Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner

Job overview

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner to join our Adult Community Mental Health Services.

This is a newly developed role within a growing community occupational therapy offer, aligned with the Mental Health Strategy for Wales, providing an opportunity to help shape how occupational therapy is delivered in community mental health settings.

You will work closely with Occupational Therapists, multidisciplinary colleagues, and people with lived experience to support recovery-focused, meaningful interventions in local communities.

We are looking for someone who is motivated, organised and adaptable, able to work both independently and as part of a team, and confident building positive relationships with people with mental health needs.

This is a community-focused role involving regular travel across the locality to work in a variety of settings, including community venues and people’s homes.

In return, you will be part of a supportive Occupational Therapy network, with access to regular supervision, joint working opportunities and structured development, including support to complete the Agored Level 3 Diploma in Occupational Therapy Practice (if not already held).

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about community mental health and wants to develop their skills within a progressive and evolving occupational therapy service.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will support the delivery of occupational therapy within Adult Community Mental Health Services, working with individuals to enable engagement in meaningful daily activities that promote recovery and independence.

You will deliver a range of delegated occupational therapy interventions on a one-to-one and group basis, in clinical settings, people’s homes and community environments. This includes supporting daily living skills, establishing and developing routines and increasing confidence in accessing community opportunities.

You will manage a defined caseload of delegated work, using your initiative and organisational skills to plan and prioritise tasks, while working within agreed boundaries and seeking support when required.

Working closely with Occupational Therapists, you will contribute to intervention planning and provide feedback to inform review. You will also work with multidisciplinary team members and partner organisations to support coordinated care.

The role requires someone who is proactive, organised and resilient, with strong interpersonal skills and a genuine interest in supporting people with mental health needs. You will need to be confident in engaging with individuals in a variety of settings and able to build positive, therapeutic relationships.

You will also maintain accurate records, participate in supervision and development opportunities, and contribute to ongoing service development.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver delegated occupational therapy interventions to individuals and groups, in line with care and treatment plans
• Support service users to develop and maintain skills for daily living, including self-care, domestic activities, and community engagement
• Enable individuals to establish structure and routine, and to increase confidence and independence in meaningful activities
• Work with service users in a range of environments, including clinical settings, community venues, and individuals’ homes
• Manage a defined caseload of delegated work, planning and prioritising tasks effectively within agreed parameters
• Monitor and record service user progress, providing feedback to the supervising Occupational Therapist to inform review and ongoing care planning
• Maintain accurate, timely and professional clinical records in line with organisational policies
• Work collaboratively with members of the multidisciplinary team, contributing to team discussions and care planning processes
• Liaise with partner organisations, including third sector services and community resources, to support joined-up and holistic care
• Participate in joint working opportunities with Occupational Therapists and other professionals
• Adhere to professional, legal and organisational policies, procedures and guidelines, working within the scope of the Assistant Practitioner role
• Recognise own limitations and seek guidance and support when required
• Participate in regular supervision, appraisal and continuing professional development activities
• Undertake required training, including completion of the Agored Level 3 Diploma in Occupational Therapy Practice (if not already held)
• Contribute to audit, service evaluation and the ongoing development of the community occupational therapy service

Key Working Relationships

• Occupational Therapists and the wider Occupational Therapy team
• Multidisciplinary team members within Community Mental Health Services
• Service users, carers and families
• Third sector and community partner

This post is advertised as Welsh Desirable. Whilst the candidate doesn't need to have skills in Welsh, we'll consider it an advantage when short-listing and selecting candidates. This isn’t ‘fluency’, just Speaking & Listening skills at Level 3 (equivalent to CEFR B2) or above. Level 3 means being able to communicate in Welsh during routine clinical situations, such as welcoming patients, discussing straightforward aspects of their care and answering routine questions. If you’re comfortable holding everyday conversations in Welsh, we encourage you to apply. Your Welsh language skills will help us provide person-centred care and enable patients to receive services in their language of choice. Have a look at our ‘Croeso Candidate’ booklet below for more information.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac.

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.

Welsh language skills are desirable