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
The successful applicant will join a well established and skilled occupational therapy team within the specialist community learning disability service in Sheffield.
The occupational therapy team works alongside other supportive and friendly professional teams including community nursing, physiotherapy, psychology, speech and language therapists, music and art therapists and psychiatry to deliver a service to the adult learning disability population of Sheffield.
You will be working under the supervision of an occupational therapist to deliver individual and group interventions with the aim of developing service users skills in the activities of daily living and to develop engagement in meaningful activities.You will also hold administration duties for the occupational therapy team and in the preparation of resources linked to occupational therapy intervention.
Main duties of the job
Under the direction of a registered Occupational Therapist the post holder will deliver an effective, high quality Occupational Therapy service.- They will use professional and creative skills to assist in the provision of client centred therapeutic interventions for individuals/groups of clients who have Learning Disabilities.
- Under supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist, facilitate and participate in planned group-work and individual activities, ongoing continuous assessment and adjustment of own clinical interventions based on the fluctuating needs of the service users
- The post holder will give support to adults with learning disabilities who have difficulties with Activities of Daily Living, Occupation and basic Sensory needs, working as a member of the multi-disciplinary Specialist Community Learning Disabilities Service.
- The post holder will support qualified Occupational therapists to carry out their professional role in a timely and effective manner including the production of some resources and specified administration tasks.
- The post holder will ensure the recording of service users’ information regarding screening/ waiting lists and allocation is accurate and up to date
- To support qualified clinicians in the planning and implementation of training where appropriate
Working for our organisation
At SHSC, we prioritise the well-being and safety of both our service users and employees. It is our policy and a condition of employment that all employees must join the DBS Update Service. This service carries an annual fee, which employees are responsible for paying up front.However, employees may claim this cost back through the Trust's Employee Expenses Reimbursement Policy. For those requiring a Basic DBS check, it is necessary to register for a DBS Online Account.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
ensure valid informed consent has been gained and to work within a legal framework with clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.To adhere to the SHSC code of Conduct for Non-Qualified Staff and all other relevant trust policies and procedures.
To form professional relationships with clients and carers and adapt practice to meet individual client circumstances including due regard for cultural and linguistic contexts.
To attend relevant training and development opportunities in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge.
To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including Mental Capacity Act and other legal frameworks in line with government and local policy.
To share information with others as appropriate, observing data protection guidelines.
To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loaned to clients.
To have due regard for your own personal safety and that of patients/carers
Working together for service users Respect & kindness Everyone countsCommitment to quality Improving lives
- The post holder will support qualified Occupational therapists to carry out their professional role in a timely and effective manner including the production of some resources and specified administration tasks.
- Under the guidance of a qualified Occupational Therapist the post holder will support carers and relevant others regarding the individual client’s occupation strategies and support the development of environments conducive to occupation
- The post holder will ensure the recording of service users’ information regarding screening/ waiting lists and allocation is accurate and up to date
- To support qualified clinicians in the planning and implementation of training where appropriate
General requirements
To ensure valid informed consent has been gained and to work within a legal framework with clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.To adhere to the SHSC code of Conduct for Non-Qualified Staff and all other relevant trust policies and procedures.
To form professional relationships with clients and carers and adapt practice to meet individual client circumstances including due regard for cultural and linguistic contexts.
To attend relevant training and development opportunities in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge.
To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including Mental Capacity Act and other legal frameworks in line with government and local policy.
To share information with others as appropriate, observing data protection guidelines.
To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loaned to clients.
To have due regard for your own personal safety and that of patients/carers.
To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with SHSC standards.
Working together for service users Respect & kindness Everyone counts
Commitment to quality Improving lives
To review and reflect on your own practice and performance though participation in regular supervision.
To work in a manner that is consistent with the values and aims of Valuing People and person centred work practice.
The LD Service operates from 8am to 8pm and staff will be expected to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service and be able to travel independently across two bases: Firshill Rise and Grenoside Grange.
For more details please consult the full job description uploaded
Person specification
knowledge and skills
Essential criteria- Good organisational and time management skills and ability to prioritise tasks
- Excellent communication skills including good command of written english
- Knowledge of the role of an occupational therapist
- Knowledge of therapeutic interventions for adults with learning disabilities
- awareness of relevant legislation
- experience delivering therapy groups
Experience
Essential criteria- experience of working in health care or educational setting
- experience of working with needs associated with activities of everyday living
- experience of independent working
- experience of working in the community
- experience of interacting with adults with learning disability
training and qaulifications
Essential criteria- demonstrate computer literacy
- evidence of continued professional development
- relevant foundation degree or equivalent level 5 qualification
- successful completion of relevant short course
- a degree level qualification
other
Essential criteria- commitment to client centred practice
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.