Occupational Therapy Technician

Job overview

Join a dynamic and supportive Occupational Therapy (OT) team delivering recovery-focused, person-centred care to individuals with complex mental health needs and forensic background. Based primarily at Bethlem Royal Hospital,  you will work under the supervision of qualified Occupational Therapists to deliver meaningful, occupation-based interventions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support and deliver individual and group interventions within the Recovery Hub.
• Collaborate with service users, families, and carers to promote recovery.
• Take delegated responsibility for clinical areas, ensuring safe and effective practice.
• Contribute to a range of therapeutic programmes including Remotivation, Vocational Skills, Creative Arts, Recovery College, Education and Health Promotion.
• Manage a caseload with increasing autonomy and contribute to service development.

You’ll be part of a diverse team including OTs, Technicians, Activity Practitioners, Clinical Exercise Instructors, and Education Tutors. We offer accredited learning through Croydon Adult Learning and Training (CALAT), strong community links, and innovative projects such as Restorative Justice and the Bethlem Gallery. This is a great opportunity to grow your skills in a creative, forward-thinking environment!

Main duties of the job

• To contribute to the development of and provision occupationally focused interventions within River House OT Team under the supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist.
• ·         To work in collaboration with service users and their families and carers to ensure practice is person centred and recovery focused.
• ·         To work as an integrated member of the multi-disciplinary team.
• ·         To hold delegated responsibility for the operation of work areas during clinical interventions and ensure that health and safety standards are met on a daily basis.
• ·         To take on greater responsibilities and exercise increased autonomy in both 1:1 and group interventions on the wards, as well as in managing a Recovery Hub caseload.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the JD section.

Clinical

• To work as an integrated member of the multidisciplinary team by contributing to a programme of therapeutic activities that support a person centred and recovery focused approach to an individual’s care and treatment during admission.
• To provide individual occupational interventions detailed within an occupationally focused and/or activity-based care plan using specialist technical and engagement skills under the supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist.
• To inform and assist with the development of occupationally focused and/or activity-based care plans.
• To independently facilitate 1:1 or group interventions in the Recovery Hub and ward settings in collaboration with the Occupational Therapy service.

To co-facilitate additional group interventions alongside a qualified Occupational Therapist and other members of the multidisciplinary team in line with service need.

• To contribute to formal occupationally focused assessments led by the qualified Occupational Therapists using specialist skills to gather data via discussion and observation and provide feedback on these.
• To apply specialist knowledge with regards to community opportunities through signposting and providing information that will support discharge planning and enhance a person’s recovery opportunities and social inclusion.
• To be aware of risk management principles including the ability to safely manage the environment during clinical activity, managing risks identified within an individual’s risk assessment, abide by relevant policy and protocol and recognise the need for assessment of mental state and associated risk.
• To demonstrate ability to safely carry out restrictive interventions following Seni Lewis Training Programme.

Communication and working relationships

• To form professional relationships with service users including carers and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture
• To support individuals and groups of service users in the use of therapeutic activity
• To report effectively to the team on service user performance and progress
• To provide relevant information, written and oral, for documents relating to service user progress.
• To utilise specialist communication skills with service user and their key supporters (including carers), multidisciplinary team members and other colleagues.

• To use a range of communication styles to work with service users and their key supporters (including carers) as required and tailor therapeutic interactions as required.

Documentation

• To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with Professional and Trust Standards.

• To provide comprehensive written summary within clinical on a person’s progress during their admission based on observation and feedback obtained from the service user and others.
• To communicate, written and verbally, with external agencies and stakeholders as delegated by the qualified Occupational Therapist.
• To maintain up to date clinical records and data on clinical activity aligned to the Trust and Profession specific standards.

Leadership, supervision and appraisal

• In line with Trust guidelines to hold a high degree of self-awareness and be able to reflect on own clinical practice and performance via regular supervision, annual appraisal, reflective practice sessions and informal supports as required
• To act as a source of support for colleagues, students, sessional workers and volunteers to ensure a safe and effective service is provided.

Training staff and students

• To participate in training and development priorities and opportunities specialist within the service as required.
• To develop competencies in training and other health and safety requirements aligned to the role, as delegated by the qualified Occupational Therapist or ward teams.
• To support the induction, development and training of staff, volunteers and students as requested by the qualified Occupational Therapist or ward teams.
• To participate in the induction, training and education of students and other staff in this setting.
• To participate in the dissemination and sharing of information and skills with staff, students and volunteers.
• To participate in relevant training opportunities.

Service development and delivery

• To provide treatment in an environment where security and safety procedures must be strictly adhered to and ensure that legal restrictions associated with the mental health act are incorporated into activity provision.

• To ensure that areas are well maintained, kept and comply with health and safety guidelines, ensuring the safe use of equipment and storage of materials.
• To keep up to date with current practice and service business plans and development issues with guidance from the service qualified Occupational Therapist or ward teams.

Professional development

• To engage in supervision and annual appraisal as outlined by the Trust standards.
• To keep a record of your training and development activities.

• To undertake relevant activities to meet training objectives identified with your supervisor.

Clinical governance, quality, standards

• To participate in clinical governance and quality improvement projects as allocated by the lead Occupational Therapist and ward teams.
• To comply with all Trust policies.

Line management, staff, budgets dept

• Must be prepared to work some evenings/weekends if required.

• To maintain stock and advise on resources necessary to carry out the job.

Research and development

• As part of a team, incorporate up-to-date techniques and ideas of positive practice into your programme
• To participate in audit and evaluation activities as agreed with your supervisor.

Training and Development

• To undertake mandatory and statutory training as required by Trust policy including computing skills, group skills, food handling and Seni Lewis training skills within 12 months of appointment.
• To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual appraisal.
• To undertake personal development as identified in Personal Development Plan (PDP).

GENERAL

• This job description will be reviewed regularly in the light of changing service requirements and any such changes will be discussed with the post holder.

• The post holder is responsible for ensuring that the work that they undertake is conducted in a manner which is safe to themselves and others, and for adhering to the advice and instructions on Health and Safety matters given by Manager(s). If post holders consider that a hazard to Health and Safety exists, it is their responsibility to report this to their manager(s).

• The post holder is expected to comply with the appropriate Code(s) of Conduct associated with this post.

• It is the responsibility of all staff to minimise the Trust’s environmental impact by recycling wherever possible, switching off lights, computer monitors and equipment when not in use, minimising water usage and reporting faults promptly.

• This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities, and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties which fall within the grade of the job, in discussion with the manager.
• To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
• The post holder is expected to comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities and Confidentiality of Information.