Occupational Therapist - Community Learning Disabilities

Job description

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist, culturally appropriate, evidence-based occupational therapy assessments for service users in the community to establish and meet their occupational needs.
• To explore vocational needs, offer advice and support to access community employment services related to an individual's vocational needs.
• To select and use validated standardised and non-standardised assessment tools routinely and in practice, exhibiting clinical reasoning skills; to include the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) assessments. To assess the needs of people with complex needs, including additional physical disabilities, mental ill-health, challenging behaviour and sensory processing problems.
• To apply clinical knowledge and skills to carry out evidence-based occupational therapy interventions, both individual and in groups, which are underpinned by relevant theoretical approaches.
• To plan, implement, deliver training to staff and carers, and review individually tailored intervention programmes using individual and group work approaches. To support service users and colleagues to ensure that care plans are developed in partnership with the individual and reflect 'occupational goals'.
• To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions against clear aims, objectives and outcome measures in line with evidence-based practice and with service users, carers and other professionals.
• Under the guidance of a band 7 OT, establish links with the CNWL Recovery College and support the development of an LD spoke for the learning disabilities service.
• To apply a level of understanding of the effects of learning disability and autism, and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the service user's social and physical environment.
• To determine the impact of mental, physical and sensory conditions on service users' functional ability and undertake assessment/make recommendations about providing interventions, equipment/aids and adaptations.
• To be aware of medication issues in line with the CNWL OT Medication Management guidelines.
• To follow local protocol and obtain recommended equipment and/or liaise with local equipment providers to ensure appropriate provision.
• To work in partnership with other agencies and offer supervision and guidance to external agencies as required.
• To identify carers' needs in line with national requirements.
• To support service users in relation to their physical health, employment, housing and welfare benefits issues; referring to specialist provider services as necessary. To provide OT consultation to other professionals within the team.
• To complete key performance indicators.
• To facilitate effective links with community resources so that a socially inclusive focus towards treatment and discharge planning is maintained

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc Hons/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC registration

Desirable

• Membership of professional body
• Evidence of relevant Continuous Professional Development
• Field work educators course

Other

Essential

• Ability to travel between sites and visits in a timely and efficient fashion.

Desirable

• Able to work efficiently in the community

Experience

Essential

• Relevant previous experience as a pre-reg OT
• Previous experience of working in the community / mental health services/ health care setting, as a student, health care assistant or support worker.
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural context
• Experience of maintaining a written record of continual professional development
• Experience of individual and groupwork

Desirable

• clinical experience relevant to learning disabilities, community or mental health
• Experience of using mental health services as a service user, or carer, relative, friend of service user

Skills

Essential

• Proficient standard of written communication skills - able to communicate effectively in both written and spoken English.
• Maintaining accurate, timely, and concise clinical records both electronic and handwritten which adhere to the CNWL policies
• Able to produce high quality reports
• Able to talk to people about sensitive issues in a supportive manner but also challenge others assertively where necessary
• Ability to advocate for the rights and needs of patients
• Knowledge and experience of standardized and non-standardized occupational therapy assessments
• Ability to assess complex mental health & well being needs/conditions & develop, monitor and review care plans to facilitate an individual's recovery

Desirable

• Makaton Training
• Awareness of different communication strategies for working with individuals with learning disabilities
• Experience of using powerpoint Presentation skills
• Awareness and understanding of NHS structure, current issues and developments

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Appletree, The Kingswood Center

Honeypot lane

Brent

NW9 9QY

Employer's website

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