Job summary
Do you thrive on variety in your day? Are you looking to support clinical quality and best practice?
This maternity leave cover may be just what you are looking for.
The Clinical Specialist OT role leads the team of Occupational Therapists , Activity Coordinators and OT Assistants across the busy Croydon Acute Mental Health unit wards, Home Treatment Team and the Rehabilitation ward at Bethlem.
Together they provide OT assessment and activity based programmes on the wards to support service users during their inpatient stays and promote their safe and recovery focussed discharge.
The Band 7 OT provides professional supervision, training and mentorship to the OT Team and consultancy to the MDT. They also have direct clinical input to complex cases through 1;1 and group sessions. The pace is fast and no two days are the same.
They work as part of the Inpatient Services Leadership team to support best practice, governance activities and service development.
This is a great opportunity to develop a wide range of both clinical and managerial skills. The role is supported by the Head OT and there is plenty of opportunity to connect with other OTs across the Trust.
Main duties of the job
The role is about providing clinical leadership and supervision to a dedicated team of Occupational Therapists, Activity Co-ordinators and OT Assistants. The service also regularly offers placements to OT students, AHP students, sessional workers and volunteers.
The OT Assistant and Activity Co-ordinators on each ward are a relatively new resource so supporting the development of these roles is an ongoing part of the job.
Applicants need to have a good knowledge of mental health conditions, dynamic Risk Assessment and excellent communication skills. The ability to prioritise, make decisions and manage a workload flexibly is vital. Experience of providing supervision to a range of people is also essential.
About us
The acute service is busy with fast turnover of service users and large ward MDT's. OT is a well respected part of all the teams. The teams focus is on rapid stabilisation of people in crisis, minimum time in hospital and timely discharge back to the community.
The rehabilitation ward works at a slower pace to support recovery and the OT assessment process is dependent on the presenting issues with the service users who have usually already had a number of admissions to the acute wards.
The AHP Services in SLAM are committed to staff support, supervision and CPD.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work with the Head of Occupational Therapy to lead on the planning, coordination and delivery of Occupational Therapy assessment and interventions within the Croydon Directorate.
To work closely with Discharge Coordinators, Service Leads and MDT as well as Occupational therapists to ensure patients recovery goals and plans are at the centre of Clinical practice, and fosters skills and confidence of people to enable people to live as independently as possible.
To provide Leadership and support Activity Coordinators / OT Assistants and the MDT to encourage therapeutic outcomes via the use of Activity and development of an integrated Therapeutic programme
To have clinical input through group work or individual complex cases. Use evidence based / client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate occupationally focused interventions for adults within the acute or rehabilitation service.
To support the development of the local physical health and wellbeing strategy particularly with regards to ensuring safe and suitable access to physical activity for patients and addressing environmental adaptation for people with complex needs and physical disability
To take the lead in monitoring, development and evaluation of the necessary standards to ensure consistent, high quality, evidence based and cost-efficient Occupational Therapy provision across the wards and within Westways Rehabilitation Service with support from the Head OT.
To provide professional supervision to Occupational Therapists working on the inpatient wards and in Rehabilitation, so as to monitor and implement professional standards of practice including input to staff appraisal and continuing professional development.
To liaise with colleagues across relevant services in Croydon borough and establish systems that promote effective communication and best access to recovery pathways across the borough.
To provide clinical leadership for junior staff, students and volunteers through supervision and training as well as preceptorship.
To provide training and consultancy for occupationally focused interventions within the Directorate and provide an expert view when developing new ways of working and reviewing models of care and treatment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work with the Head of Occupational Therapy to lead on the planning, coordination and delivery of Occupational Therapy assessment and interventions within the Croydon Directorate.
To work closely with Discharge Coordinators, Service Leads and MDT as well as Occupational therapists to ensure patients recovery goals and plans are at the centre of Clinical practice, and fosters skills and confidence of people to enable people to live as independently as possible.
To provide Leadership and support Activity Coordinators / OT Assistants and the MDT to encourage therapeutic outcomes via the use of Activity and development of an integrated Therapeutic programme
To have clinical input through group work or individual complex cases. Use evidence based / client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate occupationally focused interventions for adults within the acute or rehabilitation service.
To support the development of the local physical health and wellbeing strategy particularly with regards to ensuring safe and suitable access to physical activity for patients and addressing environmental adaptation for people with complex needs and physical disability
To take the lead in monitoring, development and evaluation of the necessary standards to ensure consistent, high quality, evidence based and cost-efficient Occupational Therapy provision across the wards and within Westways Rehabilitation Service with support from the Head OT.
To provide professional supervision to Occupational Therapists working on the inpatient wards and in Rehabilitation, so as to monitor and implement professional standards of practice including input to staff appraisal and continuing professional development.
To liaise with colleagues across relevant services in Croydon borough and establish systems that promote effective communication and best access to recovery pathways across the borough.
To provide clinical leadership for junior staff, students and volunteers through supervision and training as well as preceptorship.
To provide training and consultancy for occupationally focused interventions within the Directorate and provide an expert view when developing new ways of working and reviewing models of care and treatment.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Occupational Therapist
- HCPC Registered
- Post registration qualification
- Post graduate training relevant to practice area
Desirable
- Membership of OT professional body or special interest group
Experience
Essential
- Extensive post registration experience working with Mental Health service users at Band 6 level
- Extensive clinical experience including group and individual work
- Experience of supervising junior staff and students
- Experience of working with people with challenging behaviours
Knowledge
Essential
- High level understanding of mental health disorders and treatments
- Extensive knowledge of the principles of risk assessment and risk management
- Specialist knowledge and application of OT and generic assessments, interventions and outcomes relevant to the client group
- Understanding of OT Code of conduct and OT core skills and their application in practice.
- Detailed knowledge of legislation relevant to the Mental Health Act and specialist practice
Skills
Essential
- Comprehensive range of high-level verbal and written communication skills including ICT literacy
- Effective leadership planning and decision-making skills
- Ability to work autonomously and set work priorities
- Working knowledge of clinical governance
- Ability to work flexibly and under pressure.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Occupational Therapist
- HCPC Registered
- Post registration qualification
- Post graduate training relevant to practice area
Desirable
- Membership of OT professional body or special interest group
Experience
Essential
- Extensive post registration experience working with Mental Health service users at Band 6 level
- Extensive clinical experience including group and individual work
- Experience of supervising junior staff and students
- Experience of working with people with challenging behaviours
Knowledge
Essential
- High level understanding of mental health disorders and treatments
- Extensive knowledge of the principles of risk assessment and risk management
- Specialist knowledge and application of OT and generic assessments, interventions and outcomes relevant to the client group
- Understanding of OT Code of conduct and OT core skills and their application in practice.
- Detailed knowledge of legislation relevant to the Mental Health Act and specialist practice
Skills
Essential
- Comprehensive range of high-level verbal and written communication skills including ICT literacy
- Effective leadership planning and decision-making skills
- Ability to work autonomously and set work priorities
- Working knowledge of clinical governance
- Ability to work flexibly and under pressure.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
