Occupational Therapist (Community Mental Health)

WHO WE ARE:

Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone and to delivering excellent care and support.

We aspire to deliver outstanding care and treatment for people when they need it, where they need it; care that compares well with the best in the world, but to do so, we need to transform how we deliver services over the next decade and beyond.

We are a values-driven organisation and out goals will only be realised if our values are at the heart of everything we do. Created by colleagues, patients and their families and carers, our values are:

• We are kind and caring
• We are respectful
• We have trust and integrity
• We take personal responsibility

OUR REGION:

Whether city life or rural living, Cardiff and the Vale offers the best of both worlds.

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join the OT service within a Community Mental Health Team.

The role is part of an Occupational Therapy Team. The OT's are based within a multi-disciplinary team and as such some team responsibilities of a clinical nature are required.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

• Works without direct supervision to assess, plan, implement and evaluate Occupational Therapy interventions with autonomy in secondary care and community settings to include lone working e.g. patients own home.
• To manage a defined caseload, using evidence based/client centred principles within the occupational model.
• To develop expertise in identified clinical areas.
• To provide leadership through supervision, induction, training and education of Band 5 Occupational Therapists, support staff and volunteers according to organisational policy and accepted professional standards.
• To demonstrate a commitment to the education of Occupational Therapy students ensuring the maintenance of clinical standards through regular supervision of students on practice placement
• To work in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team and with voluntary organisations, local authority and other appropriate health and social care sectors to negotiate care provision across the primary/secondary care interface
• To maintain clinical records in accordance with legal requirements and professional standards.

Working for our organisation

Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.

Our mission is “Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together”, and our vision is that every person’s chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Applies specialist knowledge of Occupational Therapy across a range of procedures that are underpinned by theory, evidence based practice and continued professional development.
• Applies clinical reasoning and problem solving skills/techniques.
• Within an identified area, assumes professional autonomy, responsibility and accountability to implement Occupational Therapy to enable the service user to maximise function, promote independence, health and well-being.
• Works to the remit of professional role and responsibilities within a multi-disciplinary professional and multi-agency context.
• Prioritises workload and takes an increased responsibility for management of self and caseload
• Identifies and assesses of occupational needs/problems
• gathers information from a wide range of sources and analysis through observational interview and individual discussion;
• uses standardised and non-standardised assessment tools to identify occupational and functional needs in the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure;
• accurately records assessment method and outcome, professional judgement and decisions taken;
• from the results of the preliminary assessments and in consultation with the client, identifies the need for further assessment, appropriate intervention and/or negotiates with other services/agencies to meet additional care needs.
• Makes judgements/decisions and formulates specific management plans for meeting needs:
• based on the assessment results and through negotiation with the client, agrees the goals and priorities of intervention and the methods to be adopted in relation to self-care, productivity and leisure;
• understands and applies motivational principles to gain co-operation of others.
• Considers the range of interventions that are appropriate/feasible
• selects, develops and initiates individual occupational therapy interventions which could be utilised taking into account the unique and specific therapeutic needs of clients and carers;
• uses graded occupations as an essential aspect of the ongoing assessment and treatment.
• Monitors and evaluates the ongoing effectiveness of the occupational therapy intervention plan through a reflective model demonstrating:-
• knowledge to measure and reflect critically on practice
• skills in relation to analysis of outcomes.
• Applies fine motor skills to include high levels of dexterity and hand eye coordination e.g. use of fine tools relevant to cognitive/perceptual tests.
• Demonstrates the ability to accept the standards of others without prejudice and regardless of race, religion, politics, socio-economic background and lifestyle
• Demonstrates attitudes that ensure the expressed needs and choices of clients and carers become the focus of the care management process.

1. COMMUNICATION

• Effectively reports information regarding condition and functional performance with members of the Occupational Therapy and multidisciplinary teams, client, carers and families on an individual and/or group basis.
• Ensures that accurate and up to date records are maintained and reviewed as per professional and legal requirements.
• Demonstrates the ability to be proactive and contribute to the debate of professional issues.
• Demonstrates IT skills in order to produce reports and set up appropriate spreadsheets and databases.

