Occupational Therapy Assistant (Sensory Integration)
Band 3
Main area: Occupational Therapy - Secure Services
Grade: Band 3
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (08:00-16:30, Monday-Friday working pattern)
Job ref: 350-SC6838600-A
Site: Ashworth Hospital - High Secure
Town: Liverpool, Merseyside
Salary: £24,071 - £25,674 per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 26/01/2025 23:59
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 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.
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a permanent Band 3 Occupational Therapy Assistant to work within our innovative and expanding Occupational Therapy Team at Ashworth Hospital, Maghull Health Park.
We are looking for an Occupational Therapy Assistant who can demonstrate compassion and empathy to our patients with a drive to improve the quality of care services within a high secure, forensic environment as part of Mersey Care's Secure Care Division.
This role will support an innovative new clinical offer within the Occupational Therapy service which will offer Sensory Integration assessment and treatment to the High Secure service users.
Main duties of the job
You will be responsible for assisting in the delivery of meaningful activities of daily living within the Occupational Therapy service, under the direction and supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist who is also trained in Ayres Sensory Integration.
You will be required to actively work as part of The Multi-Disciplinary Team and support the smooth running of the Occupational Therapy Service.
You will be expected to offer individual and group activities alongside all other Occupational Therapy staff and under the indirect and direct supervision of a Qualified Occupational Therapist.
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.
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.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. To work effectively as a member of a team in providing a programme of therapeutic activities and interventions as directed by the occupational therapist.
2. To actively engage service users in therapeutic activities to promote independence and well-being within hospital and community environments.
3. You will be required to facilitate 1:1 and group sessions under the Occupational Therapy and Life Rooms model with an Ayres Sensory Integration focus.
4. Support service users to attend and participate in sessions that promote recovery through attendance at Occupational Therapy and Life Rooms courses.
5. To provide an update and overview of service users participation, engagement level, and skills following sessions.
6. To form professional relationships with service users, and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy, and culture.
7. To maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
Person specification
Qualifications
* NVQ Level 2, with an aim to complete NVQ Level 3 at a later date.
Knowledge / Experience
* Experience of working in Learning Disabilities and/or Mental Health Services.
* Basic awareness of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities.
* Basic awareness of Ayres Sensory Integration.
* Experience supporting individuals with behaviours that challenge.
* Creativity and ability to adapt activities to the needs of the patients.
Values
* Accountability
* Support
* High professional standards
* Responsive to service users
* Engaging leadership style
* Transparency and honesty
* Discreet
* Change oriented
Skills
* Good communication skills, verbal and written.
* Good people skills – friendly and honest.
* Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
* Ability to recognise and cope effectively with personal stress.
* Ability to follow instruction and work under direction.
* Ability to work on own initiative and as a member of a team.
* Ability to be an effective role-model.
* Basic IT skills.
* Ability to Travel in the course of performing duties.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Name: Samantha Armstrong
Job title: Lead Occupational Therapist (SI)
Email address: samantha.armstrong@merseycare.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 0151 472 4516
Additional information:
Mark McKenna
Email: Mark.McKenna3@merseycare.nhs.uk
Work telephone: 0151 4595651
#J-18808-Ljbffr