Job summary Your New Organisation Southend on Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend. Working for Southend on Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovate environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work life balance. As a Unitary Authority we are responsible for all local government functions ranging from social services, transport, public health and parks through to planning, trading standards, community safety and education, so we offer a wide range of career opportunities. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work, learn and make a difference. Main duties of the job Your new role We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and experienced permanent Occupational Therapist to join our dynamic, innovative, and inclusive Occupational Therapy Team at Southend City Council. Southend OT team help children and adults with physical disabilities and long-term conditions. Our vision is for people to live well in the community, to maintain their independence and to prevent or reduce dependency on social care services. This is a level 8 post with the expectation to work to support the OT team to deliver Occupational Therapy assessments and appropriate intervention in the right place at the right time. OTs at level 8 undertake assessments for equipment and adaptations, enabling safe management of people in the community, and ensuring the person, their care agency and their informal carers have any equipment or adaptations needed to manage safely. The team work using person focused, strengths based approach helping people identify what is meaningful to them and exploring ways to overcome the functional and environmental challenges to meet their goals. About us The Occupational Therapy service in Southend is a progressive place to work and we are always developing and improving our services in line with the needs of the community. We work with adults and children and their families to help them achieve positive outcomes through a strengths- based approach. At Southend, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and knowledge. Find out more about the values we follow.Our Values and Behaviours Southend-on-Sea City Council jobs (job-essentials.com) Our current teams are - OT Referral Hub Early response Reablement Able2 Community Strengths Healthy at home Housing Children Take the exciting step to apply for this role and you could be making an impact in one of these amazing teams. Each team offers very specific learning and development opportunities with enthusiastic and knowledgeable colleagues who can support you through induction and beyond. We can work with you to ensure you meet your professional development needs in line with the RCOT Career Development Framework. Some examples of what training and support we offer are: Monthly formal supervision at a minimum Regular statutory training Clinical Effectiveness workshops Career development workshops Shadowing opportunities Networking opportunities with external providers Date posted 31 December 2024 Pay scheme Other Salary £37,938 to £43,693 a year Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number F0033-24-0025 Job locations Southend-on-sea City Council Victoria Avenue Southend-on-sea SS1 9SB Job description Job responsibilities Occupational Therapist Reports to Senior Occupational Therapy Practice Lead Level 8 Main Purpose of the Job To support citizens across Southend-on-Sea (including out-of-borough cases) with the aim to offer occupational therapy assessments in the right place at the right time. To work across the localities of Southend-on-Sea in a range of community based settings including Community Hubs. To undertake occupational therapy assessments for equipment, adaptions and manual handling. To provide appropriate interventions and recommendations to promote independence. To understand individuals strengths, assets and wishes to maximise their potential for independence, recognising the importance of assuming that the individual is best placed to know their own outcomes, goals and wellbeing. To work with health and social care colleagues and other partners by engaging in innovative practice and a visionary approach to creating a better Southend. To ensure the citizens of Southend are supported with the correct advice, information and relevant signposting and prompted to utilise the assets which already exist in their local community. Innovation and creativity Utilise your creativity and step up to offer your views and opinions Act as a catalyst for change, ensuring that solutions and outcomes are based on recognised best practice and innovation. Be part of a team that embraces the process of change, participating in effective team working. Be an exemplar for high quality complex occupational therapy practice, leading through example in your communication style, knowledge, values and person-centred approach. Promote critical reflection and participate in group work to ensure that the work environment is safe, responsive, flexible and emotionally capable. Planning and Organisation: Work closely with all partners across statutory partners (such as Police), Health and Social Care to ensure that there is effective coordination of interdependences including the resolution of risks and other issues that may arise. Create space for innovative and courageous practice that seeks to develop the best quality outcomes for people in the borough Collaboration and Co-production Embrace a culture of active engagement and co-production across the team, community and system wide Engage with people on all levels when considering how support is provided with an onus on