We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Band 5 Occupational Therapist to join our team based in Care Direct Plus South, Newton Abbot.
The Team:The Care Direct Plus South Occupational Therapy team are based in Newton Abbot but also work remotely.
We cover a large area including some rural communities as well as towns and villages across South Devon. Our team is closely connected with NHS teams, other social care teams, district councils, housing and equipment providers.
We are an enthusiastic, supportive team made up of social care assessors and both band 5 and band 6 occupational therapists. The team carry out assessments over the telephone, virtually using other forms of technology and face to face in the persons own home.
You will be part of a friendly, supportive and experienced team with regular peer support, supervision, appraisal, team meetings and a commitment to learning and development, having access to regular CPD sessions.
You will have the opportunity to travel around the very scenic South Devon to assess and support the people that we work with.
You will be assessing the needs of adults with a wide range of disabilities and health conditions across South Devon. Clinical responsibilities include enabling people to maximise their independence and potential, as well as increasing their safety through reducing and managing risk to themselves and their carers.
You will be required to hold and manage a caseload and provide a person-centred service through clinical assessment within the context of local government policy and legislation.Your Occupational Therapy intervention will be determined by the Care Act 2014 eligibility criteria and a strengths-based approach, aiming to promote independence.
Interventions could include signposting or advice, provision of equipment, minor adaptations, recommendations for major adaptations, support with rehousing, recommendation for packages of care or referral onto other teams.
You will be committed to equality and diversity and to achieving positive outcomes for the people of South Devon.As a Band 5 you will be well supported in developing your skills as a Social Care Occupational Therapist using our Preceptorship programme.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Brief overall description of role:
Use of Occupational Therapy (OT) philosophy and the delivery of interventions focussing on
promoting independence by supporting individuals to maximise their occupational performance in
the activities that are important to them.
Use of OT core skills, including activity analysis, the understanding of the impact of disability and
the environment on independence and the knowledge of adaptive solutions to reduce dependence.
Working across all areas of Social Care and Health responsibility and delivering a range of
interventions including; information, advice, safeguarding and full case management as well as
environmental adaptation and equipment provision and the use of a reabling approach.
Working as full members of the Team, Community Occupational Therapists are responsible for
providing a person-centred service through specialist clinical assessment within the context of
Social Care and Health policy and legislation. The post involves managing, with senior (Band 6 or
above) clinical support, an individual caseload and lone working in a variety of settings.
The work will include screening and assessment roles, both face to face and over the telephone,
involving clinical Occupational therapy skills and specialised therapy work.
With senior (Band 6 or above) OT support, it will include providing support, advice and training as
applicable to a range of staff including non-professionally registered workers, students (including
OT and Social Work) and other professionals.
Extended Services (Saturday working) has been introduced for some roles/settings to ensure
facilitation of hospital discharges on a Saturday and bring forward and expedite discharges or
prevent admission.
Major Tasks / Responsibilities:
Overall Tasks
Using a strength-based approach, completing an assessment of the needs of individuals and
contribute by triaging to identify the appropriate service to meet their needs, including
discussions with other professionals.
Provision of Advice and information to colleagues as required on specific cases relating to
people with physical disabilities, regarding solutions such as equipment and adaptations and
the use of a reabling approach to promote independence and support carers.
Where it is appropriate to best meet the needs of the individual, the role will include the full
range of care management activities including Review and Care Planning activities
Contributing to investigations where there are concerns regarding the safety of vulnerable
individuals.
Contributing to training, development and providing clinical support to non-professionally
registered workers and students, to further their expertise, skills and knowledge in this area of
work.
Specialist OT Assessment and Advice
General:
Working under the supervision of a senior (Band 6 or above) Occupational Therapist,
combining the clinical knowledge of medical conditions with an understanding of the impact of
disability, you will support the individual and/or their carers to find or learn alternative techniques
for completing their desired activities, sourcing or providing information regarding equipment
(including TECS such as telecare and other technology solutions) or environmental solutions to
maximise independence or reduce dependence:
Information gathering, identifying what is important to the individual, analysing the information to
identify with the individual, solutions to reduce dependence, for example, completing face to
face or telephone strength-based assessments with individuals, working with the individual and
carers to identify individual outcomes/goals.
