Senior Occupational Therapist

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Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You'll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.

Join us and you'll do the best work of your life - and make a difference to other people's lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

To play a major and specialist role in the advanced assessment, treatment and clinical management of people who have complex, acute and chronic presentations, determining the functional deficits and occupational therapy treatment required.

To work as an autonomous professional according to the Royal College of Occupational Therapy 'Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics (2021)' and the 'Health Professions Council Regulations'.

To contribute to the overall service development of the team and actively participate in Continuing Professional Development. Provide leadership through supervision, mentoring, education and training.

To work as part of the integrated team to plan, deliver and evaluate all aspects of the patient treatment process, including discharge and referral to appropriate community based health and social care agencies.

Main duties of the job

To undertake comprehensive assessment of patients with a range of complex health and social care needs. This will require specialist assessment of all aspects of occupational performance (physical, cognitive, mental, social and environmental needs).

Autonomously manage a complex caseload of patients using clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflection and analysis to support assessment and treatment.

To develop collaborative treatment programmes with patients, carers and colleagues, demonstrating client centred reasoning and specialist problem solving techniques.

Implement the appropriate occupational therapy intervention to enable the individual to achieve his/her optimum level of independence.

Evaluate patient progress, reassess and review treatment programmes as required through the monitoring of medical and rehabilitation needs and adjusting as required.

Plan and prioritise own workload and delegate tasks where appropriate to ensure effective use of time.

Supervise junior staff and assistants to plan their work effectively.

Identify and undertake routine and complex risk assessments, both of environmental and individual case management.

To complete the implementation, review and evaluation of policies and procedures pertinent to the OT team and facilities on the unit.

Provide support and education to patients and carers regarding all aspects of Occupational Therapy.

To work flexibly across the wards and the community service if required.

Working for our organisation

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

• Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
• Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
• We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
• Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs

• Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
• Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Maintain and develop professional expertise in a wide range of clinical areas and conditions.

Dealing with the day to day management of the inpatient OT service including delegating and monitoring work. To deputise for the Therapy Lead in their absence.

Be aware of the additional responsibility of lone working.

Raise the profile of Occupational Therapy within the multi-disciplinary team and the wider community.

Be autonomously responsible for complex caseloads.

Provide clinical expertise to other members of the multi professional team.

Supervise junior staff at all levels.

Plan and prioritise departmental workload.

Develop and implement training for assistants.

Represent Occupational Therapy at senior level.

Assist in the recruitment, selection and orientation of new staff members.

Participate in the staff appraisal scheme as appraiser and appraisee. To be responsible for implementing and achieving development needs for self and junior staff identified from the performance review and development plans.

Undertake the role of Clinical Educator for Occupational Therapy students, working with colleagues to ensure the standard of clinical placements and teaching meets qualification requirements

In addition to the above duties you will also be expected to perform the below key activities in line with your job role;

- Complete mandatory training in line with Trust policy and procedures

- To participate in the staff appraisal process and to undertake for any staff you manage

- To keep yourself updated on all matters relating to Trust policy

- To provide management supervision where appropriate

Person specification

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Knowledge

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge

Skills

Essential criteria

• Skills

Desirable criteria

• Skills

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience

Desirable criteria

• Experience

Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.

As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.

Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email epunft.recruitment.adverts@nhs.net and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.

The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.

Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.

Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered 'suitable alternative employment' to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Job Description (PDF, 640.5KB)
• Person Specification (PDF, 416.4KB)
• AHP Letter (PDF, 156.5KB)
• Why Join The NHS Pension Scheme (PDF, 91.3KB)
• Candidate Privacy Policy (PDF, 336.6KB)
• Right to Work Information (PDF, 293.6KB)
• Employer Recognition Scheme - Gold Award (PDF, 27.7KB)
• Values of the NHS Pension (PDF, 151.3KB)
• Staff Benefits (PDF, 152.7KB)