Occupational Therapist

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for an Occupational Therapist to join the Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust. Initially to join a multi-disciplinary Community Mental health Team in the Older Peoples Service in the North of Leeds. The post is part time (30 hours per week) to cover maternity leave for 9 months. Following the end of this period an alternative post will be identified within the Trust.

The team offer specialist mental health care to adults over the age of 65. Our service operates Monday-Friday 9-5pm and clinicians manage their own caseload, diary and home visits based on clinical need and prioritisation. Newly qualified applicants are welcomed, post registration experience is not essential but you must be able to demonstrate an in depth understanding of the needs of Service Users with severe, enduring and complex mental health needs including mood disorders, psychosis and dementia. An understanding of the needs around dementia would be desirable but not essential as the successful candidate will receive training and supervision from a senior practitioner.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone to develop their clinical skills in a community setting as a core member of the team.

Main duties of the job

• In this post you will have the opportunity to work within an MDT offering specialist assessment and mental health interventions. As an OT within the team, you will be expected to carry out OT assessments and interventions. You will actively develop and implement interventions that support meaningful occupation and community engagement. You will be expected to use evidence-based principles in occupational therapy, including assessment, treatment planning, individual interventions and evaluation. You will support on the evaluation and continued development of occupational therapy within the CMHT. You will also have a more generic role within the team in supporting service users within their own home with regards to their mental health, being involved in writing and implementing care plans and actions identified within the MDT.

Service User involvement is at the centre of our approach and you will embrace this in your practice. You will be able to demonstrate a range of therapeutic interventions and be committed to the concept of recovery.

You will have access to a range of support including regular clinical supervision, bi-monthly OT Forums and access to a specialist Practice Development Occupational Therapist who will be able to provide support and guidance around service development.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder is expected to demonstrate articulate and effective written and verbal communication skills, with a wide range of people. This includes high quality documentation such as care planning, risk assessments and safety plans.

The post holder is expected to have skills in assessing mental health difficulties, including cognitive impairment. And be able to deliver evidence based care guided by the individual needs of the service user. There should also be an understanding of MHA, MCA and DoLs, and an expectation to work closely alongside adult social care, primary care and third sector services.

This role is community based therefore it is essential that you have a full UK driving licence and use of a car.

You will be operationally managed by the CTMs and receive regular clinical and professional supervision with the senior OTs within the team.

We would strongly welcome and encourage you to make contact with us so we can answer any questions you may have about the service and role.  Please contact either Kay Tschanschek (CTM) [email protected] or Lauren Arundale (CMH/OT) [email protected]