Senior Occupational Therapist

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South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

We are seeking a dynamic and innovative Occupational Therapist to join our supportive forensic inpatient team at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

This full-time Band 6 OT role is based at River House, where you will work within a multidisciplinary team, managing a varied therapeutic activity programme alongside the ward's Activity Practitioner. As the ward link OT and a key member of the Recovery Hub, you will deliver OT interventions using the Model of Human Occupation and sensory approaches, supporting service users in their recovery and discharge plans.

Main duties of the job

As an Occupational Therapist in the service, you would be part of a multi professional clinical team and carry a caseload. You would support the delivery of specialist assessments and recovery focused and occupation-based interventions in line with Royal College of Occupational Therapy national practice guidance. You would also be involved in the delivery of core interventions, taking on the clinical leadership for that hub and supporting any innovation and ongoing service development. There would also be opportunity to support variety of involvement projects within the service and the Forensic Recovery College too.

Working for our organisation

We are a diverse and friendly Occupational Therapy team comprising OTs, OT Technicians, Clinical Exercise Instructors and Education Tutors. We offer a range of Recovery Hub based interventions, including Remotivation, Vocation and Employability, Physical Activities and Health Promotion, Creative Arts and Education. We have a café and library which form the main basis for our commercial vocation schemes and have well established links with mainstream employers and a host of community vocation projects. We work in partnership with CALAT (Croydon Adult Learning and Training) to offer a range of accredited qualifications and deliver these in house.

The service is mainly based at the Bethlem Royal Hospital where we support service users within medium and low levels of security both in River House and Chaffinch ward. In addition, we support service users at Ward in the Community which are based on the Lambeth Hospital site in Clapham. We work with men and women who have a range of mental health problems and a history of offending behaviour, which have brought them into contact with the criminal justice system.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We offer a supportive working environment, regular supervision, peer supervision, reflective practice and opportunities for CPD and annual appraisal. You will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to evidence-based practice and continuing professional development and be actively supported to develop your professional practice. You will also have opportunity to further develop your specialist skills in assessments and interventions for Remotivation, MOHO based assessment tools and sensory interventions, as well as the opportunity to be involved in a number of multidisciplinary innovations including Restorative Justice and the exciting work of the Bethlem Gallery. We are always evolving particularly within in our new South London partnership with our neighbouring Trusts Oxleas and South West London and St Georges and opportunities to grow and develop are always available.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Qualified and HCPC registered Occupational Therapist
• Post registration experience as an OT

Desirable criteria

• Post-registration qualification in related area
• Practice Placement Educ Membership of OT professional body and / or special interest groupators course

Experience

Essential criteria

• 1.5 / 3 years post registration experience as an OT
• Working in groups / Extensive clinical experience including individual and group work
• Working with mental health service users (pre or post qualification)
• Advising and supporting / supervising junior staff and students
• Experience of audit, research and clinical governance procedures and their application in practice

Desirable criteria

• Preceptorship programme
• Experience of working in an inner-city, multi-cultural environment
• Experience of working with people with challenging behaviours
• Experience of specialist Mental Health settings
• Leadership and first line management experience

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

• Broad / High level understanding of Mental Health disorders and treatment models
• Sound / Detailed knowledge of legislation relevant to Mental Health and Specialist practice where appropriate
• Applied / Working knowledge of the principles of CPA (Care Programme Approach)
• Applied / Extensive knowledge of the principles of risk assessment and risk management
• Specialist knowledge and application of OT assessments and interventions and outcome measures, relevant to client group

Desirable criteria

• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
• Commitment to OT student education
• Skills in applying evidence-based practice and use of outcome measures
• Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues

Other

Essential criteria

• Demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning
• Flexible approach to work to meet service user and service needs
• Must be prepared to work evenings & weekends if required ability to travel efficiently between sites

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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

• Job Description (PDF, 464.6KB)
• SLaM Staff Benefits (PDF, 1.1MB)
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working (PDF, 680.1KB)