Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Practice

To provide high quality, evidence based occupational therapy assessments & interventions, treatment planning and continued patient-centred care. We aim to enable service users to achieve their maximum level of function and independence in preparation for discharge.

This will include:

Undertaking comprehensive, person-centred OT assessment and interventions.

Preparing and implementing treatment plans and rehab programmes in consultation with the service users.

Reviewing the effectiveness of therapy provided in partnership with service users.

Ability to implement research based practice.

Provide leadership and guidance to registered and non-registered staff and students.

Ability to undertake risk assessment and develop risk management strategies for individual service users, groups and a variety of activities.

Have an understanding of the relevant mental health legislation and be able within practice.

To be able to provide advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the service users social and physical environment.

Communications and Working Relationships

Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with a client group that can be challenging due to their mental health issues eg dementia or acute psychosis.

Establish and maintain effective exchange of clinical information between relevant parties that may include MDT, carers, families, partner organisations or voluntary third section organisation.

To be responsible for communicating sensitive or complex information concerning service users to family and others involved in their care.

Provide professional advice and consultancy to the team manager, multi professional team members, carers and other services.

Be aware of Trust developments through the use of intranet and e-mail.

Education and Health Promotion

To use skills, knowledge and resources to provide learning opportunities for staff and promote positive attitudes towards mental health. This will include:

Providing clinical supervision through 1:1 and group base for registered and unregistered staff.

Continued support of OT students on practice placements within the Trust.

Provide a positive learning environment for students’, OT staff and the wider MDT.

There will opportunities for CPD development and training relevant to the role.

Continuing Professional Development Objective

To maintain and develop professional knowledge, skills and expertise to ensure that therapy reflects best practice and remains evidence based ensuring it is current and responsive to meet service needs and NHS needs to include:-

Abide by the Code of Ethics and professional conduct for Occupational Therapists and HCPC standards.

To take responsibility for post registration education and for continuing professional development as outlined in HCPC standards.

To provide and receive clinical/professional supervision in accordance with Trust supervision policy.

Most challenging part of this role

Working with and motivating a patient group whose mental health problems can be challenging and emotionally draining for staff. Work with distress, anxious and aggressive service users and carers. Also dealing with emotional situations when the person may have barriers to their understanding.

Maintaining links with other Occupational Therapists in a geographically widespread Trust.

Promoting the responsibilities and duties of an OT within an acute mental health setting.