Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary

Professionally accountable for own caseload, working autonomously to deliver occupational therapy in a variety of inpatient and community settings including the service user’s own home. 

To develop and implement occupational therapy treatment plans and provide advice to service users with diverse presentations and complex needs to enable them to maintain, restore or create a balance between their abilities and the demands of their occupation and environment in the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure. Service users have a range of mental health conditions and/or learning disabilities. 

To work compassionately with service users and carers to achieve identified occupational therapy goals and to promote social inclusion, independence and well- being.

To provide the best possible experience for service users, carers and families

Responsible for ensuring the highest professional standards and attitudes towards the care of service users are maintained at all times and that care is delivered in accordance with evidence based practice by all staff for whom the post holder has designated responsibility.

 To facilitate others in the team to develop competence by providing clinical leadership and specialist clinical advice on more complex cases.

To provide clinical supervision to occupational therapy staff and students.

To be committed to and take a lead role in activities integral to Quality Improvement.

To promote at all times a positive image of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.

To promote at all times a positive image of the Occupational Therapy Service and the wider Trust.

Description of the duties

Clinical Responsibilities

Manages a complex/specialist OT caseload from assessment to discharge from therapy. Service users may have multiple needs with a combination of physical and mental health or learning disabilities. Service users may demonstrate behaviours that challenge or have difficult family situations of relevance.

Responsible for ensuring the highest professional standards and attitudes towards the care of service users are maintained at all times and that care is delivered in accordance with evidence based practice by all staff for whom the post holder has designated responsibility.

Undertakes complex occupational therapy assessments and develops complex therapy programmes.

Assesses and manages risk effectively in clinical and community settings including the service user’s own home.

Works with service users and carers to identify occupational therapy goals as part of the overall Multidisciplinary Team plan.

Develops and implements specialist interventions for individuals or groups, in collaboration with the service user(s) and MDT to achieve therapeutic goals.

Uses technical and creative skills to engage service users in therapeutic activities and encourages service users/carers in a compassionate manner, to support them in achieving their identified goals.

Monitors and evaluates occupational therapy treatment in order to measure progress and modifies treatment plans to ensure effectiveness of clinical interventions.

Provides reports and makes recommendations on service user progress at clinical meetings and participates in the clinical decision-making process regarding service user care programmes as part of the multidisciplinary team.

Provides specialist clinical advice to other healthcare professionals including those in the acute hospital sector with limited mental health or learning disability experience.

May provide professional advice, as requested and where appropriate, in relation to subject access requests.

Provides advice, education and training to service users and carers.

Undertakes health promotion activities.

Assesses service users for and fits adapted equipment in the home, as appropriate.

Acts as lead professional for service users on standard care if no other professional is involved in the service user’s care and may undertake care co-ordination for service users on Care Programme Approach where there is an occupational therapy component identified.

Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of service user harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the service user. Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children who may be at risk.

Demonstrates safe moving and handling of service users, using equipment as required.

Demonstrates safe physical interventions in the management of violence and aggression as required.

Please see attached job description for full details of responsibilities.