Occupational Therapy Assistant

Devon Partnership NHS Trust; Exeter; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in Exeter is seeking an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) to join their team. The OTA will support individuals in an intensive care unit by assisting in assessments, running therapeutic programs, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. This role requires excellent planning and organizational skills, as well as experience with vulnerable patients. Applicants are encouraged to be flexible and responsive to patient needs, with opportunities for professional growth within the organization.

Benefits

Access to training and online courses

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Desire to understand the role of OT in psychiatric care.
• Experience dealing with vulnerable patients.
• Understanding the effects of mental illness on wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Support individuals with care and treatment needs.
• Assist OT team in assessments and goal-setting.
• Run therapeutic programmes for patients.

Skills

Experience working with vulnerable patients

Ability to run therapeutic sessions

Planning and organizational skills

Teamwork abilities

Education

General education qualification (GCSE)

NVQ Level 2 / 3 or equivalent

Job description

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is looking for an enthusiastic and compassionate Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) to join our dynamic Occupational Therapy team within the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at The Junipers in Exeter.

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to make a real difference in the lives of people experiencing an acute mental health episode.

The Junipers is a 10-bedded male ward that provides 24-hour treatment and care in a safe and supportive environment. We actively engage and involve individuals in their care and recovery journey, focusing on providing a therapeutic and recovery-oriented approach. The ward offers a unique setting for an OTA to develop professionally while supporting individuals in an intensive care context.

If you require a certificate of sponsorship to work in the UK you are advised to review the "Coming to work in the UK Visa Information" link in the supporting links section to ensure this role and your current circumstances meet the requirements for sponsorship

If you would like to discuss the certificate of sponsorship and whether your current circumstances meet the requirement for sponsorship you can email [e-mail] for further advice

Main duties of the job

• The role of the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) is an integral part of the Junipers, supporting individuals with their care and treatment needs.
• You will work closely with the Occupational Therapy (OT) team and other multidisciplinary team (MDT) members, including nurses, doctors, and social workers, to ensure a high-quality, holistic service for the individuals accessing the service.
• As an OTA, you will be supported to run a therapeutic programme for patients and deliver individualised interventions aimed at improving their mental health and well-being.
• Assist the OT team in assessment and goal-setting, tailoring interventions to meet the specific needs of individuals within the PICU setting.

About us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities

As an Occupational Therapist Assistant, you will contribute to the assessment, monitoring, evaluation, and modification of structured activities in order to measure progression and ensure effectiveness.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will be supported regionally and will have access to a variety of training and online courses to support your career development and growth.

As an Occupational Therapist Assistant you will be:

• Assisting Occupational Therapists, Nurses and other MDT staff in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of individual needs.
• Running and developing therapeutic groups and 1:1 activities
• Supporting service users to achieve their goals and access appropriate services.
• Maintaining adequate records, entering details in the service user healthcare records.
• Supporting the MDT with quality improvement initiatives
• Supporting families and carers

Person Specification

Planning and Organisational skills

• The ability to manage and organise your own workload and complete tasks within a timely manner.
• Plan and organise one off activity sessions on the ward, responding to the needs of small groups of current patients. Requires flexibility and the ability to respond quickly to patient need, change your work pattern and be responsive to the needs of the ward. Ability to work as part of a team

Qualifications

• Ability and desire to gain more understanding about the role of OT and psychiatric intensive mental health care.
• Evidence of good standard of general education/qualification (e.g. CSE, O Level, GCSE)
• NVQ Level 2 / 3 or equivalent or willingness to work towards this

Experience

• Experience of dealing with vulnerable patients.
• Experience of working therapeutically.
• Experience working with other professionals/ teams.
• An understanding of the effects of mental and physical illness on a persons wellbeing and ability to carry out activities of daily living Proven ability to support patients to engage in a range of therapeutic activities. Running activity based groups and individual work. Relevant work experience with people with a mental illness.

Analytical & Judgement Skills

• Ability to create innovative solutions to help empower service users. Assess patients response to activities and decide on appropriate action e.g. advise OT, summon assistance, alter the programme of activities.
• Ability to follow instructions and report back to qualified staff as appropriate

Working pattern

• To be able to work flexibly within a 7 day week shift pattern
• Need to monitor and maintain health, safety and security of self and others
• Ability to travel to sites in areas covered by the Trust to meet the requirements of the role

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.