Mental Health Senior Occupational Therapist

Job summary

Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust is a major employer and provider of services. Our Service Users, Carers and Staff are central, and our Values are important, to the delivery of high-quality care. We actively seek out individuals who share these values:

Working together for service users

Respect and kindness

Everyone counts

Commitment to quality

Improving lives

Main duties of the job

General requirements

To manage a caseload of clients with complex needs using specialist Occupational Therapy skills and evidence based /client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.

To provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal.

To provide supervision of Occupational Therapy Students on practice placement.

To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of Occupational Therapy services within a designated area/team, holding responsibility for defined projects

About us

The Trust is a major employer and provider of services. We are committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of and meets the needs of the local community.

We oppose all forms of discrimination on legal and moral grounds and recognise that discrimination creates barriers to achieving equality for everyone.

The Trust is committed to making equality of opportunity and fair treatment a reality whereby an individual can seek, obtain and continue employment without unfair discrimination.

As an equal opportunities employer, we will ensure that all job applicants and employees receive fair and equal treatment and will not be disadvantaged by unjustified conditions or requirements.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job description

Job title: Senior Occupational Therapist

Band: 7

Reports to: Primary and Community Mental Health Team Programme Leads

Accountable to: Occupational Therapy Professional Lead

Base: Home/ GP/ Community venues

Values:

Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust is a major employer and provider of services. Our Service Users, Carers and Staff are central, and our Values are important, to the delivery of high-quality care. We actively seek out individuals who share these values:

Working together for service users

Respect and kindness

Everyone counts

Commitment to quality

Improving lives

Job purpose

You will work within a new multi-disciplinary team of GPs, primary care, mental health and physical health professionals across primary care networks to improve mental health recovery and increase annual health checks for adults with severe mental illness, including complex mental health difficulties associated with a diagnosis of personality disorder

We are looking for innovative and proactive occupational therapist who have experience of providing occupational focused assessment and interventions for individuals with mental health conditions, including severe mental illness. They will have experience of working with multidisciplinary teams and the capacity to develop good working relationships across the whole city.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a real commitment and compassion for working with this client group and across a diverse population.

General requirements

To manage a caseload of clients with complex needs using specialist Occupational Therapy skills and evidence based /client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.

To provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal.

To provide supervision of Occupational Therapy Students on practice placement.

To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of Occupational Therapy services within a designated area/team, holding responsibility for defined projects

Principal duties & Job description review

Clinical

To select and apply Occupational Therapy Assessments for a caseload with complex needs addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, enabling the client in areas of self maintenance productivity and leisure.

To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of work.

To undertake the comprehensive OT assessment of clients using investigative and analytical skills to formulate individualised treatment plans.

To accept a clinical responsibility for a designated caseload with complex presentations, prioritising need and taking on a co-ordinating role within the team, where relevant.

To plan and implement client centred individual and/or group interventions, using clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment interventions to achieve therapeutic goals.

To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for clients with multiple needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.

To apply a high level of understanding of the effect of disability and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the clients social and physical environment where applicable.

To assess the occupational needs of a defined client group and establish and evaluate appropriate treatment programmes

To provide occupational therapy services in working conditions which may be hazardous eg exposure to body fluids, aggressive persons, visits to high risk areas and associated travel risks

To assess capacity gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework with clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

To undertake therapeutic moving and handling of clients and equipment, within clinical settings

To work with clients, carers and relatives who may have distressing social/clinical circumstances.

Communication

To establish robust communication networks with clients, carers and other health workers and agencies.

To demonstrate skills in communicating complex sensitive and contentious information to clients and carers as appropriate.

To promote awareness of the role of Occupational Therapy within the team, locally and nationally.

To demonstrate presentation skills in a variety of settings as appropriate.

Documentation

To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with Professional Agency and Trust standards and to provide specialist Occupational Therapy reports relevant to practice setting.

Professional ethics

To comply with the COT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and national and local policies and procedures

To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of clients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

To demonstrate the ability to reflect on ethical issues and to provide guidance to junior staff as necessary.

Leadership supervision & appraisal

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 leadership, performance management, supervision and appraisal for junior staff.

To demonstrate leadership skills through the management of designated projects.

Training staff & students

To contribute to the induction, training of students and other staff both within or external to the Trust.

To provide specialist advice to OT colleagues in other clinical areas.

To provide specialist advice and training to carers, clients and other professionals.

To be responsible for the supervision and written assessment of Occupational Therapy students on practice placement within the Trust.

Service development & delivery

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

This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities and in discussion with the manager the postholder may be required to undertake other duties which fall within the Banding of the post. The job description will be reviewed regularly in the light of changing service requirements and any such changes will be discussed with the post holder.

