Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a competent, confident, and enthusiastic full time Band 3 Occupational Therapy Assistant to join our team. The Care Home Liaison Hub is based within Mental Health Services for Older People covering the 116 care homes within County Durham and Darlington and is located at Auckland Park Hospital.
The multi-disciplinary team works with patients who predominantly have a cognitive impairment and associated behaviour that challenges and their families and carers to deliver non pharmacological interventions to reduce distress.
We are looking for an occupational therapy assistant who can work flexibly to meet service need and has the vision, energy and inspiration to support in the delivery of creative, imaginative solutions to delivering occupational therapy with older people and families.
You will access wider support from the occupational therapy network in
MHSOP in TEWV, in supporting the delivering of a high quality,
Needs-led OT service, utilizing your technical and creative skills to engage patients in therapeutic activities and supporting patients/carers to achieve their identified goals.
As an occupational therapy assistant in TEWV you will provide support to service users to engage in a therapeutic programme of care, as delegated by an occupational therapist, demonstrating adherence to the Trust Values at all times and operating as a member of the team, service and organisation.
Main duties of the job
- To be responsible for working with older people with a cognitive impairment or functional illness, contributing to assessments and interventions to address key occupational areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.
- To deliver, demonstrate and review non pharmacological interventions to patients deemed to have a behaviour that challenges, care staff and families in the care home setting.
- To engage service users and their carers in therapeutic programmes of care, supporting them in achieving their identified goals and promoting independence and well-being through a patient-centred approach
- To participate in clinical supervision
- To contribute to multi-disciplinary team working
- To contribute to safety and quality improvement activities as part of occupational therapy team.
- To use the Trust electronic patient record system
- To abide by all Trust policies and procedures
- To be able to respond flexibly and creatively to challenges
About us
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
The post holder will support occupational therapists in the provision of evidence-based occupational therapy assessment and interventions as part of the OT Pathway linked to Behaviour that Challenges Clinical Link Pathway, and offer input to individuals, their families and carers, in the care home settling.
All team members must be committed to providing the best possible care for the people we work with and their families/carers.
The ability to engage and communicate with older people (often with a cognitive impairment) as well as the family/carers and system around them is essential.
Clinical/Professional supervision is provided by the supervising Occupational Therapist as identified by the relevant Lead OT. The post holder will attend OT Learning and Governance Networks to ensure fidelity to core occupational therapy delivery, enhance CPD and contribute to the wider OT service developments.
You must be able to demonstrate experience of working alongside occupational therapists or experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities. And a keenness to continually develop yourself and others. We will support use of transferrable skills from a range of clinical settings.
There are varied opportunities for training and development, with CPD needs being identified and monitored through appraisal.
Due to the nature of the role it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
The post holder will support occupational therapists in the provision of evidence-based occupational therapy assessment and interventions as part of the OT Pathway linked to Behaviour that Challenges Clinical Link Pathway, and offer input to individuals, their families and carers, in the care home settling.
All team members must be committed to providing the best possible care for the people we work with and their families/carers.
The ability to engage and communicate with older people (often with a cognitive impairment) as well as the family/carers and system around them is essential.
Clinical/Professional supervision is provided by the supervising Occupational Therapist as identified by the relevant Lead OT. The post holder will attend OT Learning and Governance Networks to ensure fidelity to core occupational therapy delivery, enhance CPD and contribute to the wider OT service developments.
You must be able to demonstrate experience of working alongside occupational therapists or experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities. And a keenness to continually develop yourself and others. We will support use of transferrable skills from a range of clinical settings.
There are varied opportunities for training and development, with CPD needs being identified and monitored through appraisal.
Due to the nature of the role it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Experience working alongside occupational therapists
- Record Keeping (within agreed timescale
- Time management and ability to prioritise effectively
- Breakaway techniques (within agreed timescale)
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant NVQ Level 3 in Care
- OR Appropriate AVCE in Health & Social Care
- OR Willingness to undertake within agreed timescale
- Numeracy, Literacy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health condi4tions or learning disabilities.
Desirable
- Experience working alongside occupational therapists
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Experience working alongside occupational therapists
- Record Keeping (within agreed timescale
- Time management and ability to prioritise effectively
- Breakaway techniques (within agreed timescale)
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant NVQ Level 3 in Care
- OR Appropriate AVCE in Health & Social Care
- OR Willingness to undertake within agreed timescale
- Numeracy, Literacy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health condi4tions or learning disabilities.
Desirable
- Experience working alongside occupational therapists
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
