Band 6 Occupational Therapist (Older Adults MH) - Long Fox Unit
The North Somerset area of Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) is now seeking an enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to work within a mental health older adults inpatient ward setting, utilizing their skills to assess and treat people with both mental health and physical problems.
This exciting opportunity will allow you to utilize your skills as a holistic, autonomous practitioner while also having the support from the multi-professional team and wider Occupational Therapy team. Within this post, you will work alongside your fellow Occupational Therapists at the Long Fox Unit. You will complete comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessments delivered through a combination of individual specialist assessments and group work.
The post holder will require excellent and adaptable communication skills and a level of sensitivity and flexibility. You are required to manage a complex caseload and be able to prioritize effectively to meet the demands of the service. The post holder will be required to take students from the surrounding universities and provide regular supervision and training to support staff. Within the trust, there are excellent training opportunities and CPD development, and you will be provided with regular supervision within Trust guidance.
Main duties of the job
You will be providing Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions alongside the wider MDT to provide patient-centered care.
You will work closely with the team in North Somerset and Bristol and across the geography of AWP with many well-established staff.
You will have a wide variety of skills and be able to adapt to the needs of service users.
Job responsibilities
Clinical Practice
To provide high quality, evidence-based occupational therapy assessments & interventions, treatment planning, and continued patient-centered care. We aim to enable service users to achieve their maximum level of function and independence in preparation for discharge.
This will include:
1. Undertaking comprehensive, person-centered OT assessment and interventions.
2. Preparing and implementing treatment plans and rehab programmes in consultation with the service users.
3. Reviewing the effectiveness of therapy provided in partnership with service users.
4. Ability to implement research-based practice.
5. Provide leadership and guidance to registered and non-registered staff and students.
6. Ability to undertake risk assessment and develop risk management strategies for individual service users, groups, and a variety of activities.
7. Have an understanding of the relevant mental health legislation and be able to apply it within practice.
8. To be able to provide advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the service users' social and physical environment.
Communications and Working Relationships
Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with a client group that can be challenging due to their mental health issues, e.g., dementia or acute psychosis.
Establish and maintain effective exchange of clinical information between relevant parties that may include MDT, carers, families, partner organizations, or voluntary third section organization.
To be responsible for communicating sensitive or complex information concerning service users to family and others involved in their care.
Provide professional advice and consultancy to the team manager, Multi-professional team members, carers, and other services.
Be aware of Trust developments through the use of intranet and e-mail.
Education and Health Promotion
To use skills, knowledge, and resources to provide learning opportunities for staff and promote positive attitudes towards mental health. This will include:
1. Providing clinical supervision through 1:1 and group sessions for registered and unregistered staff.
2. Continued support of OT students on practice placements within the Trust.
3. Provide a positive learning environment for students, OT staff, and the wider MDT.
4. There will be opportunities for CPD development and training relevant to the role.
Continuing Professional Development Objective
To maintain and develop professional knowledge, skills, and expertise to ensure that therapy reflects best practice and remains evidence-based, ensuring it is current and responsive to meet service needs and NHS needs to include:
1. Abide by the Code of Ethics and professional conduct for Occupational Therapists and HCPC standards.
2. To take responsibility for post-registration education and for continuing professional development as outlined in HCPC standards.
3. To provide and receive clinical/professional supervision in accordance with Trust supervision policy.
Most challenging part of this role
Working with and motivating a patient group whose mental health problems can be challenging and emotionally draining for staff. Work with distressed, anxious, and aggressive service users and carers. Also dealing with emotional situations when the person may have barriers to their understanding.
Maintaining links with other Occupational Therapists in a geographically widespread Trust.
Promoting the responsibilities and duties of an OT within an acute mental health setting.
Person Specification
* HCPC Registered
* Experience working as an OT in NHS setting
* Supported students and unregistered staff
* Experience of MDT working
* Experience working in Mental Health
* Knowledge of Sensory Processing
* Knowledge of VdT MoCA model
* Completed access and home visits
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.
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