Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist
Band 7
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnic minorities, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore, we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.
Job overview
Are you an experienced Occupational Therapist who would like the opportunity to develop their expertise in specialist assessment, consultation, liaison and risk management?
The Specialist Pathway and Risk Consultation Service (SPaRCS) are seeking an experienced Occupational Therapist to help develop and deliver this innovative service.
SPaRCS comprises an inter-disciplinary team that works with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust (MCFT) services, PROSPECT Lead Provider Collaborative and partner agencies to ensure the safe and appropriate care of individuals identified as having the potential to cause serious harm to others. This includes a diverse range of service users who may have a forensic history and present with severe and enduring mental health needs, neurodevelopmental conditions and difficulties associated with complex trauma, substance use and cognitive function. The service provides a range of clinical activities including specialist clinical risk assessment, formulation, consultation and liaison with partner services and agencies. Leading and contributing to multi-agency risk management forums is also integral to the team’s work. SPaRCS are committed to evaluating and developing the service and seek a post-holder who can contribute to these initiatives while upholding clinical responsibilities.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will have experience of working with individuals with complex clinical presentations and risk related behaviours. They will be required to contribute to all of the team’s clinical activities and provide a specialist OT perspective on the strengths, risks and needs of referred individuals. This will involve working closely with colleagues, service users and their families in developing specialist assessments, formulations and care/risk management plans. The ability to provide expert consultation and chair meetings with partner services and agencies is also necessary. The post holder will also be expected to contribute to service development initiatives and research.
In support of their work, the post holder will have the opportunity to access specialist training in using evidence based approaches to risk assessment and management. They will also have the opportunity to access regular CPD and clinical/professional supervision in line with service and professional standards.
Working for our organisation
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.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. To provide leadership within the sphere of responsibility in the delivery of the Occupational Therapy Service.
2. To be accountable for the delivery of the Occupational Therapy interventions and producing outcome measures of the service.
3. To ensure compliance for senior occupational therapy staff against the outcomes of the Trust’s quality dashboard.
4. To be responsible for a caseload of service users and complete standardised and non-standardised assessments of service users in order to identify appropriate Occupational Therapy interventions collaboratively with service users in line with the Care Programme Approach process.
5. To work within the model of recovery led practice and facilitate user involvement in all aspects of service delivery.
6. To utilise Occupational Therapy models/best practice to inform assessments and treatment interventions as appropriate.
7. In collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, plan, implement and evaluate Occupational Therapy interventions for effective coordination of service provision.
8. To undertake project and service development work based on identified clinical and/or organisational need.
9. To assist in the development of underpinning knowledge and skills for direct care staff regarding meaningful service user therapeutic occupation.
10. Work in collaboration with the Trust’s Research and Development department in development and evaluation of appropriate research initiatives.
11. Undertake/support clinical audit activity within this service.
12. Work as a clinical professional contributing to the multidisciplinary team by providing specialist Occupational Therapy advice/input as appropriate.
13. Ensure that meaningful communication links are established and maintained with service user’s families, carers, other service providers as appropriate.
14. Monitor and ensure high standards relating to the planning and delivery of Occupational Therapy activities and comply with Professional Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice, Conduct and Ethics (Royal College of Occupational Therapists, 2021), contributing to good health and the importance of promoting these in line with organisational public health policy.
15. To collate information about local resources including those for older adults with a mental health problem including potential resources for service user’s access/utilisation.
16. To undertake Occupational Therapy assessments of service users including pre and post admissions as appropriate.
17. To receive professional/clinical supervision from an appropriate supervisor in accordance with Occupational Therapy practice.
18. To receive leadership and transformation supervision from the AHP Lead in line with the Trust’s strategic goals.
19. To maintain active professional links with other Occupational Therapy services, within the speciality, external to the Service.
20. To ensure effective clinical supervision of Occupational Therapy staff in line with the management structure.
21. To ensure opportunities for students are available and that a positive experience is provided by the service with clinical supervision.
22. To undertake and adhere to Occupational Therapy practice in accordance with Standards of Proficiency – Occupational Therapists (Health and Care Professions Council 2013) and Professional Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice, Conduct and Ethics (Royal College of Occupational Therapists, 2021).
23. To participate in the recruitment and selection process for occupational therapy staff.
24. To chair the interview panel for the recruitment of qualified Occupational Therapists.
25. Attend all mandatory and CIS training as necessary and follow all policies and procedures. Contribute and be aware of personal responsibilities and accountability for helping to ensure that a safe working environment is maintained in accordance with legislation.
26. Any other duties commensurate with role and responsibilities of the post.
27. Attend policies and procedures meeting and influence the development of future policy for the Trust.
28. Communicate effectively with all internal and external stakeholders.
29. Provide clinical and managerial reports and attend relevant meetings with internal and external agencies as and when required.
30. Arrange and attend meetings and liaise with relevant external organisations as and when required.
31. Appraise the AHP Lead regarding service activity and issues of concern.
32. Undergo an annual appraisal of performance in accordance with Trust Policy, and undertake further training and education as identified by personal development profile.
33. Attendance at service delivery meetings.
34. To investigate any complaints to safeguard service users and staff.
35. Monitor that training of all staff is carried out and records are kept up to date in conjunction with organisational development department.
36. Develop management and professional skills in staff and recommend additional training, as necessary.
37. Maintain staff morale by means of team building and encouraging initiative.
38. Take personal responsibility for:
39. Undertaking the necessary training as required.
40. Ensuring renewal of registration with the Health and Care Professions Council annually in accordance with statutory requirement.
41. Will maintain personal commitment towards and responsibility for the Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
42. Will adhere to the Trust Dress Code.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Diploma/Degree or equivalent Occupational Therapy qualification.
* Evidence of post qualification study/short courses and Continuing Professional Development.
* Health and Care Professions Council Registration.
* Post Graduate Certificate in Occupational Therapy, Leadership and/or Organisational Change up to Master level Practice Placement Educator Training.
KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE:
* Current legislation and national initiatives related to older adults with mental health problems.
* 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.
* 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.
* AMPS training.
* OCAIRS.
* MOHOST.
* Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
* Experience of working with older adults with mental health problems.
* Line-management of 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.
Skills
* Leadership Qualities.
* Managerial Skills.
* 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 of Occupational Therapy clinical practice and ability to hold a complex caseload.
* Ability to identify and implement clinical and service developments.
* Ability to be an effective role model.
* Ability to work autonomously as well as effectively with team members and other agencies.
* Basic IT skills.
* Designing and implementing research projects.
* Ability to reflect and critically appraise own and others performance.
#J-18808-Ljbffr