Occupational Therapy Technician

Job description

Job responsibilities

To assist the support and recovery of service users within the Community Mental Health Team in order to provide a range of psychosocial interventions with service users which aim to improve a persons mental health in three main areas of self-care, productivity and leisure and also reduce their emotional distress.

The post holder will work predominantly with service users presenting highly complex mental health needs, and often displaying challenging behaviour including verbal aggression, that requires a high degree of sensitivity, tact and effective communication skills.

The post holder is generally guided by the CMHT operating Procedures however, qualified staff will be available for reference and advice.

• To undertake any other duties of a similar nature consistent with the responsibilities of this post in order to provide a quality service.

Under supervision and guidance of the Occupational Therapist the post holder will take responsibility for supporting a pre directed care plan for the service user, contributing to the implementation of clinical care and providing feedback on progress of the service user.

The post holder will take responsibility for safe use of all equipment and will be expected to support the service user in practical activities which may include domestic work, relaxation and daily living tasks. These may be one off sessions or ongoing programmes, sometimes requiring the post holder to exert light physical effort.

Undertaking individual therapeutic activities with clients to promote independence and wellbeing, sometimes requiring tact and persuasion or where there may be barriers to understanding. Assessing clients responses to activities and amending programmes of activity where necessary, making judgements on when to escalate clinical issues to the Occupational Therapist.

To work collaboratively with multidisciplinary team members/service provider in the provision of supporting the service user. To effectively communicate and highlight any clinical risks and report this to the multidisciplinary team in a proficient and timely fashion and if necessary contribute to ongoing risk reduction and management.

To gather information from the service user/carer as part of the care plan process and activities identified within it, communicating effectively with clients where there are barriers to understanding and where clients are highly emotive or distresses and often presenting challenging behaviour.

To ensure all written and electronic work is accurate and kept up to date e.g. patient notes and contacts on Rio, in accordance with professional and Trust standards.

To effectively use clinical supervision to discuss and reflect on own practice.

To maintain and demonstrate up-to-date knowledge of national guidelines, standards, legislation and professional developments in current methods in the treatment of service conditions.

To ensure all Trust policies and procedures are implemented and adhered to within area of practice and making suggestions for changes to working practices within the CMHT.

To participate in own Personal Development Conversation by completing preparation documentation and actively participating in the appraisal process.

To actively engage in and maintain the organisations standards of clinical governance including participation in audits, clinical supervision and research into clinical practice.

Undertake relevant activities to meet training objectives and maintain up to date mandatory training.

To undertake own continual professional development by demonstrating an ongoing reflective learning style in the workplace. This should be clearly and regularly documented in a personal portfolio.

Person Specification

essential

Essential

• Good general education to GCSE level or equivalent
• Understanding of mental health issues
• Experience of working with mental illness

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Mossley Day Unit

Sneyd Lane

Walsall

WS3 2LW

Employer's website

https://www.blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)