Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Croydon Acute Inpatient Unit Psychiatric Intensive Care Ward (PICU) for new full-time Band 3 Activity Coordinator. You will work alongside the ward based Occupational Therapist. You will be working with a large and experienced Multidisciplinary Team who value an active ward programme for service users. You will be providing ward based group and 1:1 activities, supporting service users accessing activities on and where appropriate, off the ward, and working with OTs on assessments. You will also have opportunities to work alongside Peer Support Workers, Link workers, Volunteers and Students.
You will be supported with regular supervision from your ward OT. There are opportunities to connect with the wider network of Activity Coordinators, OTs, Peer Workers and Volunteers in the Trust. SLaM supports access to training and CPD opportunities for all grades of staff to support career progression and has a range of apprenticeship opportunities.
We welcome applications from individuals who have energy and enthusiasm and recognise the value of engagement in activity for Service Users with mental health issues in their recovery journey.
Applicants need to have good communication skills and the ability to collaborate with and engage acutely ill mental health service users in a range of therapeutic and recreational activities.
Due to an anticipated very high application rate we may close this application early
Main duties of the job
o Use technical / creative skills to assist in the provision of a flexible, client centred programme of recreational and therapeutic activities for individuals / groups of patients who all have complex psychosis or other mental health presentations and associated behaviour, which can include aggression.
o To offer group and individual activities under the direct and indirect supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist.
o To manage work on the unit on a day-to-day basis, actively participating in risk assessment to ensure Health and Safety standards are met.
o The occupational therapy team work within a multi-disciplinary team to drive forward a programme of recovery and rehabilitation. The care pathway is evidence based with a focus on participation in therapeutic activity for enhancing patient experience and recovery outcomes as well as social inclusion and independent living skills.
About us
The Croydon Acute Inpatient Unit wards support service users who are acutely unwell in mental health crisis. There are 2 women's wards, two men's wards and a men's PICU (Intensive Care Unit)
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oGCSE English and maths or equivalent
- oEvidence of continuing professional and personal development
Desirable
- oCity & Guilds final certificate, NVQ 3 or 4, Diploma or Degree.
- oCreative qualification eg arts, photography
- oHealth and Social Care NVQ Level 2 or equivalent (A/I) Psychology qualification
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of working in a health/social care/teaching setting including paid, voluntary employment or community work (A/I)
- oExperience of working both independently and in a team
- Working with people with Mental Health problems or Learning Disabilities (A/I)
- Experience of providing group and 1:1 interventions.
- Demonstrate an understanding of mental health issues (A/I)
Desirable
- oExperience of facilitating therapeutic groups in a health and social care setting
- oExperience of mental health difficulties or of caring for someone with a mental health difficulty
Knowledge
Essential
- oAn understanding of the needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems
- oAbility to develop practical solutions to problems that may arise
- oAn understanding of the needs of service users from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds
Desirable
- oKnowledge of applying Health and Safety and risk awareness procedures and policies
Other
Essential
- oWillingness to be involved in the delivery of practice placements for students
- oWillingness to participate in supervision
- oAbility to work independently of direct supervision
- oWillingness to work flexibly including some evening and weekend work
Skills
Essential
- Good personal organisation skills
- Good observation skills
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent IT skills
- Knowledge of one or more leisure / creative technical activities (A/I)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oGCSE English and maths or equivalent
- oEvidence of continuing professional and personal development
Desirable
- oCity & Guilds final certificate, NVQ 3 or 4, Diploma or Degree.
- oCreative qualification eg arts, photography
- oHealth and Social Care NVQ Level 2 or equivalent (A/I) Psychology qualification
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of working in a health/social care/teaching setting including paid, voluntary employment or community work (A/I)
- oExperience of working both independently and in a team
- Working with people with Mental Health problems or Learning Disabilities (A/I)
- Experience of providing group and 1:1 interventions.
- Demonstrate an understanding of mental health issues (A/I)
Desirable
- oExperience of facilitating therapeutic groups in a health and social care setting
- oExperience of mental health difficulties or of caring for someone with a mental health difficulty
Knowledge
Essential
- oAn understanding of the needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems
- oAbility to develop practical solutions to problems that may arise
- oAn understanding of the needs of service users from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds
Desirable
- oKnowledge of applying Health and Safety and risk awareness procedures and policies
Other
Essential
- oWillingness to be involved in the delivery of practice placements for students
- oWillingness to participate in supervision
- oAbility to work independently of direct supervision
- oWillingness to work flexibly including some evening and weekend work
Skills
Essential
- Good personal organisation skills
- Good observation skills
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent IT skills
- Knowledge of one or more leisure / creative technical activities (A/I)
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
