Occupational Therapy Assistant

NHS; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health and social care organization in Cambridge is seeking an Occupational Therapy Assistant to join their award-winning team. You will support service-users with complex emotional needs, engage them in meaningful activities, and work under the supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist. This role offers a great opportunity to gain experience in a therapeutic profession and contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of individuals. A good level of secondary education and experience with complex mental health needs are essential.

Benefits

Regular supervision

Weekly staff sessions

Training opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience of working with people with complex mental health needs.
• Experience of leading group activities.
• Interest in Occupational Therapy.

Responsibilities

• Support service-users to improve overall functioning.
• Contribute to the provision of occupationally focused interventions.
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Skills

Good communication

Time management

Teamworking skills

Education

Good level of secondary education to GCSE level

Degree in related subject

Job description

Job summary: An exciting opportunity has arisen for a passionate and motivated individual to join Springbank Ward as an Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Springbank Ward is an award-winning service which provides inpatient treatment to women with a diagnosis of EUPD/Complex Emotional Needs. We take an innovative and least-restrictive approach as we support service-users to return to the community after frequently spending a lengthy amount of time in other inpatient settings. Our service-users typically complete a 12-month programme involving both DBT and a wider therapeutic activity and group programme. As the only NHS inpatient unit of its kind, our service-users come from across the country.

As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, your role will be to work with the Occupational Therapist to support service-users on Springbank Ward to improve in their overall functioning, engaging in a holistic approach with a focus on engagement in meaningful activity.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to gain experience in Occupational Therapy or a therapeutic profession.

We operate with a flat hierarchy and aim to support all staff to develop and grow within their role. Some of what we can offer you includes:

• Regular supervision.
• Weekly staff sessions, including reflective practice, teaching and case discussions.
• The possibility to complete training around DBT skills.
• A multi-skilled and supportive team including Psychiatry, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Psychology.

Main duties of the job:

• To contribute to the development of and provision of occupationally focused interventions under the supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist.
• To support each service-user to be involved in a structured programme of meaningful activities both on the ward and in community settings.
• Working under the supervision of the qualified Occupational Therapist to help each service-user achieve maximum independence and quality of life.
• Take the lead in supporting the ward to offer a varied ward programme to suit the needs of the clients during their admission.
• To work as an integrated member of the multi-disciplinary team.
• The role will involve working flexibly to the needs of the service and evening and weekend working will be expected.

About us: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

Person Specification:

Education/Qualifications:

• Essential: Good level of secondary education to GCSE level (E.g. 5 GCSEs graded A-C or higher)
• Desirable: Degree in related subject (e.g. Psychology, Art)

Experience:

• Essential: Experience of working with people with complex mental health needs, Experience of leading group activities
• Desirable: Experience of working with an Occupational Therapist

Skills & Abilities:

• Essential: Good communication, time management and teamworking skills

Other:

• Essential: Interest in Occupational Therapy, Interest in working with Personality Disorder/Complex Emotional Needs

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.