Occupational Therapy Assistant
About us
At Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust we provide a range of mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, primary care and other specialist services designed around the needs of people in our city.
We have a dedicated and skilful team of people caring in Sheffield, which you could become a part of.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do. These are: working together for our service users, respect and kindness, everyone counts, commitment to quality, improving lives.
Job overview
We are looking for a passionate and motivated person to work as part of Occupational therapy team across the two adult acute wards at the Michael Carlisle Centre. This exciting post is for a full time position (37.5 hours
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work as a member of the Occupational Therapy Team and the wider Multi-Disciplinary Team to provide a high standard of service to individuals and groups of service users both on and off the ward environment.
The therapy team provide personalised care and treatment plans alongside meaningful therapeutic activity to service users on the ward.
Excellent communication skills, initiative, energy and an interest in the therapeutic use of activity are essential. Experience of this type of work is desirable but aptitude and motivation are equally considered to be essential qualities in providing the high standards of service this post demands.
Access to supervision and training is offered to all team members and a supportive working environment with an emphasis on good team working skills is strongly encouraged.
Working for our organisation
We are passionate about providing the very best care to the people we support, and we're looking for amazing people who share this passion to join us.
What is it that makes our Trust such a special place to work? Well, it's all about the people. Our staff, service users, carers and families all come from such diverse backgrounds and all have expertise and stories to share.
It’s important that you feel supported in your role, that the people who you work with are as passionate as you are and that your health and wellbeing is taken care of
If you're interested in developing your career, you'll have access to a range of training and education opportunities, including apprenticeships, work experience and placements, as well as the chance to get involved in research.
We are all very proud of the difference we make to people's lives each and every day and if that's something that you'd like to be part of we'd love to have you with us.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- Under the supervision of a registered Occupational Therapist the post holder will use personal and creative skills to assist in the provision of a flexible, person centred programmes of therapeutic activities for individuals/groups of service users who have mental health problems
- To support registered Occupational therapist with carrying out assessment and interventions with service users
- To undertake any other duties that may be allocated by an Occupational Therapist within the general scope of the post and appropriate to the grade.
- To maintain and develop relevant skills in line with Trust policy in order to provide a responsive high quality service to users.
- It is the responsibility of all Trust employees to ensure that all duties are carried out in accordance with ‘best practice’ risk management.
All employees are expected to observe the Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy in their behaviour to clients, patients, the public and colleagues.
Person specification
Ability to work as part of a team
Essential criteria- Demonstrates experience of positive team working
Experience or understanding of working with people with mental health issues
Essential criteria- Demonstrates understanding of the needs of inpatient service users
Interest in Occupational Therapy or use of Activity
Essential criteria- Understanding of the job role and the working environment
Please think about your personal values and how these align with our values when you are applying. Find out more about our organisation through our website.
We are a Disability Confident employer level 2 and hope to achieve level 3 this year. We offer a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who meet all of the essential criteria for a role. When you apply you will have the opportunity to let us know if you require adjustments to be made, please contact us if you are not sure or if you require adjustments to the application process itself.
Our six staff network groups welcome new members, these are:
- The Ethnically Diverse Staff Network Group
- The Disability Staff Network Group
- The Lived Experience Staff Network Group
- The Rainbow Staff Network Group
- The Staff Carers Staff Network Group
- The Women’s Staff Network Group
We know how important flexible working can be to applicants and therefore we encourage you to discuss any working arrangements as part of this process. We will always aim to accommodate requests, wherever possible.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children and as part of our safe recruitment practice the successful applicant(s) will be subject to a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) if it is deemed appropriate for the role.The cost of the DBS check (currently up to £48.23) must be met by the successful applicant(s).
When applying for this post you will redirected to complete your application in our preferred applicant management system, Trac. If you are successfully offered a role, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.In addition, in submitting an application, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.
Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications
If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting statement.
While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for, nor can they accurately reflect your skills, knowledge, and experience. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice.
Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting statement is not advocated by SHSC and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.
For example, AI responses…- usually lack relevance and fail to address the key criteria outlined in the job description and person specification.
- may come across as generic and fail to distinguish you from other applicants.
- may be ambiguous or open to misinterpretation. Without careful review and editing, the supporting statement could convey messages that are unclear or misconstrued by hiring managers.
- may include qualifications, skills, knowledge or experience that you do not possess, potentially leading to misrepresentation.
Supporting Statement
The supporting statement is an opportunity for you to showcase how your qualifications, knowledge, skill and experiences align with the requirements and criteria outlined in the job description and person.
Recruiting managers score applications based on the criteria listed in the person specification. Managers will be looking for evidence of how you meet these criteria. To increase your chances of securing an interview, provide examples of how you have applied your skills and knowledge in real-life situations.Share work-related successes and challenges you’ve navigated that align with the criteria. These could be from various aspects of your life, including work, education, and personal experiences.
Consider structuring your statement with clear headings or bullet points. This approach will help both you and the recruiting manager navigate through your application more effectively.