Occupational Therapist

Norfolk County Council; Norwich; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A local government authority in Norwich seeks a part-time Occupational Therapist to provide comprehensive assessments and support for individuals with complex needs. The role involves collaboration with healthcare teams and offers opportunities for professional development and a flexible working environment. Applicants should possess relevant qualifications and experience in health and social care, along with strong communication skills.

Benefits

Generous holiday entitlement

Health and wellbeing services

Flexible working opportunities

Local Government Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Knowledge of Health and Social Care legislation.
• Experience of working with adults and children with disabilities.
• Understanding of safeguarding policies.

Responsibilities

• Conduct person-centered assessments and formulate support plans.
• Implement intervention strategies for disability and ill health.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Experience with complex needs

Communication skills

Assessment and care management

Collaborative working

Education

Diploma in Occupational Therapy

Registered with the Health Professions Council

Tools

Electronic case management systems

Specialist disability equipment

Job description

Norwich Locality are seeking to recruit a part time Occupational Therapist (Level 2 preferred) to be based at County Hall, Norwich.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for enthusiastic and hardworking individuals who have experience of working with adults who have complex needs and their carers. You will be a skilled practitioner who can evidence their knowledge and understanding of assessment and care management procedures for older people; people being discharged from community hospitals; younger people under 65 with a physical disability and their carers. You will also be working with children under 18. If you are committed to working in a person centred way and have the skills to work in complex situations we would be interested to hear from you and in return can offer regular supervision and the opportunity to work in an experienced and supportive team.

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

We are committed to our employees learning and development. We offer Occupational Therapists a protected half day per month for continuing professional development and training.

About us

We want our people to be inspired and motivated to work well together, make the most of our workspaces, enjoy a healthy work-life balance, and deliver excellent services. Flexibility is built into the way we work, with hybrid working a key feature for many roles. Our technology platform and equipment are first class, enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We ask that you have in place good Broadband connectivity.

These are some benefits you can enjoy:

• Generous holiday entitlement
• Health and Wellbeing services including fast-track physiotherapy and a free counselling service
• Flexible working opportunities dependant on your job role and business need.
• Financial benefits such as:
• Norfolk Rewards our employee discounts programme which helps you save money on almost anything, from everyday groceries and clothes, to holidays, new technology, gym membership, trips to the cinema and days out.
• A Blue Light card for Fire Service and Social Care Workers
• Relocation expenses (where applicable)
• An advance of your expenses if you travel for work
• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution, life assurance, death in service payments and dependants pensions.
• Tax efficient ways of getting extra pension and new bikes
• Access to our tax efficient car lease scheme for greener travel enabling you to lease a brand new, ultra-low emission vehicle (subject to eligibility)
• A payment if you refer someone you know to a hard to fill job

Job responsibilities

Purpose:

To undertake person-centred assessments and to empower people to make choices and promote their health, well-being and independence.

To work collaboratively with people who have complex needs to formulate support plans which maximise abilities, enable individuals to make choices to work towards their identified goals.

To formulate and implement intervention plans aimed at reducing the impact of disability and ill health.

To utilise OT skills in a variety of cases, analysing and adapting home environments to reduce the impact of disability and to promote function and social participation.

(For Occupational Therapists these will be complex or highly complex cases)

(For Occupational Therapy Preceptorship these will be non-complex cases or complex cases in collaboration with senior staff).

NOTE: Actual job tasks will vary depending on the team in which the post is located.

Context:

The service will be provided in accordance with legislation, national guidance, departmental procedures and protocols, quality assurance targets and timescales, and local partnership arrangements.

Accountabilities:

To manage a caseload of cases as allocated.

To undertake assessments under the Care Act and other legislation, using a strength-based approach relevant to you skill set and level of experience.

To co‑ordinate and monitor OT outcomes and undertake reviews to ascertain whether the desired outcomes are being achieved. This may include advocating on behalf of people or their carers.

To work with individuals to assist them to assess risk and take decisions related to their ability to function in the community environment.

To formulate and implement intervention plans including reablement plans, aimed at reducing the impact of disability and ill health: plans may include specialist disability equipment, housing adaptations and graded plans of activities to be carried out by carers in reablement settings (Cases involving highly complex building alterations for OTs only).

