Lead Occupational Therapist

at  Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and creative individual to join the Community Learning Disability Team based at Willis House in Whiston, which covers the population of Knowsley and St Helens. The post holder may also be required to support individuals under the care of the Intensive Support Function, who may be in crisis and at risk of placement breakdown / hospital admission, or preparing for discharge back to the community from secure services.
Working within this established multi disciplinary team, you will provide specialist Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention as part of a team approach to supporting service users with learning disabilities and complex needs.
As part of an Advanced Occupational Therapist’s role, you will be in an ideal position to support and contribute to Occupational Therapy/Learning Disabilities Strategic and Team Development
Being part of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, you will be given opportunity to network across different learning disabilities services and liaise with other OT’s and AHP’s within the wider Trust linking into the AHP workforce.
You should have a keen interest in working with this client group, be able to demonstrate the ability to work as part of a Multidisciplinary Team, and have strong leadership skills. You will need to demonstrate an understanding of Transforming Care and this role to support that agenda.
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.
To provide leadership within the sphere of responsibility in the delivery of the Occupational Therapy Service.
To be accountable for the delivery of the Occupational Therapy interventions and producing outcome measures of the service.
To ensure compliance for senior occupational therapy staff against the outcomes of the Trust’s quality dashboard.
To be responsible for a caseload of service users and complete standardised and non-standardised assessments of service users in order to identify appropriate Occupational Therapy interventions collaboratively with service users in line with the Care Programme Approach process.
To work within the model of recovery led practice and facilitate user involvement in all aspects of service delivery.
To utilise Occupational Therapy models/best practice to inform assessments and treatment interventions as appropriate.
In collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, plan, implement and evaluate Occupational Therapy interventions for effective coordination of service provision.
To undertake project and service development work based on identified clinical and/or organisational need.
To assist in the development of underpinning knowledge and skills for direct care staff regarding meaningful service user therapeutic occupation.
Work in collaboration with the Trust’s Research and Development department in development and evaluation of appropriate research initiatives.
Undertake/support clinical audit activity within this service.
Work as a clinical professional contributing to the multidisciplinary team by providing specialist Occupational Therapy advice/input as appropriate.
Ensure that meaningful communication links are established and maintained with service user’s families, carers, other service providers as appropriate.
Monitor and ensure high standards relating to the planning and delivery of Occupational Therapy activities and comply with Professional Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice, Conduct and Ethics (Royal College of Occupational Therapists, 2021), contributing to good health and the
importance of promoting these in line with organisational public health policy.
To collate information about local resources including those for older adults with a mental health problem including potential resources for service user’s access/utilisation.
To undertake Occupational Therapy assessments of service users including pre and post admissions as appropriate.
To receive professional/clinical supervision from an appropriate supervisor in accordance with Occupational Therapy practice.
To receive leadership and transformation supervision from the AHP Lead in line with the Trust’s strategic goals.
To maintain active professional links with other Occupational Therapy services, within the speciality, external to the Service.
To ensure effective clinical supervision of Occupational Therapy staff in line with the management structure.
To ensure opportunities for students are available and that a positive experience is provided by the service with clinical supervision.
To undertake and adhere to Occupational Therapy practice in accordance with Standards of Proficiency – Occupational Therapists (Health and Care Professions Council 2013) and Professional Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice, Conduct and Ethics (Royal College of Occupational
Therapists, 2021).
To participate in the recruitment and selection process for occupational therapy staff.
To chair the interview panel for the recruitment of qualified Occupational Therapists.
Attend all mandatory and CIS training as necessary and follow all policies and procedures.
Contribute and be aware of personal responsibilities and accountability for helping to ensure that a safe working environment is maintained in accordance with legislation.
Any other duties commensurate with role and responsibilities of the post.
Attend policies and procedures meeting and influence the development of future policy for the Trust.
Communicate effectively with all internal and external stakeholders.
Provide clinical and managerial reports and attend relevant meetings with internal and external agencies as and when required.
Arrange and attend meetings and liaise with relevant external organisations as and when required.
Appraise the AHP Lead regarding service activity and issues of concern.
Undergo an annual appraisal of performance in accordance with Trust Policy, and undertake further training and education as identified by personal development profile.
Attendance at service delivery meetings.
To investigate any complaints to safeguard service users and staff.
Monitor that training of all staff is carried out and records are kept up to date in conjunction with organisational development department.
Develop management and professional skills in staff and recommend additional training, as necessary.
Maintain staff morale by means of team building and encouraging initiative.

Please refer the Job description for details