Experienced Occupational Therapist

at  Wiltshire Council

Specific duties and responsibilities: Manage a busy caseload including complex and challenging cases; provide support and guidance for the management of complex and challenging cases. Be able to reprioritise work according to individual customer and service needs. Undertake strengths based occupational therapy assessments working with customers with complex occupational needs and contentious situations (including assessment of mental capacity where appropriate); using your professional judgement to adapt your approach to the individual needs of the customer. Design and implement innovative reablement plans for people living in complex situations to enable customers to meet their goals and reduce need for ongoing support and minimise demand for long term care.
This will include liaison and negotiation with family members and support staff on options to encourage independence and safe practice. Demonstrate competence in complex risk assessment and positive risk taking. Work with customers to manage risk and record actions and strategies agreed. Support other team members with management of risk.
Coordinate the customers reablement journey, in collaboration with the customer and/or family members. This will involve regular contact with the customer, members of the reablement team and relevant partners to evidence decision making in reviewing goals, planning interventions responding to change and evaluating progress for customers with complex physical, emotional or social needs. Undertake complex moving and handling risk assessments, using your expertise to record the recommendations in an format appropriate to the customers and/or carers needs. Monitoring and evaluating risk and sharing information with the relevant parties including demonstration of recommended techniques.
Assess for and recommend minor and major adaptations in accordance with the Care Act and Housing legislation and guidance with customers with complex physical or social barriers, within the reablement service. Use expert professional skills and judgement to analyse, discuss and negotiate options with the customer to improve accessibility within their own home or recommend re-housing. Establish and maintain good working relationship and carry out joint visits and assessments with other professionals e.g. GP’s, Consultants and Health Therapists working with the customer.
Seek advice from and refer to other disciplines as appropriate Consider the needs of carers in line with Care Act eligibility and make referrals to partner agencies for assessment and support as required. Practice within the current legal framework, including health, social care and housing legislation; and Wiltshire Council policies and procedures. Provide guidance and advice to support other members of the team to work within the legal framework, policies and procedures. Contribute proactively to the effective working of the team with positive attitude by sharing knowledge, offering advice and support and by preparedness to be involved in the development of services Take active responsibility for your own continuing professional development including attendance at statutory and non statutory training and participation in development opportunities Fully engage and prepare for own supervision and appraisal through self-evaluation, ensuring that continual professional development is evidenced.
To have a good awareness of safeguarding in line with Wiltshire policy, including making referrals and participation in safeguarding investigations. Provide professional supervision and support to Occupational Therapists and other members of the team, promoting evidence-informed practice. Ensure that supervision is timely and recorded and that any practice and other concerns are communicated with senior staff/ line managers Actively engage in individual and group supervision and embed learning in practice. Participate in appraisal and team meetings and contribute to individual and team development.
Record all occupational therapy and reablement contacts in a timely way, onto the Social Care records in accordance with work targets set by the Team Manager and Supervisor. Understand and utilise universally available services within the voluntary and community sector, as well as maintaining knowledge of services commissioned by the Council to support effective provision of information to customers. Promote the use of universal services with reablement team members and the wider service. Ensure that Council Policies and Procedures are followed at all times.
Be an ambassador for the Council at all times, always representing the Council positively, professionally and appropriately at meetings with customers, external partners and agencies. Attend Civil Emergencies when a rest centre is set up Make decisions on Blue and Bus Badge appeal

Please refer the Job description for details