Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapy assistant
- Grade
- Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 30 hours per week
- Job ref
- 350-MHC7218893
- Employer
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Hartley Hospital
- Town
- Southport
- Salary
- £24,625 - £25,674 Per annum pro rota
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Band 3
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Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnically diverse, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.
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Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for individuals who have an interest in working with service users with a variety of mental health problems. An Occupational Therapy Assistant is required to commence in post in Hartley hospital to work on an older adult complex care acute ward.
Hartley hospital serves people of the local area based in Southport, the successful candidate will be working as a key member of the Occupational Therapy service within Hartley Hospital with the expectation of working over 7 days.
We are looking for a self motivated and caring individual who can facilitate group activities and assist the qualified Occupational Therapy staff as required.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for assisting in the development and delivery of treatment and care plans where appropriate under the direction and supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist and in collaboration with the ward manager.
The post holder will be required to actively work as part of The Multi-Disciplinary Team.
The Post Holder will be expected to work in an innovative way to support the smooth running of the Ward and required to offer individual and group activities alongside Occupational Therapy staff and under the indirect and direct supervision of a Qualified Occupational Therapist.
Theses duties will extend to using The Occupational Therapy Process to assist in assessment, planning and the implementation of Therapeutic Activities within an In-Patient Mental Health Setting.
The Post Holder will be required to work collaboratively and flexibly with Nursing and Support Worker staff to ensure meeting the diverse needs of service users and the function of the ward. The ward manager has ultimate responsibility for ensuring therapeutic activity takes place within a safe and therapeutic environment
Working for our organisation
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To support, with direction, Service Users’ with activities throughout the therapeutic day. This
will be under the supervision of senior Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists,
Psychological Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists.
2. Undertake specific tasks within Occupational Therapy assessments with Service users using a
Person Centred Approach in order to assist the Occupational Therapist to identify
appropriate Occupational Therapy interventions.
3. Work innovatively and effectively and take responsibility for carrying out a range of activities
under non directive supervision where the overall goal is clear to support and deliver the
provision of a programme of meaningful and purposeful activities of daily living that relate
to Service Users Formulation and Goal Plans.
4. Assist in planning and facilitate both individual and group work with Service Users and take
an active role in implementing agreed plans/tasks in familiar or defined contexts.
5. To support the Service Users’ to engage with their Shared Activity Planner and support the
Service Users’ to engage in their choice of activity. There is an expectation to engage with
service users on enhanced observations as part of their recovery journey
6. Be fully involved in The Occupational Therapy Process to ensure Service Users increase their
independence and well being through skill and knowledge development and apply clinical
reasoning to this approach.
7. Participate in the provision of a varied and interesting range of timetabled activities that
support Service Users to achieve identified goals.
8. Exercise initiative and independence in carrying out delegated activities at a Professional
level.
9. Be aware of, and apply, the principle of risk assessment and management to all aspects of
clinical work including, where appropriate, the provision of information to The Multi
Disciplinary Team.
10. Maintain the health, safety and security of others and contribute to and comply with risk
assessment.
11. To contribute to formal Occupational Therapy record keeping and reports and provide
feedback on Service Users occupational functioning. Assist in the development of treatment
and care plans where appropriate
12. Undertake delegated tasks to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service.
13. Work closely with The Multi Disciplinary Team at all times and involve Nursing Staff and
Support workers fully in activity sessions.
14. To maintain links with other agencies, both statutory and voluntary in order to support
recovery and discharge planning
15. Take some supervisory responsibility for the work of others in the implementation of routine
work within identified and agreed scope of practice.
16. Participate in the management of incidents in line with The Trusts Policy and Procedure.
17. Where appropriate be involved in clinical audit activity.
Person specification
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to independently perform delegated tasks within competence to the required standard
- Ability to be an effective role model
- Numeracy and Literacy skills; ability to keep accurate service user and department records to the required standard.
- Able to carry out physical intervention and breakaway effectively following training
- Commitment to work with service users with Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
- Use Display Screen Equipment in work environment
- Able to work within inpatient environments
- Actively participate in own supervision
- Sound values and positive attitude towards people with mental health, learning and associated disabilities and complex needs
- Interested in working creatively to assist in the planning and delivery of a person centred Occupational Therapy service
- Required to complete skills and interests questionnaire at the time of recruitment
Desirable criteria
- Ability to reflect objectively and critically appraise own performance.
- Skills and knowledge in a particular interest that could benefit Service Users.
- Involvement in person centred planning and working
- An understanding of the role of advocacy
- Willing to be an authorised Trust lease vehicle driver
VALUES
Essential criteria
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Ability to plan and deliver activities.
- Clear effective written and verbal communication and excellent interpersonal skills.
- Excellent observation skill and able to relay key information to others.
- Basic IT skills
- Able to recognise level of own competence, boundaries of role, scope for personal and service development and improvement.
- Able to work on own initiative as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team under directive supervision.
- Ability to think creatively and assist in the planning of individual and group activity sessions for service users.
- Ability to effectively organise own time, be reliable and punctual and prioritise work load.
- Able to observe health and safety protocol.
- Ability to problem solve within defined context.
- Able to observe conflict situations in a positive and calm manner and follow policy and procedure related to the management of aggression.
- Motivated to build on existing skills and knowledge as part of the CPD process.
- Be a positive ambassador for the service.
- An ability to work with warmth and empathy in an empowering and non-judgmental way.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of the Occupational Therapy Process.
- Knowledge of The Model Of Human Occupation (Kielhofner).
- Experience of working with Adults with Learning Disabilities/Mental Health.
- Experience working within inpatient services.
- Experience of supporting Therapeutic activities for individual groups of service users.
- Familiar with Electronic patient records.
- Experience of teaching others.
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Qualification Credit Framework Diploma level 2 in Health & Social Care or a commitment to achieve this.
- Qualifications in: (or a commitment to undertake and complete training within first year of appointment) to include: First Aid Aggression Management training Other training opportunities relevant to clinical area Following agreed action plan set at appraisal.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Donna Johnson
- Job title
- Ward Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01704 383665
- Additional information
Donna Johnson, Ward Manager 01704 383665
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