Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and ambitious Occupational Therapist looking for their next challenge.
The Rapid Intervention and Treatment Team supports patients predominantly aged over 65 years who may be experiencing a functional mental health illness or Dementia, with a home treatment and Care Hone Liaison function. The team provides a point of access to services and short term interventions. The successful candidate will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
The post holder will require a blend of occupational therapy and self-management skills. They will be supportive to all team members at all levels, have excellent interpersonal skills, time management skills and enthusiasm for working in an ever-developing busy environment.
Main duties of the job
Having substantial experience, specialist interest, and expertise in mental health occupational therapy, the postholder will use their deep understanding of the relationship between occupation and mental health to provide occupational therapy in order to maintain, restore or create a match beneficial to the individual between the abilities of the person, the demands of her/his occupations in the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure and the demands of the environment. (adapted from Creek 2003).
The postholder will deliver a range of group and/or individual interventions drawn from relevant frames of reference, demonstrating sophisticated clinical reasoning skills. They will prioritise planning and delivering interventions for people whose mental health problems have a marked impact on their occupational functioning and who have complex occupational needs. This senior position requires achieving an appropriate balance between the provision of specialist occupational therapy and taking on shared roles that contribute to the efficient functioning of the team.
About us
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
1. oDiploma/BSC (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (OT)
2. oState registered with Health Professionals Council.
3. oPost Graduate training relevant to mental health work in appropriate speciality
4. oDocumented evidence of continuing professional development (CPD)
5. oPractice Placement Qualification (Undergraduate OT student educator) within a year of appointment
Knowledge
Essential
6. oDetailed knowledge of how mental health problems impact on occupational performance and how occupational therapy theory informs practice within community mental health settings
7. oKnowledge of current best practice in community mental health, and awareness of relevant government directives and legislation
8. oSpecialist knowledge and application of OT assessments and interventions using expert level clinical reasoning.
9. oAbility to work autonomously and set own and others priorities.
10. oAbility to work as autonomous specialist OT within a MDT context.
11. oAbility to devise specialist interventions to address occupational dysfunction to improve occupational performance.
Experience
Essential
12. oSeveral years post registration experience, with a few years in a mental health setting (with experience in relevant specialist area)
13. ofamiliarity with audit processes
14. oUse of evidence-based practice
15. oExtensive clinical experiences including individual and group work in mental health specialties
Other
Essential
16. oCommitment to client-centred and non-discriminatory practice
17. oCommitment to life long learning