Occupational Therapy Assistant

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Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for a part time Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) position for applicants with an interest in working with people with a range of mental health conditions at Albert ward.

Hours would be varied, working flexibly in the week and at the weekend to facilitate a 7 day service ,along side the full time OT, which meets the needs of the service users

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for assisting in the development and delivery of treatment and care plans where appropriate under the direction and supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist and in collaboration with the ward manager.

The post holder will be required to actively work as part of The Multi-Disciplinary Team.

The Post Holder will be expected to work in an innovative way to support the smooth running of the Ward and will be required to offer individual and group activities alongside Occupational Therapy staff .

Theses duties will extend to using The Occupational Therapy Process to assist in assessment, planning and the implementation of Therapeutic Activities within an In-Patient Mental Health Setting

The Post Holder will be required to work collaboratively and flexibly with Nursing and Support Worker staff to ensure meeting the diverse needs of service users and the function of the wards.

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.

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

Under the direct or indirect Clinical Supervision of a Qualified Occupational Therapist you will undertake the following duties:

1. To support, with direction, Service Users’ with activities throughout the therapeutic day. This will be under the supervision of senior Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychological Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists.
2. Undertake specific tasks within Occupational Therapy assessments with Service users using a Person Centred Approach in order to assist the Occupational Therapist to identify appropriate Occupational Therapy interventions.
3. Work innovatively and effectively and take responsibility for carrying out a range of activities under non directive supervision where the overall goal is clear to support and deliver the provision of a programme of meaningful and purposeful activities of daily living that relate to Service Users Formulation and Goal Plans.
4. Assist in planning and facilitate both individual and group work with Service Users and take an active role in implementing agreed plans/tasks in familiar or defined contexts.
5. To support the Service Users’ to engage with their Shared Activity Planner and support the Service Users’ to engage in their choice of activity. There is an expectation to engage with service users on enhanced observations as part of their recovery journey
6. Be fully involved in The Occupational Therapy Process to ensure Service Users increase their independence and well being through skill and knowledge development and apply clinical reasoning to this approach.
7. Participate in the provision of a varied and interesting range of timetabled activities that support Service Users to achieve identified goals.
8. Exercise initiative and independence in carrying out delegated activities at a Professional level.
9. Be aware of, and apply, the principle of risk assessment and management to all aspects of clinical work including, where appropriate, the provision of information to The Multi Disciplinary Team.
10. Maintain the health, safety and security of others and contribute to and comply with risk assessment.
11. To contribute to formal Occupational Therapy record keeping and reports and provide feedback on Service Users occupational functioning. Assist in the development of treatment and care plans where appropriate
12. Undertake delegated tasks to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service.
13. Work closely with The Multi Disciplinary Team at all times and involve Nursing Staff and Support workers fully in activity sessions.
14. To maintain links with other agencies, both statutory and voluntary in order to support recovery and discharge planning
15. Take some supervisory responsibility for the work of others in the implementation of routine work within identified and agreed scope of practice.
16. Participate in the management of incidents in line with The Trusts Policy and Procedure.
17. Where appropriate be involved in clinical audit activity.
18. Collate information about resources – both within the service environment and in the community – for Service Users access/utilisation.
19. Receive clinical supervision from a Qualified Occupational Therapist on a regular basis.
20. Maintain a safe working environment with particular regard to the environment and Occupational Therapy resources and equipment.
21. Facilitate/Co-facilitate and support service users to attend service user forums, core integrated therapy groups, care pathway groups and risk related treatment programmes and undertake any training required as part of these integrated groups.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Qualification Credit Framework Diploma level 2 in Health & Social Care or a commitment to achieve this
• Qualifications in: (or a commitment to undertake and complete training within first year of appointment) to include: First Aid, Aggression Management training, Other training opportunities relevant to clinical area, Following agreed action plan set at appraisal

Knowledge & Experience

• Ability to plan and deliver activities.
• Clear effective written and verbal communication and excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent observation skill and able to relay key information to others
• Basic IT skills
• Able to recognise level of own competence, boundaries of role, scope for personal and service development and improvement
• Able to work on own initiative as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team under directive supervision
• Ability to think creatively and assist in the planning of individual and group activity sessions for service users
• Ability to effectively organise own time, be reliable and punctual and prioritise work load
• Able to observe health and safety protocol
• Ability to problem solve within defined context
• Able to observe conflict situations in a positive and calm manner and follow policy and procedure related to the management of aggression
• Motivated to build on existing skills and knowledge as part of the CPD process
• Be a positive ambassador for the service
• An ability to work with warmth and empathy in an empowering and nonjudgmental way

• Knowledge of the Occupational Therapy Process
• Experience of working with Adults with Learning Disabilities/Mental Health
• Experience working within inpatient services
• Experience of supporting Therapeutic activities for individual groups of service user
• Familiar with Electronic patient records
• Experience of teaching others
• Experience of the Model Of Human Occupation (Kielhofner)
• Knowledge of The Model Of Human Occupation (Kielhofner)

VALUES:

• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability
• Respectfulness
• Enthusiasm
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Strong customer service belief
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet

SKILLS

• Ability to independently perform delegated tasks within competence to the required standard
• Ability to be an effective role model
• Numeracy and Literacy skills; ability to keep accurate service user and department records to the required standard
• Able to carry out physical intervention and breakaway effectively following training
• Commitment to work with service users with Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
• Use Display Screen Equipment in work environment
• Able to work within inpatient environments
• Actively participate in own supervision
• Sound values and positive attitude towards people with mental health, learning and associated disabilities and complex needs
• Interested in working creatively to assist in the planning and delivery of a person centred Occupational Therapy service
• Required to complete skills and interests questionnaire at the time of recruitment

• Ability to reflect objectively and critically appraise own performance
• Skills and knowledge in a particular interest that could benefit Service Users
• Involvement in person centred planning and working
• An understanding of the role of advocacy
• Willing to be an authorised Trust lease vehicle driver

Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply for all correspondence. All information regarding your application will come from apps.trac.jobs not NHS Jobs.

Only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we offer a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who consider themselves to be disabled who meet the minimum (essential) criteria for the role in the person specification. If you would like your application to be considered under the Trust’s guaranteed interview scheme you can indicate this in the personal information section of your online application form.

Should you require a reasonable adjustment to our recruitment process please email [email protected] to ensure that measures can be put in place to support you.

We reserve the right to close any vacancy earlier than advertised in exceptional circumstances once we have received a high volume of applications.

The team can prevent any previous identity showing on the DBS Certificate, unless the applicant has a conviction under their previous details in which case this will need to be disclosed.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Please be advised that the use of Artificial Intelligence on applications is monitored and if you choose to use this, you must declare this on your application form.