Assistant Practitioner - Occupational Therapy

Norfolk County Council; Norwich; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government council in Norwich is seeking an Assistant Practitioner in Occupational Therapy to support individuals discharged from hospital. This role involves assessing clients in their homes, promoting independence through person-centered goals. Candidates should have experience in social care, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to customer service. The position offers competitive annual leave and extensive training, along with a hybrid working model where some remote work is possible.

Benefits

Competitive annual leave

Extensive induction training

Cycle to work scheme

Paid business mileage

Qualifications

• Experience working with service users in a social care setting.
• Ability to communicate clearly with public and colleagues.
• Knowledge of Health and Social Care legislation.

Responsibilities

• Assess and review service users' needs in their homes.
• Support self-directed care and individual budgets.
• Participate in team systems and support overall team work.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to prioritize effectively

Good keyboard skills

Commitment to customer service

Education

GCSE (Grade C English/Maths or equivalent)

Tools

Electronic case management systems

Job description

Assistant Practitioner - Occupational Therapy

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner in our Norfolk First Support Teams, focusing on working with individuals newly discharged from hospital as a pathway 1 or community referrals that need support.

This is an exciting time to join the Norfolk First Support team that is in a period of transformation to further improve short term services for the people of Norfolk.This role is based in Aylsham and will cover service users across North Norfolk.

We are looking for an Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner that has reablement experience or an interest in reablement to join the team, and work towards defining the offer of Occupational Therapy in reablement.

Main duties of the job

The role will involve assessing clients in their home. Goals and interventions will be person centred and you will use the living well approach and strength-based assessment, to promote independence.

The OTAP role will be a duty role on a rota, triaging referrals and supporting the teams lone working policy.

You will have the ability to work under pressure, be well organised and able to effectively prioritise. You will need to have a positive attitude, be committed to a Home First ethos. You will possess excellent communication skills, record keeping and keyboard skills. You should have a commitment to excellent customer service and be confident in strengthening Social Care practice.

About us

Norfolk First Response is a community reablement service to support people in their own home to regain and maximise their independence following a period in hospital and/or deterioration in physical and/or mental health. The service commences once health care needs have mostly been met or at least stabilised and focuses on improving skills necessary for daily living and can last for up to six weeks.

NFS in a jointly funded venture from social care and health and work closely with the locality and community teams.

Services and/or Community OT work. We offer strong support networks, with regular meetings, supervision, and a buddy system for new people joining our team to help you settle in.

Benefits of working for Norfolk First Response:

Competitive annual leave per year

Extensive induction training and future development opportunities

Norfolk Rewards Scheme (discount saving with various shops and restaurants)

Paid business mileage

Cycle to work scheme

Part of Norfolk County Council

We have applied the hybrid model of working as part of the smarter working plans to support the health and safety of our work colleagues. There will be opportunities to work from an office environment part of the week. Working remotely from home will continue to be a key feature of this role. We ask that you have good broadband connectivity.

An ability to drive with a full driving licence is essential.

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To undertake assessment and care management duties under the direction of a qualified worker.

NOTE: Actual job tasks will vary depending on whether the post islocatedwithin the Access Service or a Locality Team, and whether it is linked to Occupational Therapy or Care Assessment

Principal Accountabilities:

To assess, support and review service users/carers needs and make consequent arrangements within the agreed indicators. This includes arranging and carrying out visits to the homes of service users and drawing up support plans as appropriate.

To arrange, review and monitor outcomes to meet assessed need as agreed within the service users Support Plan. This may include (depending on setting):

Liaising or enabling service users to liaise with providers and departmental support sections over administrative, contractual and financial arrangements

Ordering and demonstrating the use of equipment, recommending adaptations and checking that they meet the needs identified

Facilitating delivery of support plans

Support service users who wish to commission their own services to do so.

Working with the Resource Allocation System and assisting service users with relevant form filling when no alternative provision to do so is in place.

Encourage self directed support and individual budgets.

To bring to the notice of a qualified worker changes in a service users needs or circumstances when the nature of presenting difficulties fall outside agreed scope of this role.

To promote safeguarding awareness with service users and multi-disciplinary colleagues. Keep updated on current safeguarding guidance and practice and be vigilant in all activities.

To participate in team systems, for example duty to support the overall work of the team whilst accountable to a qualified team member

To support individuals to understand the roles of other disciplines or other agencies where needs are identified.

To operate in accordance with NCC and departmental practice and guidance, including the maintenance of electronic social care records within CareFirst, and relevant departmental and corporate administrative procedures.

To assist with the induction of new staff and informing them of local procedures and information. To act as information point for other agencies.

To represent the department appropriately at agreed forums.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE (Grade C English/Maths or equivalent) to be tested at interview if no formal qualification held.

Experience

• Have experience in working with service users or within a social care setting.
• Have experience of working within an organisation and to procedures.
• Exceptionally to work evenings and weekends or Bank holidays when necessary
• Willingness to work in a range of settings depending on the needs of the service.

Skills and Knowledge

• Be able to communicate clearly and appropriately with members of the public, colleagues and staff in other agencies verbally, on the telephone and in writing.
• Knowledge and understanding of the relevant Health and Social Care legislation.
• Knowledge of current policy and practice within Health and Social Care.
• A commitment, knowledge and understanding of Equal Opportunities policy and anti-discriminatory practice.
• Knowledge of electronic case management systems.
• A good level of numeracy.
• Be able to exercise judgement and initiative within designated areas of responsibility.
• Be able to demonstrate good keyboard skills with a view to using various computerised and electronic case management systems.
• An ability to develop and change in light of the changing health and social care policy environment.
• Able to plan, manage, prioritise workloads, demonstrating good time management skills.
• Be able to work effectively under pressure within departmental procedures and respond effectively in a crisis.
• To be able to adopt a learning attitude and have the ability to adapt to change.
• Able to liaise effectively within the Department and other agencies and voluntary organisations.
• Able to work effectively as a member of a multi disciplinary team, as appropriate.
• Ability to gather qualitative and quantitative information and analyse objectively.
• Ability to assess risk and take appropriate action.
• Ability to manage complex relationships.
• A willingness to undertake continuous professional development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.