Providing support for the individual to source their own solutions or direct prescription of
equipment and environmental adaptations following an assessment, including direct referral to
local authorities, housing associations and other organisations.
Screening and referral of individuals for other services including, community and voluntary
sector services relevant to the individuals needs, to maximise their independence.
Developmental activity
Work flexibly and creatively to contribute to the development of Occupational Therapy services
across social care and health.
Contribute to organisational operational objectives as relevant to role and grade.
Contribute to development of the social care and health work force including supporting
students and non-professionally registered workers.
With senior (Band 6 or above) OT support undertake on a daily basis an individual-centred
approach to meeting need:
Clinical
General:
To work with individuals with acute and/or chronic conditions including those with life limiting conditions, in a variety of settings, to undertake proportionate assessments of need
applying the Person, Environmental, Occupational and Performance (PEOP Christiansen and
Baum 2005) model of Occupational Therapy practice.
To apply Occupational Therapy skills and knowledge to maximise independence prior to making
and arrangements for care and support so minimising dependency and costs both in the short and
longer term.
To identify safeguarding adults concerns, implement and contribute to the application of
safeguarding policies processes, for individual cases as appropriate.
To complete assessments under Care Act 2014 and complete full care management activities
including Review and Care Planning
Utilising in-depth knowledge of physical and mental function to complete the assessment of
need and recommendations for major adaptations and Disabled Facilities Grants, (provision is
under Housing Grants Construction and regeneration Act 1996 rather than Social Care or
Health legislation)
To work closely with the individual and other agencies to promote inclusion and opportunity to
access the wider community.
Where necessary provide specialist non-complex clinical reports.
To understand the progression of medical conditions and therefore the potential impact on: the
individual, their carer/family and ultimately their personal aspirations/goals
Complete and analyse holistic person-centred assessments in the context of an individuals
medical conditions on their daily occupations
To understand the individuals narrative, as told by them, within the context of their daily life in
relation to the impact of their medical conditions or vulnerability
To work with the person (and/or carer/family) to identify what is important to them, what their
goals and strengths are, whilst identifying any physical, environmental and mental barriers of
their medical condition/vulnerability
To identify with the person (and/or carer/family) potential solutions to any identified barriers to
achieving/maximising independence at all times recognising and acknowledging the persons
goals
To use your knowledge and understanding of activity analysis to assist the person to identify
and plan achievable and graded activities/targets that work towards their ultimate goals
To use your knowledge and understanding regarding physical and mental function to support
people to achieve their goals and take informed risks to maximise their independence potential
To use your knowledge and understanding of bio-mechanical movement and disease
progression to inform provision of equipment solutions and techniques eg. moving and handling
and postural seating
To complete assessment for and demonstration of safe use (individual and carer/family)
regarding adaptive and compensatory approaches to support the attainment of the persons
identified functional activities/tasks
To complete assessment for and demonstration of safe use (individual and carer/family)
regarding assistive equipment to support achievement of personal goals to maximise/achieve
independence
To provide education and teaching of lifestyle/condition management techniques to aid physical
and mental well-being
To use reflective and clinically evidence based practice to support individuals that promote
personal independence.
To use risk assessment and activity analysis techniques in relation to medical presentations to
promote and maximise independence in daily occupations that are important to the individual.
Organisational
Participate in evidence based audit, contributing to evaluation of own and others clinical
practice and service development as requested.
Contribute to the induction of new staff (professionally and non-professionally registered) and
the education of professional registration students.
Possess and apply competent practical I.T. skills sufficient to complete the role and to meet
organisational requirements.
Contribute to ensuring the efficient use of resources, participating in budget control and best
value initiatives as identified by the line manager.
Work within appropriate senior OT support and participate in supervision and appraisal
processes in accordance with DCC policy and standards, consulting with line
manager/professional supervisor/professional lead where there are significant risks or
complexity.
Authorise spend on services within clinical and financial limits as designated by role and grade.
Please click the attachment on the right hand side to see the full Job Description & Person Specification.