Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist (B6 to B7 Development post)

Job summary

A rare opportunity has arisen for an occupational therapist to join the brand new Enhanced Reconnect Service. The aim of the Specialist Healthcare Navigation (Enhanced Reconnect) service is to reduce health related barriers that directly impact on the individual's engagement prior to, and upon leaving prison; to reduce health inequalities and address the health and wellbeing of serious and high-risk offending behaviours.

The occupational therapist will be an integral part of this service to support individuals to develop occupational performance and participation skills in preparation for release and upon return into the community using evidenced based assessment and treatment interventions.

This post is a full-time position. Enhanced Reconnect is a regional service, so the post holder will be required to travel to different bases. The working base is flexible. There is a team office at Lanchester Road Hospital but other bases will be considered at the postholder's request. The service covers a range of North East prisons, as far north as HMP Northumberland (near Morpeth) and as far south HMP Deerbolt (Barnard Castle). The post will be required to travel for relevant meetings and for clinical support to other occupational therapists within prisons, which will be job planned and reimbursed via expenses. Flexible working will be considered.

Main duties of the job

If employed at Band 6 level (linked to experience and skills), the postholder will complete a structured development program lasting approximately one year, and transfer to the Band 7 clinical specialist job description when all relevant competencies have been achieved and signed off by the clinical lead occupational therapist.

Following 1 year program the post holder should be be independent with complexity, expertise and leadership in the following areas:

• To provide Trust-wide clinical leadership and advice in own specialist area.
• To provide clinical supervision and specialist training for occupational therapy staff within the designated specialty and other healthcare professionals.
• To be responsible for managing a highly specialist caseload, triaging and prioritising referrals, completing evidence-based assessments and interventions to address key occupational areas of self care, productivity and leisure.
• To act as lead professional for a small number of individuals when required.
• To use client-centred approaches to co-producing negotiated occupational goals and evaluate these with service users collaboratively.
• To contribute to multi-disciplinary team working
• To contribute to and lead on service improvement and quality initiatives
• To use the Trust electronic patient record system
• To abide by all Trust policies and procedures
• To be able to respond flexibly and creatively to challenges

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.