1. MANAGEMENT

• Takes a role in supervisory management including responsibilities for management of department.
• Critically appraises the impact of Occupational Therapy in a variety of settings and makes recommendations for any changes to the Occupational Therapy service delivery through the management structure.
• Responsible for maintaining stock, advising on resources to carry out the job, including the responsible management of petty cash and patient valuables.

1. QUALITY AND SAFETY

• Delivers a comprehensive Occupational Therapy service using the established theories, models, frameworks and concepts of occupational therapy and the current evidence underpinning practice at all levels
• national/European – considers appropriate legislation affecting health and social care e.g. National Service Frameworks (NSF) and cultural diversity within the community.
• professional – works to the Profession’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and to the Statement of Conduct of the Occupational Therapists’ Board and Standards of Practice including
• organisational- demonstrates an understanding of specific policies/protocols.
• departmental – works to specific departmental protocols and policies.
• Contributes to the Directorate and Occupational Therapy Service Clinical Governance arrangements and quality agenda
• Develops a credible and professional contribution to the organisation by engaging in personal development planning and continuing professional development.
• Participates in clinical audit procedures, interprets the outcomes and relates to the practice of occupational therapy as part of the uni and inter-professional evaluative process.
• Demonstrates the ability to effectively appraise literature and to identify research methodologies and apply statistical information and other data to inform an evidence base for practice.
• Participates in the collection and interpretation of statistics in relation to performance reporting.
• Shares acquired knowledge and skills with others using various teaching and presentational skills and methods e.g. PowerPoint.
• Contributes to the development of standards and outcome measurement for good practice.

1. BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL

• On a daily basis, demonstrates the ability to maintain high levels of concentration, alertness and awareness in unpredictable environments and clinical settings to include lone worker situations in the community.
• Demonstrates an ability to emotionally adapt and adopt an empathetic approach to distressing circumstances e.g. profound disability, death, bereavement and information from traumatised clients.
• Demonstrates the abilities to deal appropriately with adverse environmental conditions (such as when undertaking home visits, e.g. cold, damp, infestation, etc.) and unavoidable hazards (e.g. aggressive behavior of patients or carers) with due regard for responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work Act.

Person specification

Qualifications

• • Will hold a qualification in Occupational Therapy at degree level or equivalent.
• Holds professional registration as awarded by the Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC).
• Evidence of recent learning and continued professional development at a higher level

• • Practice Educator Training Qualification. • (expectation that this will be completed within a year of appointment

Experience

• • Has experience working in a mental health setting.
• Experience of working in the NHS for sufficient period.
• Managing a caseload.
• Inter-professional and multi-agency team working
• Direct involvement with carers and families

• • Has experience of working in a CMHT

Skills

• • Autonomous practitioner with self management skills
• Sound clinical reasoning/ problem solving
• Planning and prioritisation of workload
• Communicates effectively to a wide audience and adapt approach accordingly
• Supports team leader in allocation in and prioritisation of case load
• Ability to support and supervise others (formally responsible for supervising Band 5 and Support Staff)
• Knowledge of current healthcare policies and application
• Supports student training and work experience students
• Organisational skills
• Evidence of critical appraisal/analytical thought
• Mechanisms of audit and research methodology
• Presentations skills to include use of audio-visual aids.
• Reflective practitioner
• Basic IT Skills

Specialist Knowledge

• • Knowledge of services that link across the primary/secondary care interface to provide integrated care in specialism. • Knowledge and application of Health and Safety at Work Act

• • Member of special interest group Knowledge of MOHO principles, assessments and Occupational Formulation

Personal Qualities

• • Professional confidence.
• Adaptive skills that embrace change and new developments.
• Self motivated
• Ability to cope well under pressure.
• Commitment, enthusiasm and flexibility to the needs of the service

Other

• • The ability to meet the demands of the role to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. • Ability to travel to meet the demands of the post

MANAGING YOUR APPLICATION:

We are keen to break down barriers in the UHB, and encourage applications from under-represented groups.

Applicants are invited to apply in Welsh. Any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English.

The UHB reserves the right to close this vacancy after 24 hours if a large number of suitable applications are received. Therefore, we encourage early applications to ensure consideration for this post.

Please check your email account regularly. Successful applicants will receive all recruitment related correspondence via the email account registered on the application form.

If you are eligible for the Health and Care visa, application costs are lower and you do not need to pay the annual Immigration Health Surcharge.