Job summary Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust is the health provider for the delivery of an Integrated Mental Health Team (IMHT) at HMP Altcourse. The service is designed to support the holistic mental health needs of our client group in partnership with our Physical Healthcare and HMPPS partners. HMP Altcourse is a Category B, male only local prison in the Liverpool area. Core aims of the service are to improve mental and psychological wellbeing via a range of interventions, build the development of independent core skills, reduce risk, and advocate for mental health within the wider prison. The post holder will be joining a dedicated team of clinical and from a range of backgrounds and experience. Team members have high levels of skill, passion and enthusiasm (and humour) and are committed to ensuring the on-going successful development of the service and the opportunities it provides for our population. Main duties of the job We are now recruiting a Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist to join our team. The successful candidate will provide leadership and oversight to ensure the effective delivery of an Occupational Therapy service. The post holder will have clinical responsibility of the provision of assessment, individual and group based therapeutic interventions and evaluating the effectiveness of the service. This will cover the array of clinical work that would promote occupational, psychological, recreational and supportive activity to meet the holistic needs of the individual prisoner. The post holder should have considerable experience of working with individuals with complex clinical and risk presentations including within institutional settings and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. This should include work with clients whose needs may mean that they find it difficult to engage with services. Experience of working in complex service and organisational settings is required alongside an ability to constructively manage the personal, professional and ethical opportunities and challenges such work can involve. Within the IMHT's, we prioritise the development of our staff team and have proven that we value and nurture diverse clinical interests. We are committed to creating an empowered staff team. We strive to be reflective and support of each other which is vital given the challenges this work can entail. About us Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands. We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities. At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so. Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles. Date posted 22 April 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 7 Salary £46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 350-SC7128722 Job locations HMP Altcourse Brookfield Drive Liverpool L9 7LH Job description Job responsibilities To provide leadership and highly specialist clinical expertise in the provision of an Occupational Therapy service for service users who have mental illness related needs within a custodial setting. To provide an Occupational Therapy service which is inclusive of best practice, evidence-based practice and outcome focussed. To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team in providing and coordinating a therapeutic, person centred treatment and care pathway. To provide clinical expertise to guide and influence the integrated therapeutic approach from an Occupational Therapy perspective to registered nurses, psychology, medical staff, speech and language therapists and support/direct care staff in the development and provision of meaningful occupational / recreational / educational facilities. Job description Job responsibilities To provide leadership and highly specialist clinical expertise in the provision of an Occupational Therapy service for service users who have mental illness related needs within a custodial setting. To provide an Occupational Therapy service which is inclusive of best practice, evidence-based practice and outcome focussed. To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team in providing and coordinating a therapeutic, person centred treatment and care pathway. To provide clinical expertise to guide and influence the integrated therapeutic approach from an Occupational Therapy perspective to registered nurses, psychology, medical staff, speech and language therapists and support/direct care staff in the development and provision of meaningful occupational / recreational / educational facilities. Person Specification Qualifications Essential oDiploma/Degree or equivalent Occupational Therapy qualification oEvidence of post-qualified study/short courses and Continuing Professional Development oHealth and Care Professions Council Registration Desirable oPost Graduate qualification in relevant area to role oFieldwork Educator Training Knowledge & Experience Essential Current legislation and national initiatives related to mental illness Clinical and environment assessment & management of clinical risk Knowledge of Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended by Mental Health Act 2007) Knowledge of Mental Health Capacity Act 2005 Knowledge of relational security 'See Think Act' (DoH, 2010) Minimum of three years post- qualifying experience as an Occupational Therapist Supervision of staff and students Development of Occupational Therapy services Application of Occupational Therapy Models of Practice and Standardised Assessments & Outcome Measures Involvement in research and clinical audit Desirable AMPS training Personality Disorder Autism Dialectal Behavioural Therapy Sensory Integration OCAIRS MOHOST VQ ACIS Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Psycho-Social Intervention Experience of working in forensic services 12 months in learning disabilities/mental health services Line-manage non-OT staff Familiar with Electronic Patient Records (EPR) system Understanding and use of the Model of Human Occupation and its associated assessment tools and outcome measures Values Essential Continuous Improvement Accountability Respectfulness Enthusiasm Support Responsive to service users Engaging leadership style Strong customer service belief Transparency and honesty Discreet Skills Essential Leadership Qualities Ability to provide training, advice and guidance to staff/service users Ability to complete assessments and clinical reports in line with the CPA process and Royal College of Occupational Therapy guidance Demonstrates depth of clinical skills and implementation Occupational Therapy clinical practice and ability to hold a complex caseload Ability to identify and implement clinical and service developments Ability to work autonomously as well as effectively with team members and other agencies Managerial Skills Ability to be an effective role model Clear effective written & verbal communication Basic IT skills Ability to be an effective role model Desirable oDesigning and implementing research projects oAbility to reflect and critically appraise own and others performance Person Specification Qualifications Essential oDiploma/Degree or equivalent Occupational Therapy qualification oEvidence of post-qualified study/short courses and Continuing Professional Development oHealth and Care Professions Council Registration Desirable oPost Graduate qualification in relevant area to role oFieldwork Educator Training Knowledge & Experience Essential Current legislation and national initiatives related to mental illness Clinical and environment assessment & management of clinical risk Knowledge of Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended by Mental Health Act 2007) Knowledge of Mental Health Capacity Act 2005 Knowledge of relational security 'See Think Act' (DoH, 2010) Minimum of three years post- qualifying experience as an Occupational Therapist Supervision of staff and students Development of Occupational Therapy services Application of Occupational Therapy Models of Practice and Standardised Assessments & Outcome Measures Involvement in research and clinical audit Desirable AMPS training Personality Disorder Autism Dialectal Behavioural Therapy Sensory Integration OCAIRS MOHOST VQ ACIS Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Psycho-Social Intervention Experience of working in forensic services 12 months in learning disabilities/mental health services Line-manage non-OT staff Familiar with Electronic Patient Records (EPR) system Understanding and use of the Model of Human Occupation and its associated assessment tools and outcome measures Values Essential Continuous Improvement Accountability Respectfulness Enthusiasm Support Responsive to service users Engaging leadership style Strong customer service belief Transparency and honesty Discreet Skills Essential Leadership Qualities Ability to provide training, advice and guidance to staff/service users Ability to complete assessments and clinical reports in line with the CPA process and Royal College of Occupational Therapy guidance Demonstrates depth of clinical skills and implementation Occupational Therapy clinical practice and ability to hold a complex caseload Ability to identify and implement clinical and service developments Ability to work autonomously as well as effectively with team members and other agencies Managerial Skills Ability to be an effective role model Clear effective written & verbal communication Basic IT skills Ability to be an effective role model Desirable oDesigning and implementing research projects oAbility to reflect and critically appraise own and others performance 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. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information 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. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust Address HMP Altcourse Brookfield Drive Liverpool L9 7LH Employer's website https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)