The post holder should be comfortable in the use of computer technology, have basic keyboard skills and have the ability to use email.

All employees are expected to observe the following:

Equal opportunities and dignity at work statement of intent

The Trust is a major employer and provider of services. We are committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of and meets the needs of the local community.

We oppose all forms of discrimination on legal and moral grounds and recognise that discrimination creates barriers to achieving equality for everyone.

The Trust is committed to making equality of opportunity and fair treatment a reality whereby an individual can seek, obtain and continue employment without unfair discrimination.

As an equal opportunities employer, we will ensure that all job applicants and employees receive fair and equal treatment and will not be disadvantaged by unjustified conditions or requirements.

The Trusts Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work Policy underpins the Trusts commitment to achieve equality and fairness at work and to ensure that individuals or groups are not unfairly discriminated against.

We are committed to improving our practice through signing up to initiatives such as Stonewall Champions, the Disability Standard/Disability Confident and Mindful Employer.

Safeguarding children and adults

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people (anyone under the age of 18) and adults. It expects all staff, volunteers and contracted staff to share this commitment and act in such a way that safeguards and promotes the health and wellbeing of children, young people and adults.

Staff must ensure that they are familiar with the signs and symptoms of abuse and know what to do if any such concerns are raised.

Staff are expected to know about and follow the Trusts safeguarding children and safeguarding adult policies which can be found on the Trust intranet and participate in related mandatory/statutory training.

Risk management

Staff should be aware of the principles of risk management and adopt appropriate practice to reduce the risk to themselves and others. In particular, staff should observe the Trusts Risk Management Strategy, Risk, Incident and Serious Incident reporting and management policies, Health and Safety regulations and the risk management training requirements for all staff.

Infection prevention and control

Staff are expected to comply with the Trusts Infection Prevention and Control policies and conduct themselves in such a manner as to minimise the risk of causing healthcare associated infections.

Person Specification

Learning and Continuing Professional Development

Essential

Seek opportunities to learn from and with others. Consider how the learning from other work and previous life experiences can benefit current work. Identify ways to contribute to a culture in which everyone is encouraged to constantly learn (including from mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback, and learn from and with each other. Recognise the need to learn about how own behaviours and values impact on others. Consolidate own knowledge, skills and ways of thinking, and begin to identify your own learning needs across the four Pillars of Practice, through proactive participation in regular supervision/mentoring. Actively participate in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training and relevant educational/developmental opportunities

Leadership

Essential

Identify, monitor and enhance own and others knowledge, skills and ways of thinking Lead, guide and/or facilitate teamwork Influence, design, plan and implement professional and/or organisational change Understand the cultural, social, political and economic climate locally and its impact on service delivery. Recognise the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience when advocating for self and others. Lead quality improvement and service redesign solutions, using feedback from multiple perspectives, including from people who access service delivery, including the experiences of people who access services, their families and their carers. Effectively collaborate and develop partnerships with others within and across organisational and agency boundaries, including local community groups and charities, to promote health and wellbeing using occupation. Evaluate own practice to demonstrate the impact of advanced level practice within the team. Create own networks to enhance own strategic-level leadership abilities.

Qualifications

Essential

BSc or pre-reg MSc in Occupational Therapy under a training programme approved by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Evidence of post qualification personal development, for example an MSc level module, preferably clinical practice (relevant to primary care), population health or frailty

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Ability to maintain comprehensive clinical notes and implement and evaluate care plans Ability to identify risk and assess / manage risk when working with individuals Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion Strong organisational skills, including planning, prioritising, time management and record keeping Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and clinical systems Ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety High level of written and verbal communication skills Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities, individuals, their families and carers Knowledge of Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults policies and processes

Experience

Essential

Experience of managing a designated caseload using theoretical and practical experience, completing complex assessments, planning, implementing interventions and evaluating outcomes aligned to care plans Experience of assessment and treatment delivery in long term conditions and active management Inter-professional and multi-agency team working Complete the occupational therapy process using advanced decision-making skills within complex contexts where protocols and pathways may not exist. Assume professional accountability and responsibility for a broad aspect of service delivery. Role-model advanced communication skills, including active listening, negotiation, managing sensitive news and justifying own viewpoint. Respond constructively to queries and complaints, and support others to do so. Exercise professional judgement to manage risk, including positive risk-taking, especially in complex and unpredictable situations, and support others to do so. Embed the evaluation of impact into practice, across all settings and at an operational level.

Personal Qualities

Essential

Ability to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide personalised support in a non-judgemental way Ability to provide a culturally sensitive service supporting people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues Ability to demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative

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