Occupational Therapy Assistant Colchester, England
Job description
To work in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team to gather information, complete assessments to support older adults with mental health problems in their recovery and determine their needs on discharge.
Key Responsibilities(from Job Description)
1. To support Occupational Therapy in the implementation of treatment programmes.
2. To carry out one to one interventions as directed by the Occupational Therapist.
3. To plan and facilitate group interventions as directed by the Occupational Therapist.
4. To develop rapport with patients to encourage their interest and develop and/or maintain skills.
5. To be aware of individual patient/patients needs and risks through communication with Occupational Therapy and Nursing staff.
6. To observe general behaviour, ability and response of patient/patients to activities.
7. To have an awareness of the situations that may make patient/patients vulnerable or at risk.
8. To report any concerns immediately to qualified staff
9. To respect patients/patients choices and confidentiality at all times.
10. To record interventions in an agreed format.
11. Any other tasks delegated by qualified staff as appropriate to grade and experience.
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Provide physical interventions e.g. exercise, walking and gardening
Provide Sensory interventions e.g.pampering, sensory stimulation
Provide Creative interventions e.g. art and craft, singing, music
Complete ADLs incl. cooking, washing and dressing assessments, kitchen assessments, community assessments
Provide Coping e.g. mindfulness, relaxation
Support individuals to engage meaningful activity
Support individuals to manage self-care
Support with strategies to independence
Supporting with end of life interventions
Varying the demands of the activity to ensure engagement and/or recovery
Build rapport and ensure patient’s interests are supported
Utilise effective communication with all members of the MDT.
The OTA should work with the patient taking in to account their mental health, physical health, mobility needs, risks, mood and planned outcome of the admission
OTAs are expected to be able to understand emotional cues, mental health indicators and symptoms, basic understanding of pain. Have a good grasp of motivation to engage, personality and environmental barriers
To understand interpersonal, environmental, mental and physical barriers to recovery.
Have an understanding of the component part of risk and vulnerability and be able to discern the changes to function from one day to the next.
To be able to articulate the important components including risks about the patient to the relevant staff in a timely manner and document as indicated
To complete OT focussed continuation entries and make records in accordance with Trust policies.
To complete assessments and feedback functional ability to patients to the
qualified staff
Liaising with community staff, carers both formal and informal, purchasing resources, accompanying qualified staff on home visits, etc
