Band 3 Occupational Therapy Assistant - Meadowcroft

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for a full time Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) position at Meadowcroft, a Male Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Mary Seacole House

The individual will need to facilitate group activities, 1:1 sessions and assist and support the qualified occupational therapy staff, nursing staff and ward manager as required. Hours would be varied, working flexibly in the week and at the weekend to facilitate a 7-day service, which meets the needs of the service user.

You will be based in Meadowcroft working as a key member of the team where you will use meaningful activity to promote the health, wellbeing and functional abilities of patients on the ward, as part of their overall multidisciplinary care plan. You will support service users to engage in a therapeutic programme of care, as delegated by an occupational therapist, nurse, ward manager demonstrating adherence to the Trust Values and operating as a member of the team, service, and organisation.

The activities will involve both one to one work and groupwork, both on the unit and with individuals' accessing community resources which supports the use of activity to aid recovery and enable a timely and sustained discharge. Therefore, it is important that you are able to work dynamically and be able to think of creative and new ideas.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for assisting in the development and delivery of treatment and care plans where appropriate under the direction and supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist and in collaboration with the nursing team and ward manager.

Theses duties will extend to using The Occupational Therapy Process to assist in assessment, planning and the implementation of Therapeutic Activities within an In-Patient Mental Health Setting.

We can offer a range of training and development opportunities linked to your personal development plan, access to a network of OTs and other allied health professionals (AHPs) within acute services and across our organisation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The main goal of an OTA on a male PICU is to engage patients in therapeutic activities that promote mental stability, improve functional daily living skills, and reduce the distress associated with a deterioration in mental state. You serve as a vital motivational bridge, helping patients transition from acute illness to a state where they can safely participate in a broader care plan.

• Group Facilitation: Plan and run structured, low-demand groups directly on the ward. These typically include life skills (e.g., cooking, budgeting), productive hobbies (e.g. arts and crafts), and physical health or relaxation groups.
• One-to-One Engagement: Build professional, supportive relationships with patients who are too unwell, paranoid, or agitated to tolerate a group setting.
• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): Observe and report on how patients manage basic and domestic tasks like personal hygiene, meal preparation, and cognitive organization.
• Information Gathering: Help the qualified OT administer standardized or non-standardized functional and vocational screenings to identify a patient's core strengths and barriers
• Dynamic Risk Assessment: Monitor patients continuously for sudden changes in mood, behaviour or risk levels during activities.
• Safe Environments: Ensure all tools and materials used in sessions (such as kitchen utensils, arts and crafts supplies, or gym equipment) are strictly accounted for and used safely in line with PICU security protocols.
• Crisis Management: Undergo mandatory training in Averts techniques to safely assist the nursing team if an acute incident occurs

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

We highly recommend you submit your application as soon as possible, this post may close earlier than the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.

We are unable to support applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work the United Kingdom (UK)

Applicant requirements

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.