Senior Occupational Therapist

Job overview
Please note, at this stage, the role is open only to internal staff (including NHSP and Agency staff currently on placement within our organisation) and staff substantively employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Any individual who is at risk of redundancy will be given priority, provided they meet the essential criteria.
We are recruiting an experienced Band 6 Senior Occupational Therapist to join our multi-disciplinary care team, which is based at Priority House in Maidstone.
In this role you will identify, develop and provide the Occupational Therapy contribution within the multi-disciplinary service in accordance with the needs of service users and the requirements of the service.
You will Assess, plan, deliver and evaluate therapeutic interventions for identified service users. The role also requires you to manage a defined caseload of service users with occupational needs using evidence-based, service user-centred, hope and recovery, health promotion and relapse prevention orientated principles and practice.
The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Main duties of the job

• Provide supervision to designated junior staff and students.
• Ensure assessment of service users and analyse and interpret information gained to form an accurate formulation of function, strengths, capabilities and occupational needs.
• Work collaboratively with service users, staff, and carers to identify goals to determine and deliver an appropriate intervention/recovery plan which maximises occupational engagement and performance whilst balancing risk, and promoting choice and independence.
• Monitor, evaluate and modify therapeutic interventions in order to measure progress and increase efficacy for the best possible service user outcomes and experience.
• Act as an experienced clinician supporting best practice in line with NICE guidance and professional standards.
• Demonstrate clinical leadership skills through the management of dedicated projects and approved quality improvement initiatives

Working for our organisation
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.
Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.
Take a look at our Occupational Therapist Video

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Demonstrates ability to work as a team member as well as autonomously
• Managing a case load of service users who have complex needs
• Balancing all aspects of the job role.
• Being flexible and responsive to competing demands
• Promoting Occupational Therapy in the service and keeping an occupational focus at the centre of practice
• Demonstrate an ability to apply increasingly complex skills and knowledge commensurate to a higher level of professional practice.

Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.

Person specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential criteria

• A recognised Occupational Therapist professional qualification
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC
• Trained as a Practice Educator with experience of managing learners in the work place
• Holds a full UK driving license

Desirable criteria

• Registered member of the relevant professional body and / or special interest group
• Evidence of post graduate development through formal postgraduate courses or experience

Expereince

Essential criteria

• Experience in clinical practice, holding a range of experience within a variety of settings
• Manage a defined caseload of service users with occupational needs using evidence based, service user centred, health promotion and relapse prevention orientated principles and practice.
• Experience of delivering and clinical supervision
• Experience of developing learners and staff in the work place

Desirable criteria

• Experience of being involved in service developments or audits

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

• Knowledge in the application of relevant OT theoretical models, and approaches relevant to service user group.
• Ability to make decisions and work co-operatively as part of an inter-professional team
• Knowledge of and ability to apply national policies and procedures including, but not limited to confidentiality, consent, risk management of patients in crisis, and service user involvement
• Supervisory and appraisal skills
• An ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
• Computer literate. Able to use e-mail, Word, Excel and access Internet resources
• Ability to prioritise own work effectively and to be able to guide others

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of the broad aims of current national and local healthcare policy and an appreciation of the implications of this on clinical practice

Personal qualities, values and behaviours

Essential criteria

• Ability to work as a team member as well as autonomously
• Adaptability, flexibility and resilience
• Professional, calm and efficient manner
• Actively develops themselves and others
• Values diversity and operates with integrity and openness
• Self-awareness in managing own wellness at work and confidence to seek support when required

Important Information:
In cases where we receive a high volume of applications for a post, it may be necessary to bring the closing date forward. Please submit your completed application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Due to the high volume of applications received, it is not possible to respond individually to your application. Should you not hear from us within six weeks of the vacancy closing, please assume that your application has not been successful.

Probation Period. New employees external to the trust are subject to a six-month probationary period.
To deliver an effective service it is essential in some of our roles that you are able to travel between work