme Approach where there is an occupational therapy component identified.

Plans training sessions, workshops, seminars and poster displays.

Policy DevelopmentContributes to the development of policies and procedures in own area as part of the Occupational Therapy Team.

Service Development, Project Management

Participates in continual safety and quality improvement activities as part of the Occupational Therapy Team

Financial Responsibilities

Monitors stock levels and may raise requisitions for authorisation, to maintain appropriate levels of supplies.

Uses petty cash for therapeutic activities as appropriate.

Responsibility for Physical Resources, Estates, Hotel Services

Has a personal duty of care to ensure all equipment is used safely and effectively, following manufacturers instructions, immediately reporting any defects in accordance with local procedures.

Responsible for ensuring that staff are competent to use equipment required to undertake the tasks delegated to them.

Maintains required standards of infection control.

Ensures safe transport and storage of equipment and materials.

Ensures own work areas are kept tidy.

Uses available resources efficiently and effectively.

Research and Audit

Keeps up to date with new developments in the field, critically evaluating available research and disseminating information to inform evidence-based practice.

Maintains a personal professional portfolio of learning activity in compliance with professional body requirements.

Demonstrates an understanding of the clinical governance framework and contributes to the setting and monitoring of quality standards for clinical work and implements agreed action plans.

Participates in research projects and clinical audits in own work area as required.

Staff Management, Training and Development, HR

Provides training to occupational therapy assistants and students, monitoring and evaluating learning outcomes, providing feedback and assessing competencies to facilitate learning in practice.

Identifies and meets the training needs of carers, volunteers, healthcare staff from other professions and outside agencies regarding occupational performance of service users.

Participates in the induction of new staff to the clinical area.

In the absence of a more senior therapist, may undertake day to day supervision of occupational therapy assistants and students including work allocation, checking record keeping and quality of care delivered and providing clinical advice and guidance as required.

Provides clinical supervision to occupational therapy assistants.

Communication

Communicates in a way which recognises difference and ensures that people feel included and their individual communication needs are met.

Uses appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication methods to ensure effective therapeutic engagement with service users who have a range of cognitive and communication abilities. This requires communicating complex or sensitive information using persuasion, motivation and reassurance to achieve collaborative participation in the implementation oftherapy plans.

Communicates information regarding service users needs and progress positively, compassionately and in a timely manner to carers as appropriate having due regard for confidentiality at all times.

Attends clinical team meetings, providing reports and recommendations on service user therapy as required and contributing to the clinical decision making process.

Ensures that effective communication systems are maintained across the multidisciplinary team and strengthens partnership links with GPs, social workers, community and voluntary agencies.

Participates in professional forums and special interest groups.

Uses a range of communication skills to ensure optimal learning for participants in training sessions or undertaking other learning activities.

Ensures that communication with members of the public is professional and courteous at all times.

Deals with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.

Analyses service users responses/progress when undertaking therapeutic activities. Modifies activities to maximise clinical effectiveness according to the particular circumstances at the time.

Uses judgement to provide appropriate advice to other staff.

Identifies non-routine situations and takes appropriate action.

Decides when to escalate issues to a more senior therapist.

Responsible for maintaining appropriate boundaries with service users.Freedom to Act

Works within HCPC Code of Professional Conduct and Professional Standards, accountable for own professional practice including work delegated to others.

Works within occupational policies, procedures and protocols, using discretion as appropriate.

Receives regular clinical supervision.

Recognises own limitations and seeks advice and guidance from more experienced colleagues as appropriate.

Personal Responsibilities

Comply with the terms of the contract of employment and the Trusts Statement of Values and Behaviours.

Be aware of, comply with and keep up to date with all Trust Policies and Procedures and other communications relevant to the role.

Maintain registration with the appropriate professional body where applicable and comply with the relevant code of conduct and standards of professional practice.

Fully participate in management, clinical and professional supervision sessions relevant to the role, as required by the Trust.

Fully participate in annual appraisal and appraisal reviews.

Maintain up to date knowledge and competency in the skills required to perform safely and effectively in the role. Undertake relevant training (including statutory and mandatory training) and be responsible for personal development agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the AFC Knowledge and Skills Framework.

Person Specification Qualification and experience Essential

• Occupational Therapist Qualification enabling registration as OT with the HCPC

Desirable

• Evidence of experience/ interest of working with mental health client
  
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  342-WTS018-0123