co-production. Participate in community engagement and cohesion to effectively reduce the number of people and families who are experience isolation, loneliness, marginalisation and disconnection. Be willing to use critical thinking about how services are developed and maintained with our communities and stakeholders Maintain effective relationships with stakeholders who are crucial to creating a better Southend, including General Practitioners (GPs), other primary care professionals, hospital staff and community leaders/groups relevant to the locality. Strengths and Asset Based Engagement Embrace the vision of an asset-based approach, health and social care integration and developing community resilience. Adhere to the ethos and principles of the Care Act (2014) and other associated adult social care legislation as part of the Adult Social Care Transformation. Apply a strengths/asset-based approach to practice, both in terms of individual assessments, care plans and reviews and the culture within the team. Promote occupational therapy values, ethics and commit to ensuring that individuals are at the centre of practice Resilience and Independence Develop your strengths, abilities and aspirations to ensure you feel valued, inspired and able to take on the complexities of practice. Promote a culture of enablement and independence within the team which reflects a practice approach in the community Embrace positive risk assessment and decision making to reduce boundaries around risk averse practice Change Management and Ownership Become co-creators of change within the communities you serve and the system you work within Question assumptions around practice and structural hierarchies and take responsibility for new ideas and creativity Actively participate in and understand the wider transformative vision of Southend Adopt critical thinking by creating a new approach to understanding the system wide picture Utilise creativity and step up to offer your views and opinions. Quality Assurance Take professional responsibility and ownership of your work to ensure continual development Ensure that your competency workbook is completed to a high standard and that your aspirations and outcomes are measured, monitored and evaluated. Communicate effectively including accurate records, written reports, appropriately reporting concerns to managers and external stakeholders when required. Be responsible for prioritising your work and ensuring you have sufficient capacity to effectively manage you workload. Staff Development Be willing to develop your strengths and abilities to ensure you feel inspired and able to take on the complexities of occupational therapy practice. Be willing to be a co-creator of change within the communities you serve and support the transformation of practice towards empowerment, change agency and asset-based community development. To play an active role in practice development Undertake leadership training as required to maximise the skill-set required to embrace change and drive Southend Borough Council towards a learning organisation. Other Duties To promote and sustain a culture of innovation and independence across the localities of Southend-on-Sea. Responsibility for Resources Delegated budget responsibility as established in the adult social care panel funding rules. Qualifications expectations to meet business needs BSC OT Degree Job description Job responsibilities Occupational Therapist Reports to Senior Occupational Therapy Practice Lead Level 8 Main Purpose of the Job To support citizens across Southend-on-Sea (including out-of-borough cases) with the aim to offer occupational therapy assessments in the right place at the right time. To work across the localities of Southend-on-Sea in a range of community based settings including Community Hubs. To undertake occupational therapy assessments for equipment, adaptions and manual handling. To provide appropriate interventions and recommendations to promote independence. To understand individuals strengths, assets and wishes to maximise their potential for independence, recognising the importance of assuming that the individual is best placed to know their own outcomes, goals and wellbeing. To work with health and social care colleagues and other partners by engaging in innovative practice and a visionary approach to creating a better Southend. To ensure the citizens of Southend are supported with the correct advice, information and relevant signposting and prompted to utilise the assets which already exist in their local community. Innovation and creativity Utilise your creativity and step up to offer your views and opinions Act as a catalyst for change, ensuring that solutions and outcomes are based on recognised best practice and innovation. Be part of a team that embraces the process of change, participating in effective team working. Be an exemplar for high quality complex occupational therapy practice, leading through example in your communication style, knowledge, values and person-centred approach. Promote critical reflection and participate in group work to ensure that the work environment is safe, responsive, flexible and emotionally capable. Planning and Organisation: Work closely with all partners across statutory partners (such as Police), Health and Social Care to ensure that there is effective coordination of interdependences including the resolution of risks and other issues that may arise. Create space for innovative and courageous practice that seeks to develop the best quality outcomes for people in the borough Collaboration and Co-production Embrace a culture of active engagement and co-production