Job summary
We are seeking a motivated, Lead Occupational Therapist to join Wandsworth Community Learning Disability Healthcare Team. As a friendly and dynamic team we provide specialist services for adults with learning disabilities across Wandsworth.
You will have considerable post qualifying experience working as an Occupational Therapist 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. You will lead on identified service developments and provide supervision to junior colleagues. You will need to be passionate about improving the quality of care and support to individuals with a learning disability and their carers. You must be interested in working with external partners to develop supportive networks.
You will not only carry a varied caseload but will also provide clinical leadership to a small team of occupational therapists. You will be supported in this aspect of the role by the Clinical Team Leader and Deputy Head of Therapies for the Specialist Service Line.
Main duties of the job
- To manage a caseload of service users with complex needs, using evidence based /service user centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
- To provide a specialist Occupational Therapy service to services users in the service, providing interventions underpinned by the Model of Human Occupation
- To provide OT clinical leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal.
- To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of OT services within a designated area/team, holding responsibility for defined projects.
- To contribute to the maintenance and development of the Trust OT Service.
- To monitor and maintain standards of OT practice as directed by the Head of Therapies
- To implement Trust-wide Occupational Therapy strategy by overseeing OT Clinical Specialist forums and participating in Lead OT activities as directed by the Deputy Head of Therapies for the Specialist services.
- To regularly supervise OT students on practice placement.
- To undertake regular audit and R&D activities.
- To oversee the supervision of OT students on fieldwork placements.
- To oversee Disability Equality within the service and provide 'Disability Champion' duties leading the multi-disciplinary team in Disability Equality matters within Specialist Services as required.
- To be responsible for delegated tasks, to assist in the management and administration of the service, including participation in service improvement activities.
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 use available evidence base and work in partnership with service users, carers, colleagues and other stakeholders.
- To offer interventions that are person centred, respecting choice and values.
- To use a problem solving approach, identifying and managing risk, and working in the most appropriate environment for service users and their carers will ensure equitable and accessible service provision.
- To offer interventions aimed at empowering service users to take responsibility for self-management, where this is possible
- To work with service users individually or in groups, as appropriate.
- To independently manage a caseload of service users with highly complex health and social care needs, who may have multiple pathologies and no formal medical diagnosis.
- To undertake highly specialist, comprehensive, person centred Occupational Therapy assessments, using both standardised and non-standardised tools, to ascertain service users level of functional ability, support and accommodation needs.
- To develop and implement highly specialised intervention/treatment plans, working in partnership with service users, carers, MDT and others, in order to achieve identified goals and agreed outcomes.
- To promote independence, develop/maintain function and train service users, carers and colleagues in carrying out appropriate parts of the intervention programme
- To evaluate outcomes, re-assessing and modifying goals and intervention plans as necessary in order to measure effectiveness of intervention and progress or plan discharge.
- To use advanced clinical reasoning and reflection, to evaluate and interpret the range of complex information gathered during assessment and intervention with service users.
- To assess for, prescribe/recommend, assemble and monitor specialist equipment, environmental adaptations, wheelchairs, specialist seating and postural control systems in order to ensure that people with additional physical disabilities are able to live as independently as possible and minimise the physical demands on carers.
- To initiate and undertake complex risk assessments, both individual and environmental, in order to advise on appropriate management for moving and handling, and the safe use of equipment and adaptations in home and day care settings, where this forms part of an intervention programme.
- To use verbal and non-verbal communication tools to gain valid informed consent prior to assessment and intervention and use the legal framework pertaining to service users who lack the capacity to consent.
- To work autonomously with service users in a range of settings including their home, out in the community, day care, work or college placements and other health settings.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
- Registration to practice in the UK
- Evidence of post registration training relevant to mental health practice
- Training in the theory and application of the model of human occupation within the first 4 months of appointment
Desirable
- Practice placement educators course within one year of appointment
- Leadership and/or management training
- Apple registration
Experience
Essential
- Minimum 4 years post qualification experience, including 2 years in learning disabilities
- Experience of working in an inter-professional team.
- Experience of working within a multi-agency environment.
- Experience of working in a multi-cultural context
- Experience of maintaining a written record of continual professional development
- Experience of working as an occupational therapist in a community setting
- Experience of writing specialist occupational therapy reports
Desirable
- Experience of working in a range of mental health settings
- Experience of using mental health services as a service user, or carer, relative, friend of a service user
- Experience of being a practice placement educator
- Experience of MDT project management
Knowledge and Skills- Communication
Essential
- Highly developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed & maintained with service users who have multiple & complex needs
- Basic word processing and IT skills
- Proficient standard of written communication skills
- Ability to promote & maintain the profile of OT within an MDT & the wider organisation
Knowledge and Skills- Personal and People Development
Essential
- Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities
- Ability to reflect upon and critically appraise own performance
- Ability to enable staff to develop & apply their knowledge & skills in practice
- Ability to deliver presentations
- Ability to role model positive professional behaviour
Knowledge and Skills- Health, Safety and Security
Essential
- Ability to identify and assess potential risks involved in work activities for self and others
- Ability to monitor work areas & practices to maintain a healthy, safe and secure working environment.
Knowledge and Skills- Service Improvement
Essential
- Ability to adapt own practice & style of working to service requirements
- Audit skills
- Ability to identify strategies to improve service effectiveness.
Knowledge and Skills- Equality and Diversity
Essential
- Ability to apply equal opportunities & anti-discriminatory interventions that respect the service users' customs, values & spiritual beliefs
- Ability to identify patterns of discrimination and take action
- Ability to promote a culture of recovery & social inclusion.
Knowledge and Skills- Health and Wellbeing
Essential
- Ability to assess complex health & well being needs & develop, monitor & review care plans to meet those needs
- Ability to undertake clinical risk assessment & apply risk management strategies
- Ability to independently manage a complex clinical caseload.
- Specialist clinical skills relevant to service user group
Desirable
- Working knowledge of model of human occupation tools
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 .
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 .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
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