Occupational Therapist

Main duties of the job
To manage a defined caseload including taking on a named clinician role for specific patients within the inpatient setting.

To provide Occupational Therapy that is evidence based and follows client centred principles. This will include assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating the outcome of interventions and documenting all stages of the process.
Interventions may be carried out in hospital, community settings or during home visits. To develop skills and knowledge through participation in the Preceptorship Programme and other post-graduate opportunities.
To participate effectively as a full member of the multidisciplinary team.
To contribute to the education of occupational therapy and other students.

Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.

Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible

Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”

Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”

At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
- Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
- Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As an Occupational therapist you'll be working with a range of people who will all have different requirements, you'll need to understand each client's lifestyle so that you can create the best treatment plan for them.

As an occupational therapist, you'll need to:

- Take a 'whole person' approach to each patient's physical and mental wellbeing by considering all their needs - physical, social, psychological and environmental
assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment plans in hospital and community settings
establish realistic goals with the patient with meaningful outcomes
liaise with other professionals, such as doctors, physiotherapists, social workers, equipment suppliers, as well as patients' families, carers and employers.
- keep up-to-date written and electronic records
write reports and care plans and attend multidisciplinary case meetings to plan and review ongoing treatment.
- Refer patients to other specialists when needed.
- Organise support and rehabilitation groups for carers and patients.
- Contribute to the analysis, planning, audit, development and evaluation of clinical services.
- Train students and supervise the work of ward activity co-ordinator and Physio technique
manage a caseload, prioritising patient needs and completing administrative tasks such as patient and budgetary records.

Your client case load - whether you're working with the people with mental ill health or living with a disability - will dictate your specific activities. You may need to:

- Develop a rehabilitation programme to help rebuild lost skills and restore confidence
make sure that people are safe to leave hospital after an injury or illness.
- Advise on home and workplace environmental alterations, such as adjustments for wheelchair access
teach anxiety management techniques.
- Help people to return to work.
- Advise on specialist equipment to help with daily activities.
- Coach people with learning difficulties or poor social skills, e.g. in handling money and social interaction
mentor people on how to control their own behaviour.

Person specification
Qualifications – Academic/Skills/ Professional

Essential criteria
- Recognised Occupational Therapist Qualification with Dip RCOT qualification or degree and HCPC registration.
- Evidence of continuing professional development in line with HCPC standards.

Desirable criteria
- Commitment to continuing CPD and post graduate qualifications.
- Member of the British Association/Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
- Post qualifying education e.g Msc modules in relevant area.

Experience
Essential criteria
- Post qualifying experience of working as an Occupational Therapist within the field of Mental health
Knowledge and understanding of the needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems and understanding of Physical health co-morbidities.
- Experience of caseload management/complex conditions & cases

Desirable criteria
- Experience of undertaking audit work

Advanced Assessment Skills
- To have awareness of national and local issues concerning mental health

Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Experience of working under pressure, demonstrating the ability to work in a flexible way that is dependent on the circumstances that are presented.
- Able to use own initiative when appropriate
- Able to work independently as well as in a team
- All new starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process, aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale

Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.

Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.

We are ambitious in our pursuit of excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just and fully inclusive organisational culture enables our teams to deliver the best quality of care and services possible and we work hard to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities that we serve.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community, are an Equal Opportunities employer with a number of internal networking groups to support our employees and where possible will always look to make reasonable adjustments in order that you can fulfil the role to recognise your full potential. All our employees are committed to demonstrating through their behaviour our core values – safe, caring and excellent.

Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.