across the team, community and system wide Engage with people on all levels when considering how support is provided with an onus on co-production. Participate in community engagement and cohesion to effectively reduce the number of people and families who are experience isolation, loneliness, marginalisation and disconnection. Be willing to use critical thinking about how services are developed and maintained with our communities and stakeholders Maintain effective relationships with stakeholders who are crucial to creating a better Southend, including General Practitioners (GPs), other primary care professionals, hospital staff and community leaders/groups relevant to the locality. Strengths and Asset Based Engagement Embrace the vision of an asset-based approach, health and social care integration and developing community resilience. Adhere to the ethos and principles of the Care Act (2014) and other associated adult social care legislation as part of the Adult Social Care Transformation. Apply a strengths/asset-based approach to practice, both in terms of individual assessments, care plans and reviews and the culture within the team. Promote occupational therapy values, ethics and commit to ensuring that individuals are at the centre of practice Resilience and Independence Develop your strengths, abilities and aspirations to ensure you feel valued, inspired and able to take on the complexities of practice. Promote a culture of enablement and independence within the team which reflects a practice approach in the community Embrace positive risk assessment and decision making to reduce boundaries around risk averse practice Change Management and Ownership Become co-creators of change within the communities you serve and the system you work within Question assumptions around practice and structural hierarchies and take responsibility for new ideas and creativity Actively participate in and understand the wider transformative vision of Southend Adopt critical thinking by creating a new approach to understanding the system wide picture Utilise creativity and step up to offer your views and opinions. Quality Assurance Take professional responsibility and ownership of your work to ensure continual development Ensure that your competency workbook is completed to a high standard and that your aspirations and outcomes are measured, monitored and evaluated. Communicate effectively including accurate records, written reports, appropriately reporting concerns to managers and external stakeholders when required. Be responsible for prioritising your work and ensuring you have sufficient capacity to effectively manage you workload. Staff Development Be willing to develop your strengths and abilities to ensure you feel inspired and able to take on the complexities of occupational therapy practice. Be willing to be a co-creator of change within the communities you serve and support the transformation of practice towards empowerment, change agency and asset-based community development. To play an active role in practice development Undertake leadership training as required to maximise the skill-set required to embrace change and drive Southend Borough Council towards a learning organisation. Other Duties To promote and sustain a culture of innovation and independence across the localities of Southend-on-Sea. Responsibility for Resources Delegated budget responsibility as established in the adult social care panel funding rules. Qualifications expectations to meet business needs BSC OT Degree Person Specification Experience Essential Qualified as an Occupational Therapist in the last six months and/or practicing as a Qualified Occupational Therapist in a relevant setting. Ability to apply a strengths-based, asset-based approach to assessment, care planning and review. Support unqualified staff with their development as required, including student Occupational Therapists on placement. Qualifications Essential Qualifications Qualified Occupational Therapist Worker DIPCOT/BScOT/MSCOT ( Registered with HCPC) Educated to degree level or equivalent experience Desirable Experience Qualified as an Occupational Therapist in the last six months and/or practicing as a Qualified Occupational Therapist in a relevant setting. Ability to apply a strengths-based, asset-based approach to assessment, care planning and review. Support unqualified staff with their development as required, including student Occupational Therapists on placement. Person Specification Experience Essential Qualified as an Occupational Therapist in the last six months and/or practicing as a Qualified Occupational Therapist in a relevant setting. Ability to apply a strengths-based, asset-based approach to assessment, care planning and review. Support unqualified staff with their development as required, including student Occupational Therapists on placement. Qualifications Essential Qualifications Qualified Occupational Therapist Worker DIPCOT/BScOT/MSCOT ( Registered with HCPC) Educated to degree level or equivalent experience Desirable Experience Qualified as an Occupational Therapist in the last six months and/or practicing as a Qualified Occupational Therapist in a relevant setting. Ability to apply a strengths-based, asset-based approach to assessment, care planning and review. Support unqualified staff with their development as required, including student Occupational Therapists on placement. 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 Southend On Sea City Council Address Southend-on-sea City Council Victoria Avenue Southend-on-sea SS1 9SB Employer's website https://www.southend.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)