Technical Instructor

Livewell Southwest; Ivybridge; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Livewell Southwest is recruiting an Occupational Therapist/TI role to work with adults in a secure recovery unit at Lee Mill, Plymouth. You will support patients through individual and group activities, drawing on activities like arts, sports and life skills to promote wellbeing and recovery.

The post involves working with a small OT team, coordinating with nurses and other professionals, and delivering a flexible programme across a 7-day service.

Qualifications

• Experience working with adults experiencing mental health needs.
• Experience of working with service users in groupwork.
• Experience working within a hospital environment particularly mental health.
• Experience working as part of a team and under own initiative.
• Experience of working with adults with learning and physical disability.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Knowledge of MOHO (Model of Human Occupation) and Mental Health Act 1983.
• Knowledge of IT and ability to pass on skills to others.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to planning and delivering patient-centred activities.
• Provide individual and group activities in line with needs.
• Work with OT and nurses to ensure safety and records.
• Travel to Plymouth duties across sites as needed.

Skills

Mental health experience

Group work experience

Team collaboration

Risk assessment

Education

City & Guilds or NVQ3 in Health & Social Care

Equivalent technical / life skills

Sports and recreation qualification

Music, art, photography qualification

Physical health, personal training

Job description

37.5 hours per week. Do you have an interest in occupational therapy and how engaging in occupation can increase wellbeing and provide structure and activity to a service user's day?

Are you interested in activities such as sports, arts, music and skills of daily living, and how you can support others to engage in these interests to improve their lives?

Are you a positive, solution focused and creative person who would like to work with individuals who have often not had the opportunity to explore different activities in a supportive and nurturing environment?

We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and proactive person to join our award winning team at Lee Mill working alongside our Occupational Therapists to provide individual tailored care and group activities to our patient group at Lee Mill.

Lee Mill is a secure recovery unit looking after adult males from Plymouth and the surrounding areas. The OT department comprises of two Occupational Therapists and two technical instructors who provide a timetable of therapeutic activities and occupation to our patient group. Activities include sailing, walking, catering, relaxation, support with education, budgeting etc. alongside any special interests or skills that the team possesses.

Main duties of the job

To use specialisttechnical and creative skills to assist in the provision of a flexible,inpatient based therapeutic activity programme as part of the occupationaltherapy service provision to adults with a mental illness, LearningDisabilities and related issues.

To provideself-directed, individual activities for specified patients both on and off theunit, working within risk management guidelines, as this may include workingalone in the unit for periods of time.

To be responsible forplanning and implementing specialist activities and other appropriateinterventions; both individual and group activities and treatments inaccordance with identified needs, as sole or co-facilitator at Lee Mill or inthe community. This may include developing additional, specialist therapeuticinterventions and opportunities in line with service needs as directed bySenior OT.

Participate in theteam which responds to any untoward incidents and undertake associatedtraining.

To work closely withOTs and Nurses in the unit to ensure restrictions and escort arrangements arecommunicated and understood in order to comply with the agreed management ofindividual patients on the unit.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Job responsibilities

Main Duties

Clinical

To be responsible for contributing tothe planning, monitoring and evaluating of patient centred individual and / orgroup activities as part of a regular review of the service requirements.

To use technical and creative skillsto engage patients in therapeutic activities to promote healthy psychologicaland physiological well being.

To develop observation, reporting andrecording skills in relation to individual priorities and activityprogrammes, working with the patient, carers and other members of the multi-disciplinary and OT team as appropriate.

To develop own knowledge base of theprinciples and practice of the use of technical and creative group work andindividual activities in relation to people with mental illness andassociated issues.

To contribute to the assessment ofpatients; to report presentations, changes, performance and progress etc inrelation to formal OT assessments.

To form professional relationshipswith patients, maintaining clear boundaries for effective working practices.

To participate in policy and servicedevelopments as appropriate.

To participate in induction andsupport programmes in relation to new staff and volunteers as directed by theSenior OT.

To ensure that contemporaneous,written and electronic records, and activity data are maintained in accordancewith professional and Organisational standards.

To liaise and communicate withpatients, carers, other professionals and other agencies as appropriate.

To actively engage in clinicalsupervision.

Administration

To adhere to all policies andstandards of Livewell Southwest in general and of the Mental Health Servicein particular. To comply with the COT Code of Ethics and Professional Conductand national policies and procedures.

Toplan and prioritize own workload under direction of Senior OT.

Toparticipate in the planning and implementation of operational policies,projects and service development within the occupational therapy team.

Tobe aware of, and adhere to, the correct procedures for ordering, maintainingand using materials and equipment as directed by Senior OT.

Self Development

In line with local guidelines review,reflect and develop own practice and performance through effective use ofprofessional and operational supervision and appraisal.

To demonstrate ongoing personal andprofessional development through participation in internal and external developmentopportunities, reflecting and recording learning outcomes in a professionalportfolio. This would include support groups and induction opportunities.

Notes

Although the post holder is aninpatient based member of staff they will be expected to travel around Plymouth in the courseof their duties as appropriate.

The post holder may be exposedto unpleasant working conditions including exposure to vomit, sputum and bodyfluids.

The post holder may be exposedto emotionally distressing situations on a frequent basis as some people withmental illness have physical disabilities and complex health needs. Theseinclude challenging and unpredictable behaviour and learning disabilityissues. Also there is a need to develop rapport and effective therapeuticworking in a pressured environment with a high turnover of patients whoseneeds are many and varied.

The postholder will be exposedto a working environment that is challenging because of systems andprocedures that are in place to protect patients and staff. The postholdermay be exposed to the risk of physical assault and injury and will have to carry an alarm with them at all times and work within the constraints of thesafety procedures in the unit.

The post holder may, on occasions,be required to assist with other duties to cover periods of staff absence.

This job description is a guideto the main duties and is not exhaustive. These duties may change as servicesdevelop and the job description will be reviewed annually as part of the postholders performance review. Appropriate training will be provided for newduties.

Experience

• Experience working with adults experiencing mental health needs.
• Experience of working with service users in groupwork
• Experience working within a hospital environment particularly mental health
• Experience working as part of a team and under own initiative
• Experience of working with adults with learning and physical disability
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Qualifications

• Technical Qualifications e.g.
• City & Guilds or
• NVQ3 in Health & Social Care or
• Equivalent technical / life skills gained through work or personal experience.
• Sports and recreation qualification
• Music, art, photography,
• Physical health, personal training

Knowledge

• Interest and the ability to learn, practice and apply the role of Occupational Therapy TI with clients with mental health needs.
• Knowledge and application of a variety of practical activity-based interventions within a variety of internal and external environments
• Demonstrates knowledge related to Low Secure service users
• Ability to identify risk and explore safe solutions with the MDT to ensure positive risk taking
• Demonstrates knowledge of the roles of the MDT members
• Has computer literacy skills, experience of IT
• Ability to pass on skills to others and evaluate their competence.
• Knowledge of MOHO (Model of Human Occupation)
• Mental Health Act 1983
• Knowledge of government initiatives that shape mental health practice

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.

Full-time,Part-time,Job share,Flexible working