Band 6 Occupational Therapist - Forensic Learning Disability

Job overview

The post holder will work as a member of the large Occupational Therapy team with the North London Forensic Service (NLFS). The NLFS provides medium and low secure in-patient services for male and female clients diagnosed with major mental illness, Learning Disability, and Autism, who have been in contact with the criminal justice system. Also provided are specialist forensic outreach services.

This post sits specifically within the inpatient Learning Disabilities and Autism pathway of the forensic service. The pathway is made up of a medium secure ward, a low secure ward and a community forensic Learning Disability team.

The post will involve delivery of the OT provision to a designated caseload with the Leaning Disability and Autism pathway, focusing on functional daily living skills and specific mental health, and risk issues. This will include the assessment, treatment and evaluation of clinical interventions, planning and running a range of therapeutic individual and group work, carrying out functional assessments and contributing to multidisciplinary team care planning and risk assessment.

The post holder will work closely with the Multi-Disciplinary Team and relevant outside agencies, as well as with the Clinical Specialist OT lead for the pathway, Band 5 OT’s and Technical Instructors to provide a quality service, which is responsive to client’s needs.

Main duties of the job

• 1.     To be responsible for the Occupational Therapy assessment, treatment and evaluation of an allocated clinical caseload, and in compliance with the care programme approach 2.     To undertake the MOHOST and any other identified assessments with designated caseload as directed by service OT pathway. 3.     To be responsible for planning and providing group and individual assessment and treatment sessions within the service. 4.     To ensure daily feedback is received from nursing staff before starting work on designated ward. 5.     To carry out standardised assessments and provide detailed feedback to the multidisciplinary team about clients’ abilities and also information about future plans and requirements for progress. 6.     To undertake treatment planning, involving the client in all possible occasions. 7.     To prompt and motivate the clients to attend and participate in Occupational Therapy treatment sessions. 8.     To communicate treatment plans and clinical reasoning for interventions to other members of the multidisciplinary team and to work in collaboration with other disciplines and staff in clinical work. Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To be responsible for the Occupational Therapy assessment, treatment and evaluation of an allocated clinical caseload, and in compliance with the care programme approach 2.     To undertake the MOHOST and any other identified assessments with designated caseload as directed by service OT pathway. 3.     To be responsible for planning and providing group and individual assessment and treatment sessions within the service. 4.     To ensure daily feedback is received from nursing staff before starting work on designated ward. 5.     To carry out standardised assessments and provide detailed feedback to the multidisciplinary team about clients’ abilities and also information about future plans and requirements for progress. 6.     To undertake treatment planning, involving the client in all possible occasions. 7.     To prompt and motivate the clients to attend and participate in Occupational Therapy treatment sessions. 8.     To communicate treatment plans and clinical reasoning for interventions to other members of the multidisciplinary team and to work in collaboration with other disciplines and staff in clinical work. 9.     To plan, run and evaluate treatment sessions on a group or individual basis, using graded activities to achieve treatment aims. 10.  To maintain a flexible approach to sessions, modifying activities according to the fluctuating clinical presentation of individual clients and the needs of the service. 11.  To engage with clients with behaviours that challenge, contributing to team discussion regarding the clinical approach to individuals and communicating this clearly to all therapy staff working with the client. This may include aggressive and violent behaviour. 12.  To work in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary team to provide a coordinated care package. This is not an exhaustive list, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.