Senior Occupational Therapist
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
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and dynamic Occupational Therapist to join the multidisciplinary team at Dovedale One Ward as a full-time permanent (37.5 hours per week) Band 6 Occupational Therapist. Dovedale One ward is an acute mental health inpatient ward for older people.
We are looking forward to hearing from experienced band 5 or existing band 6 Occupational Therapists who are looking for a development opportunity or a new challenge.
As a member of the Multi-Disciplinary Team you will undertake occupational assessments, functional assessments, home visit assessments and care planning. You will deliver interventions on a 1:1 and group basis to achieve therapeutic goals which are appropriate to individual’s needs and work with the MDT to support timely discharges from the ward.
You will be responsible for the supervision and line management of the occupational therapy team. There is also opportunity to be involved in service development work on the ward. Applicants must possess good clinical skills, communication skills and an ability to work flexibly.Experience of working in older adults mental health would be desirable.
You will receive regular supervision from the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist, an annual appraisal and access to CPD funding to enhance your professional development. There is also opportunity to be involved in research.
Main duties of the job- To manage a defined caseload of service users, using evidence based, service user centred occupational therapy skills to assess, formulate, implement, and evaluate specialist interventions.
- To provide effective guidance, supervision and leadership for junior staff, as delegated by the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist.
- To regularly supervise Occupational Therapy students on practice placement.
- To participate in the development and evaluation of Occupational Therapy Services within a designated team, under the supervision of the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist.
Working for our organisation
The Trust is a major employer and provider of services. We are committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of and meets the needs of the local community.
We oppose all forms of discrimination on legal and moral grounds and recognise that discrimination creates barriers to achieving equality for everyone.
The Trust is committed to making equality of opportunity and fair treatment a reality whereby an individual can seek, obtain and continue employment without unfair discrimination.
As an equal opportunities employer, we will ensure that all job applicants and employees receive fair and equal treatment and will not be disadvantaged by unjustified conditions or requirements.
The Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work Policy underpins the Trust’s commitment to achieve equality and fairness at work and to ensure that individuals or groups are not unfairly discriminated against.
We are committed to improving our practice through signing up to initiatives such as Stonewall Champions, the Disability Standard/Disability Confident and Mindful Employer.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Domain
Duties/Responsibilities
Clinical- To select and apply occupational therapy assessments for a designated caseload, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, enabling the service user in areas of self-maintenance, productivity and leisure.
- To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of work.
- To undertake the OT assessment of service users using investigative and analytical skills to formulate individual treatment plans.
- To accept clinical responsibility under supervision for a designated caseload some with complex presentations prioritising need and taking on the role of co-ordinator where relevant.
- To plan and implement service user centred individual and group interventions, using clinical reasoning and a range of treatment interventions to achieve therapeutic goals.
- To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for service users in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
- To demonstrate an understanding of the effect of disability and recommend adaptations to the service user’s social and physical environment.
- To provide occupational therapy services in working conditions which may be hazardous e.g., exposure to body fluids, aggressive persons, visits to high-risk areas and associated travel risks.
- To assess capacity gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework with service users who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- To undertake therapeutic moving and handling of service users and equipment, utilising moderate physical effort within clinical and non clinical settings.
- To work with service users, carers and relatives who may have distressing social/clinical circumstances.
- To demonstrate effective communication skills with service users, carers, other health workers and agencies.
- To develop presentation skills in a variety of settings.
- To develop skills in communicating complex sensitive and contentious information to service users and carers as appropriate.
- To promote awareness of the role of Occupational Therapy within the team and locally.
- To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with professional and trust standards.
- To comply with the RCOT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and national and local policies and procedures.
- To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of service users and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
- To review and reflect on own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.
- To undertake the supervision and appraisal of junior staff as delegated by a senior member of staff.
- To demonstrate basic leadership skills through involvement in designated projects.
- To support volunteers and Peer Support Work staff whilst on the ward.
- To deputise for the Clinical Lead OT as required.
- To participate in the planning and implementation of the induction, training and education of students and other staff.
- To be regularly responsible for the supervision and written assessment of occupational therapy students on practice placement within the trust.
- To participate in the planning, evaluation and audit of practice, clinical pathways and protocols within the service area.
- To participate in the delivery of the occupational therapy/ AHP development plan.
- To apply skills and knowledge to establish professional competence and fitness to practise as a senior occupational therapist.
- To demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and external development opportunities, recording learning outcomes in a portfolio.
- To contribute to the trust and team’s clinical governance arrangements.
- To demonstrate understanding of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care in mental health service provision.
- To demonstrate an understanding of clinical governance and risk management and apply to the work situation.
- To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
- To co-ordinate day-to-day activities of junior staff where applicable.
- To be actively involved in the collation of appropriate data and statistics as required.
- To deputise for the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist as required.
- To demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current research, apply to practice and disseminate findings at a local level.
- To broaden research and development skills through participation in local audit and research projects.
Person Specification
Knowledge and skills
Essential:
Knowledge of Occupational Therapy models of practice
Application of the Occupational Therapy process with designated service user group
Assessment and planning of therapy intervention
Group process skills
Computer literacy
Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
Ability to work as part of a team
Effective written and oral communication skills
Ability to manage own workload and determine priorities.
Ability to work effectively under pressure
Knowledge of relevant National Service Frameworks and current Government Guidelines
Application of Health, Safety and Risk Management policies
Desirable:
Knowledge and application of standardised assessments
Knowledge of current best practice in Occupational Therapy for relevant area
Training skills
Supervisory skills
Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
Understanding of team dynamics
Ability to work with people from a variety of cultures
Knowledge of the principles of Clinical Governance
Training and qualifications
Essential
Diploma/degree in Occupational Therapy
Practice Placement qualification within 12 months of appointment
Experience
Essential:
Documented evidence of continuing professional development
2 years post registration experience as an Occupational Therapist
Team working
Desirable:
Post registration experience in relevant clinical setting.
Experience of research and audit
Supervision of junior staff and/or students
Other
Essential:
State registration with HCPC
Commitment to service-user centred, non-discriminatory practice
Commitment to lifelong learning
Willingness and ability to work flexibly this may include work outside of normal working hours in accordance with service need
Desirable:
Membership of Professional Body
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Degree in Occupational Therapy
- Additional qualifications relevant to role.
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Knowledge of occupational Therapy models of practice
- Application of the occupational therapy process with service user group
- knowledge and application of standardised assessments
Skills
Essential criteria- Individual and Group Work experience
- Assessment and planning of therapy interventions
- supervisory skills
Experience
Essential criteria- 2 years post registration experience as an occupational therapist
- post registration experience in older adults mental health
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.