Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for two permanent Band 3 Occupational Therapy Assistants to work within our innovative and expanding Occupational Therapy Team, one post on each of our two Low Secure Units at Hollins Park Hospital. Chesterton Unit is a 16-bedded female low secure unit and Marlowe is a 15-bedded male low secure unit, both working with adults with mental health issues, who have been deemed to require care in a low secure unit.
We are looking for two Occupational Therapy Assistants who can demonstrate compassion and empathy to our patients with a drive to improve the quality of care services within a forensic environment as part of Mersey Care's Secure Care Division.
Main duties of the job
You will be responsible for assisting in the delivery of meaningful activities of daily living within the Occupational Therapy service, under the direction and supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist. You will be required to actively work as part of The Multi-Disciplinary Team. You will be expected to work in an innovative way to support the smooth running of the Occupational Therapy Service and will be required to offer individual and group activities alongside all other Occupational Therapy staff and under the indirect and direct supervision of a Qualified Occupational Therapist.
The above post will be implemented in line with The Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work effectively as a member of a team in providing a programme of therapeutic activities and interventions as directed by the occupational therapist
To actively engage service users in therapeutic activities to promote independence and well-being within hospital and community environments.
You will be required to facilitate 1:1 and group sessions under the Occupational Therapy model.
Support service users to attend and participate in sessions that promote recovery through attendance at Occupational Therapy sessions.
To provide an update and overview of service users' participation, engagement level and skills following sessions.
To form professional relationships with service users, and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
To maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
Please refer to attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work effectively as a member of a team in providing a programme of therapeutic activities and interventions as directed by the occupational therapist
To actively engage service users in therapeutic activities to promote independence and well-being within hospital and community environments.
You will be required to facilitate 1:1 and group sessions under the Occupational Therapy model.
Support service users to attend and participate in sessions that promote recovery through attendance at Occupational Therapy sessions.
To provide an update and overview of service users' participation, engagement level and skills following sessions.
To form professional relationships with service users, and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
To maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
Please refer to attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 2, with an aim to complete NVQ Level 3 at a later date
Desirable
- Qualifications linked to role, e.g. gym instructor qualification
- NVQ Level 2
Knowledge / Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in Learning Disabilities and/or Mental Health Services.
- Basic awareness of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
Desirable
- Experience supporting individuals with behaviours that challenge.
- Creativity and ability to adapt activities to the needs of the patients
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Support
- High professional standards
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
- Change oriented
Skills
Essential
- Good communication skills, verbal and written
- Good people skills - friendly and honest
- Self-motivated and able to motivate others
- Ability to recognise and cope effectively with personal stress
- Ability to follow instruction and work under direction
- Ability to work on own initiative and as a member of a team
- Good time management skills
- Ability to be an effective role-model
- Clear effective written & verbal communication
- Basic IT skills
Desirable
- Ability to Travel in the course of performing duties
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 2, with an aim to complete NVQ Level 3 at a later date
Desirable
- Qualifications linked to role, e.g. gym instructor qualification
- NVQ Level 2
Knowledge / Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in Learning Disabilities and/or Mental Health Services.
- Basic awareness of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
Desirable
- Experience supporting individuals with behaviours that challenge.
- Creativity and ability to adapt activities to the needs of the patients
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Support
- High professional standards
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
- Change oriented
Skills
Essential
- Good communication skills, verbal and written
- Good people skills - friendly and honest
- Self-motivated and able to motivate others
- Ability to recognise and cope effectively with personal stress
- Ability to follow instruction and work under direction
- Ability to work on own initiative and as a member of a team
- Good time management skills
- Ability to be an effective role-model
- Clear effective written & verbal communication
- Basic IT skills
Desirable
- Ability to Travel in the course of performing duties
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.
