Occupational Therapy Assistant

Job overview

Please note, if a high volume of applications is received, this advert may close early so please ensure you submit your application without delay.

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Band 3 Occupational Therapy Assistant to join our Dementia Rapid Response Team covering South Derbyshire and Derby City Area.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant in the Dementia Rapid Response Team will deliver evidence-based mental health care and crisis intervention for individuals in acute distress. The team provides intensive home-based support to prevent hospital admission, acts as a gatekeeper for inpatient care, and supports early discharge planning. The role promotes meaningful activity, independence, and social inclusion with patient/carers under supervision. The service focuses on building resilience and supporting recovery in home and community settings.

The Dementia Rapid Response Team operates 7 days a week (8am–8pm weekdays, 9am–5pm weekends and bank holidays).

The post holder must hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle to travel across the large geographical area within our specified 2 - 4 hour response time.

We offer a comprehensive and supportive induction and training programme for all new Occupational Therapy Assistants; plus regular clinical supervision.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for dynamic individuals with good interpersonal skills to enable engagement of service users and their carers.

• Provide timely crisis response, including de-escalation, brief psychological interventions, and support for service users and carers during acute mental health crises under support from the multi-disciplinary team.
• Contribute to person-centred care plans, monitoring changes in occupational functioning, and report findings to the Occupational Therapists and multidisciplinary team.
• Identify and act on safeguarding concerns, following local and national procedures to protect vulnerable adults.
• Offer education, advice, and emotional support to families and carers, acknowledging their role in recovery.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to support the delivery of an effective and safe service.
• Work independently and have the ability to use initiative, seeking support as required from the multidisciplinary team.
• Support the Occupational Therapist with the assessment and treatment process.
• Work as a member of the ward team, supporting shared tasks when this is required to maintain the safety of our patients and families.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please review the Job Description and Person Specification. To apply, please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB - this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.

Please refer to the full job description and person specification.

“As an employer and sponsor licence holder, to be able to provide sponsorship to overseas nationals via the Skilled Worker route we must ensure that we adhere to the sponsorship requirements set by UK Visa’s and Immigration. After carefully reviewing this role, we do not believe that this position meets the requirements for sponsorship. For details on eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa, please follow this link to the gov.uk website Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.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.