Occupational Therapy Assistant

Job overview

As an occupational therapy assistant in TEWV you will provide support to service users (inpatient adult mental health) to engage in a therapeutic programme of care, as delegated by an occupational therapist, demonstrating adherence to the Trust Values at all times and operating as a member of the team, service and organisation.

We are looking for occupational therapy assistant who can work flexibly to meet service need and have the vision, energy and inspiration to support in the delivery of creative, imaginative solutions to delivering occupational therapy with adults experiencing mental health crisis and their families/carers.

You will access wider support from the occupational therapy network in Durham & Darlington in supporting the delivery of a high quality, needs-led OT service, utilizing your technical and creative skills to engage service users in therapeutic activities and supporting service users/carers to achieve their identified goals.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. However, sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements, therefore, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position.

Visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Main duties of the job

The successful postholder will be responsible for working with delegated service users and contributing to assessments and interventions to address key occupational areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.

You will engage service users and their carers in therapeutic programmes of care, supporting them in achieving their identified goals and promoting independence and well-being through a client-centred approach.

In addition to this, the post holder will participate in clinical supervision, contribute to multi-disciplinary team working and contribute to safety and quality improvement activities as part of occupational therapy team.

You will use the Trust electronic patient record system, abide by all Trust policies and procedures, and be able to respond flexibly and creatively to challenge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the person specification within the attached job description to ensure you meet the essential criteria for the post prior to applying. Applicants must meet the shortlisting criteria to be considered for this post.

The post holder will support occupational therapists in the provision of evidence-based occupational therapy assessment and interventions as part of the OT Pathway and offer input to individuals, their families and carers.

All team members must be committed to providing the best possible care for the people we work with and their families/carers.

The ability to engage and communicate with service users well as the parents/family/carers and system around them is essential.

Clinical/Professional supervision is provided by the supervising Occupational Therapist as identified by the relevant Lead OT. The postholder will attend OT Learning and Governance Networks to ensure fidelity to core occupational therapy delivery, enhance CPD and contribute to the wider OT service developments.

You must be able to demonstrate experience of working alongside occupational therapists or experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities. And a keenness to continually develop yourself and others. We will support use of transferrable skills from a range of clinical settings.

There are varied opportunities for training and development, with CPD needs being identified and monitored through appraisal.

This job advert may close early if a high volume of applications have been received. If interested, please apply for this post as soon as possible.

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.