Job description
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides child and adult mental health services, learning disability, wellbeing, older people's and eating disorder services across Norfolk and Suffolk.
At any one time, around 23,000 people in Norfolk and Suffolk are receiving care and attention from the Trust. We believe in whole life care - seeing people in the context of their whole lives, understanding the importance of good physical health, friends, family, spirituality, culture, home, work, education and a sense of purpose and achievement to experience good mental health.
Nearly 3,200 full and part-time practitioners care for our service users in hospitals, in the community and in their own homes, whilst an additional 900+ staff provide non-clinical support, including cleaning, delivering supplies, ward administration, information technology, human resources and financial services.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and want to reflect the diversity of our local communities within our teams. We welcome applications from all talented individuals with the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience.
We are committed to delivering quality driven mental health services. Every individual makes a valuable contribution. We are proud of our staff who have been commended for the care they provide. Do you value working positively, respectfully and together? If so, we’d love you to join us!
We will consider flexible working arrangements for our roles, please indicate in your application if this is something you require
JOB DESCRIPTION/PERSON SPECIFICATION
Please read the job description/person specification carefully and ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience needed.
YOUR APPLICATION
It is important that you complete a formal application form as CV’s alone will not be accepted.
TWITTER - The Trust now has it's own Twitter account for recruitment. Follow us on @NSFTjobs
PLEASE NOTE: If you use a hotmail, msn or yahoo e-mail account, you will need to check your "junk" mail regularly as these email providers will divert any communication from this Trust/NHS JOBS straight into your " junk" inbox.
Job overview
This role would be a combination of a classic Occupational Therapist role on an acute Mental health unit with development of the therapy garden as a meaningful and therapeutic environment to support recovery of patients on the acute units.
We are looking for a compassionate, reflective, recovery-focused Occupational Therapist to support patients in their recovery whilst in the adult acute inpatient wards at Wedgwood House, Bury St Edmunds. Wedgwood House is a 3-ward unit with two adult acute wards and one older adult ward. The successful applicant will lead the provision of Occupational Therapy for the two adult acute wards (37 beds). Supervising the Band 5 OT post and offering consultation to the activity team. The successful candidate would also be expected to support the wider system of Occupational Therapists including mentoring students and working with the AHP wider strategy.
Wedgwood House has raised money to develop a piece of unused land into a therapeutic garden. The post holder will be supporting the further development of how we use this space to enhance recovery. Working with local sponsors we will start building imminently.
We would encourage and support the successful candidate to complete their sensory awareness training as we recognise the value this brings to the patient group. Longer term we have plans to develop sensory rooms on each ward so the design and use would be supported by the Occupational Therapists.
Main duties of the job
The Therapy team draws on a number of models, however all staff are invited to develop skills and knowledge of the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) approach to support people. Full training will be provided. Supervision, professional development and staff welfare are important to the service and time and support will be available to engage in all these important roles.
The purpose of the Occupational Therapist role at Wedgwood House is to collaboratively work with the individuals admitted to our service to maintain, restore or create a match between the abilities of the person, the demands of their activities and occupations, and the demands of the environment in order to improve function, promote independence and enhance opportunities for meaningful participation in daily life, whilst working collaboratively with all disciplines as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
The post holder will apply an understanding of graded challenge and exposure, education/vocation goals and functional assessments to support the service user to engage in meaningful activity and increase function, skill, enjoyment and well-being, through group and 1:1 sessions. They will also be expected to complete Activities of daily living assessments to support the individual’s rehabilitation, either BY identifying needs or developing strategies to meet these needs.
Working for our organisation
The applicant would ideally be well informed about the Green Light approaches and be understanding and adaptive to meet the needs of the neurodivergent population that we often see within the hospital. The service would also seek to support the successful candidate to undertake specialist sensory training.
This post will include providing specialist support, knowledge and advice to inpatient teams, community team members, and relatives/carers who have identified a service user's needs.
We have strong Occupational Therapy Team links with West Suffolk Hospital. Our OTs have always been welcomed at a wide range of additional training and team meetings. Our post holder would be able to attend any meetings and training in order to strengthen their understanding of Occupational Therapy and to maintain their evidence-based practice and CPD hours.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of clients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
For further information or an informal discussion about the role please contact:
Oliver Hockley- Clinical Psychologist and therapy Team Manager
We welcome informal discussions and would love you to get in touch to talk about the opportunities available and come and visit to see what we are all about.
Benefits included with this role are:-
- NHS pension
- a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
- career progression
- starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
- staff physio service
- gym membership
- NHS discounts and many more.
Interview dates are yet to be set; you will be contacted via email and invited to book a time. These emails may go to your SPAM, so please keep checking all your emails if applying.
**This post attracts a recruitment premium of £3,000 (pro-rata for part time roles). This is a one off payment with half paid on appointment and half paid after the completion of a satisfactory probation period (6 months). The premium is taxable. Please note that should you leave employment, or choose to move to an alternative post within the Trust that does not attract this recruitment premium, you will be required to reimburse all or some of the payment.Please note this recruitment premium is for external applicants only. and not applicable to newly qualified nurses**
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Diploma / Degree in OT
Desirable criteria
- Relevant post graduate training courses
Experience
Essential criteria
- Post registration experience in mental health
- Experience of MDT working
Desirable criteria
- Experience working in a range of mental health settings
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to deliver OT assessment / treatment with designated client group.
- Ability to work under pressure, manage own caseload and prioritise.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of mental health and best practice in OT.
- Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
Other
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of current legislation including risk assessment and CPA.
- Commitment to patient centred practice and lifelong learning
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Apart from its legal duties in relation to equality and diversity, the Trust recognises and actively promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.
Additionally, people with disabilities that fall under the Two Ticks - Guaranteed Interview Scheme will be offered an interview providing they meet the minimum criteria for the post (outlined in the Person Specification).
DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE CHECK (formerly CRB)
FOR POSTS WITH DIRECT SERVICE USER CONTACT - Please be advised that due to recent changes in the DBS Service, organisations no longer receive copies of DBS Disclosures – these are sent directly to candidates only. Therefore, it will be your responsibility, if successful, to ensure that this is taken to the appointing officer as soon as you receive it.
Alternatively, if you have subscribed to the update service, we will be able to check your status once we have your authority to do so.
The Trust has now introduced a DBS Update Service which is a contractual requirement. You need to subscribe when you have applied for your DBS clearance and there is a time limit to subscribe of 19 days after receipt of your DBS disclosure. Please ensure that this is completed within the set time scale.
This update service is an annual subscription at a cost of £13 to you. This will enable the Trust to have instant online access to your DBS record, with your consent, and so will remove the need for you to have to apply for this repeat check again.
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.