To promote safeguarding awareness with service users and multi‑agency policy and procedure. Keep updated on current safeguarding guidance and practice and be vigilant in all activities.

To work with people and their carers to demonstrate and teach use of equipment and other techniques and strategies to help maintain service users independence.

(OTPs to involve senior staff until level of skill and experience matches complexity of the task).

To use clinical skills to identify and arrange for the provision, installation and review of specialist disability equipment and Assistive Technology in accordance with Departmental guidance.

To advise on the structural adaptations required to meet identified needs and accommodate required equipment (including that to maintain mobility, e.g. wheelchairs, and for complex moving and handling), to make recommendations to the Housing Authority for Disabled Facilities Grants where appropriate and to work with housing professionals, architects, and contractors to manage any changes needed during the process.

(OTPs to be involved in less complex adaptations or to work with senior staff where the needs of the service‑user or technical constraints of the building determine that the adaptation task is complex).

To undertake where appropriate the supervision of competency‑based staff and/or students including learners from other agencies in accordance with Departmental Procedures and support, guidance, teaching and clinical supervision to others including Level 1 qualified staff and occupational therapy students. This includes ensuring (through the supervision process) that staff comply with the Department's requirements to record and maintain quality information and data. (OTs only).

To advise on the opportunities and constraints of particular types of adaptations in regard to meeting functional needs and promoting independence, for service users who are either not financially eligible for, or who do not wish to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant.

To liaise with Health and Housing professionals and other statutory, private and voluntary organisations, providing written reports, recommendations and referrals as necessary.

To promote inter‑disciplinary relationships and partnership working and to encourage integrated ways of working wherever possible.

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

Through the supervision process to ensure that staff comply with the Department's requirements to record and maintain quality information and data, including electronic social care records (Level 2 Occupational Therapists only).

To undertake staff development and training in accordance with the team plan and in line with Adult Social Services Continuing Professional Development Strategy and the relevant professional body.

To ensure service delivery meets the ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic backgrounds to challenge appropriately where this is not the case.

To undertake the necessary training to become a Practice Educator.

To successfully complete the Occupational Therapist Preceptorship Programme if you are newly qualified, new to social care or returning to social care after a long service break. This will be discussed in more detail if appropriate at your interview.

To ensure that services are provided in accordance with departmental standards, equal of access, diversity and objectives of quality of assurance are cost effective with due regard to Health and Safety requirements (and challenge appropriate where this is not the case).

Person Specification

Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of the relevant Health and Social Care legislation and current policy and practice within Health and Social Care
• Knowledge of electronic case management systems
• Knowledge of the specialist disability equipment
• Knowledge of building design and how buildings can be adapted for disabled people (OT)
• Demonstrate a knowledge and awareness of theory and models of practice and be able to draw on this knowledge in understanding the relationship between the human experience and the built environment
• Knowledge of good practice in moving and handling (OT)
• Knowledge of current policy and practice within Health and Social Care
• A commitment to and knowledge and understanding of Equal Opportunities policy and anti-discriminatory practice
• Experience of working with people in their own homes (OT)
• Experience of supervising others (OT)
• Knowledge of building design and how buildings can be adapted for disabled people (OTP)
• Knowledge of good practice in moving and handling (OTP)
• Experience of working with people in their own homes (OTP)
• Experience of supervising others (OTP)

Aptitudes and Behaviours

• To 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
• To be able to demonstrate good keyboard skills with a view to using various computerised and electronic case management systems
• Ability to exercise judgement and initiative in carrying out assessments of needs, problem solving and pursuing outcomes to meet needs.
• An ability to develop and change in light of the changing health and social care policy environment
• Ability to thrive in a rapidly changing work environment
• Able to plan, manage, prioritise workloads, demonstrating good time management skills
• Able to prepare and present reports and other documents; contributing to teaching and to deliver presentations
• Able to work effectively under pressure and within departmental procedures effectively in a crisis
• To be able to adopt a learning attitude and have the ability 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

Qualifications

• Diploma in OT/Degree in OT
• Registered with the Health Professions Council

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.