Experienced Occupational Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Care job family overview:

Support and assist the well-being of individuals and groups to assure their protection, security and development.

Safeguarding, protection and care.

Community, residential, day or field settings.

Ongoing risk/needs assessment of and advice for individuals/groups.

Specification of any non-council provision.

Individual or small group emphasis.

May involve personal care activities.

Likely to involve immediate response to client.

Service and Function Context

This teams aim is to focus on prevention and delay. Identify possible care and support needs and thinking creatively and proactively to enable people to be as safe and as independent as possible.

The overall responsibilities of the Advice and contact team are:

To provide statutory support to adults with care and support needs and their carers/families, which includes information and advice, assessment, support planning and safeguarding.

Comply with legal frameworks for social care in line with personalisation principles, which aim to put individuals, families and communities at the heart of care and wellbeing; and in doing so strengthens relationships between members of that community and builds social capital

Operate within defined budgets for social care

Work in partnership and liaison with partners including primary, secondary and tertiary health care, private providers, voluntary sector organisations and others to provide coordinated support for customers and/or carers.

To uphold standards of practice for Occupational Therapists as determined by the regulatory body, the Health and Care Professions Council and the Professional Standards and Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

To undertake occupational therapy assessments with customers, predominately over the phone. To plan for the provision of support and/ or services with customers in order to assist them meet their outcomes and to live as independently as possible fulfilling their individual potential.

To support carers to continue in their role.

To provide professional supervision and support to Occupational Therapists and information officers, working within the same locality/environment.

To deliver this service in accordance with the statutory responsibilities as set out within social care and housing legislation

To ensure that the primary responsibility of safeguarding adults is delivered in accordance with the law and local policy and guidance.

Specific duties and responsibilities:

Undertake strengths based occupational therapy assessments working with customers with complex occupational needs and contentious situations (including assessment of mental capacity where appropriate); using your professional judgement to adapt your approach to the individual needs of the customer.

Manage a busy caseload including complex and challenging cases; provide support and guidance for the management of complex and challenging cases. Be able to reprioritise work according to individual customer and service needs.

Demonstrate competence in complex risk assessment and positive risk taking. Work with customers to manage risk and record actions and strategies agreed. Support other team members with management of risk.

Gather sufficient information about customers from a wide range of sources in order to be able to accurately assess their needs of customers where requests are challenging or contentious in nature, against duties under the Care Act and housing legislation.

Plan for the provision of support and/or services to assist customers with complex or challenging situations, focusing on customers undertaking occupations and encouraging independence.

Analyse, research and source bespoke equipment solutions in line with specialist equipment policy including obtaining quotes and specifications, in order to obtain best value and reducing risk.

Have an understanding and experience with complex moving and handling risk assessments, using your expertise to record the recommendations in a format appropriate to the customers and/or carers needs. Monitoring and evaluating risk and sharing information with the relevant parties including demonstration of recommended techniques.

Start the assessment process for and recommend minor and major adaptations in accordance with the Care Act and Housing legislation and guidance with customers with complex physical or social barriers. Use expert professional skills and judgement to analyse, discuss and negotiate options with the customer to improve accessibility within their own home or recommend re-housing.

To identify where adults may be at risk and to act in accordance with the Departments safeguarding policies and procedures. To undertake the Investigating Officer role when the reason for investigation would benefit from occupational therapy input, such as, accidents and incidents from misuse of equipment and moving and handling practice concerns.

Ensure that allocated occupational therapy and moving and handling reviews are carried out in a timely and person-centred way, as required and identified by departmental policy. Document progress with agreed outcomes and evidence need for continuing support at all times in accordance with eligibility criteria; working with customers and care providers to promote increased independence.

Record all occupational therapy contacts accurately, and in a timely way, onto the social care records in accordance with work targets set by the Team Manager and Supervisor.

Understand and utilise universally available services within the voluntary and community sector, as well as maintaining knowledge of services commissioned by the Council to support effective provision of information to customers. Promote the use of universal services with reablement team members and the wider service.

Practice within the current legal framework, including health, social care and housing legislation; and Wiltshire Council policies and procedures. Provide guidance and advice to support other members of the team to work within the legal framework, policies and procedures.

Establish and maintain good working relationship and carry out joint visits and assessments with other professionals e.g. GP's, Consultants and Health Therapists working with the customer. Seek advice from and refer to other disciplines as appropriate.

Consider the needs of carers in line with Care Act eligibility and make referrals to partner agencies for assessment and support as required.

Contribute proactively to the effective working of the team with positive attitude, by sharing knowledge, offering advice and support and by preparedness to be involved in the development of services.

Take active responsibility for your own continuing professional development including attendance at statutory and non-statutory training and participation in development opportunities.

Fully engage and prepare for own supervision and appraisal through self-evaluation, ensuring that continual professional development is evidenced.

Provide professional supervision and support to Occupational Therapists and customer coordinators, promoting evidence-informed practice. Ensure that supervision is timely and recorded and that any practice and other concerns are communicated with senior staff/ line managers.

Actively engage in individual and group supervision and embed learning in practice.

Participate in appraisal and team meetings and contribute to individual and team development.

Ensure that Council Policies and Procedures are followed at all times.

Be an ambassador for the Council and the service at all times, always representing the Council positively, professionally and appropriately at meetings with customers, external partners and agencies.

Attend Civil Emergencies when a rest centre is set up.

Make decisions on Blue and Bus Badge appeals.

Specific requirements for this post:

Ability to travel if needed to customers homes/other Wiltshire council hubs for meetings if ever required.

To be flexible and work and/or provide support to other adult care teams as required.

Flexible working

There will be a requirement to occasionally work outside of standard hours, including weekends, to meet the needs of the service, for example assessing customers abilities at different times of the day or provide support to other members of the team. The number of out of hours worked will not exceed 10% of the total contracted hours per week.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional Qualification in Occupational Therapy (Diploma or Degree).
• Registered with HCPC as an Occupational Therapist.
• Evidenced experience of professional and personal development following achievement of professional qualification, likely to be a minimum of 2 years post-qualification.
• Experience of working with adults.
• Significant knowledge and understanding of Health, Housing & Social Care legislation and wider policy context.
• Significant up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance in relation to working with, and the safeguarding of adults.
• Significant knowledge and experience of delivering adaptations through the Disabled Facilities Grant process.
• Knowledge of Reablement to support and promote independence.
• Significant and up-to-date knowledge and experience of undertaking moving and handling assessments and writing moving and handling plans.
• Experience of contributing to the supervision of staff and taking part in professional supervision.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate with people in a variety of ways and levels.
• Ability to professionally challenge.
• Literate, numerate with good computer skills.
• Ability to prioritise work and support others to do this.
• A self-starter, well organised person who is passionate about delivery of high quality customer-centric services.
• Must be able to write clear, accurate and evidence informed documentation.
• Fully fluent in spoken and written English.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a social care setting.
• Experience of supervising occupational therapy students on practice placements.
• Detailed knowledge and experience of reablement to support and promote independence.
• Experience of offering formal supervision and appraisal to staff.
• Experience in offering training and support with moving and handling.
• Experience of working as a safeguarding investigating officer.

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.

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

Wiltshire Council

Address

County Hall

Bythesea Rd

Trowbridge

Wiltshire

BA14 8JN

Employer's website

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)