Principal Occupational Therapist/Forensic AHP Lead

Job overview

Are you an experienced and motivated Occupational Therapist looking to take the next step in your career? We are seeking a dynamic Principal / Professional Lead OT to join our Forensic Division and help shape the future of occupational therapy within secure and community forensic services.

What you’ll do:

• Lead and develop a small team of OTs, AHPs and support staff across inpatient and community forensic services
• Provide expert clinical input, managing a specialist caseload of patients with complex needs
• Contribute to the strategic direction and service development of AHPs in the Forensic Division
• Support and inspire colleagues through supervision, training, and professional leadership
• Drive quality improvement, audit and research initiatives to ensure evidence-based, patient-centred care

What we’re looking for:

• A registered OT with the HCPC, educated to Master’s level (or equivalent)
• Proven leadership and management experience in clinical mental health and learning disabilities services
• Highly developed specialist knowledge in occupational therapy practice, ideally within forensic or mental health settings
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across multi-disciplinary teams
• A passion for innovation, service development and delivering the highest quality care
• Experience in forensic settings is not necessary as full training and induction is provided

If you're ready to take this opportunity, call us today!

Main duties of the job

The role of Principal OT in the Forensic Division will:

• Manage and professionally lead a small group of OTs, other AHPs                   and associated staff in the inpatient service ·         Professionally lead the OTs in the Community Forensic services ·         Be responsible for the clinical strategic direction for AHPs in the                     Forensic Division ·         Participate in the Trust Manager On-Call rota ·         Clinical delivery of OT to inpatient cohort ·         Caseload of patients for clinical OT

Core Functions

• Accountable for the high-quality therapy services to patients/ service          users •    Responsible for management issues within the service/area ensuring           appropriate systems for the regular structured clinical supervision,               Appraisals and management processes of qualified and unqualified               therapy and other designated staff. •    To work in partnership with operational managers, professional lead           and other colleagues •    To continue to demonstrate advanced clinical and management skills            in practice and provide support and advice re. service development,             delivery and co-ordination of the highest quality care in collaboration         with service users, carers, staff, managers, other agencies,                                    appropriate to the service area •    To lead clinical audits and undertake research

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See attached job description and person specification for full details.

• Educated to master’s Level or Masters level/Post Graduate modules            plus relevant knowledge/ Clinical/Leadership experience •    To be registered with the HCPC and relevant specialist RCOT section •    Management/ leadership qualification or equivalent relevant                           significant knowledge/experience i.e., successful management of                   budgets, people, projects •    Highly developed specialist knowledge, underpinned by evidence,                 theory and experience •    Full understanding of relevant policy, legislation, drivers, local and                 regional and their application to clinical and service areas •    Evidence of relevant clinical practice/standards/audit within                              identified clinical area  •    Basic IT skills with working knowledge of IT systems relevant to                     service area •    Evidence of management, leadership and organisational development          issues that have had a positive impact on service delivery •    Experience of successful policy implementation and change •    Evidence of project work that has impacted on practice and                               demonstrates a higher level of communication/planning/change, that          impacts beyond own area of work •     Member of organisational group/network, locally or nationally •    Further managerial training •    Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive, or contentious                           information; agreement or co-operation required developed •    Guided by principles and broad occupational policies/need to                           establish interpretation •    Works within wide range of codes of practice and professional                          guidelines/interprets national professional policies specialist area •    Communicates specialist condition-related information to                                  patients/service-users, carers and other health professionals; may be          significant barriers to acceptance or understanding •     Good time & project management skills •    Work within the culture of improving working lives and working time         directive •    Ability to lead and motivate staff to embrace change •     Sound experience/knowledge of Trust policies and procedures in                    order to effectively lead and manage others  •    Day to day management; responsible for specialist                                                   training/responsible for teaching or devising of training and                               development programmes •    Plan and organise complex activities requiring formulation,                                  adjustment •    Organises provision of specialist Occupational Therapy service •    Authorised signatory for small/large amounts; hold delegated budget         signs e.g. expense forms or time-sheets for large amounts;                                    responsible  for e.g. training budget, specialist service budget •    Propose policy or service changes, impact beyond own area /                             responsible for policy development for own area •     Implements and suggests changes to policies and protocols relating              to delivery of occupational therapy/ develops and implements                          policies and protocols related to specialist area