Locum Occupational Therapist

Job Title:  Community Occupational Therapist
Area:  West Yorkshire Social Services
Salary: £negotiable
Job Type: Locum
Contract length:  Ongoing
Job Details:  Community Occupational Therapist required to join a team of 9 Occupational Therapists who work alongside colleagues across Health and Social Care, including Physiotherapists, Nurses and care staff to promote independence and a return to a person’s own home. The Recovery Hubs are developing a rehabilitation-focussed culture with all staff that fosters a 24-hour therapeutic approach. There are 3 Rehabilitation and Recovery Beds that support people who are unable to go straight home following a hospital admission.  
The service are looking for an Occupational Therapist with proven assessment skills, with a strength based personalised approach, who can carry out Occupational Therapy assessments of people with a range of needs, to develop, implement goal led outcome planning.  The Occupational Therapists work alongside the support workers to ensure that a person achieves their outcomes and regularly review their progress. The Occupational Therapists take the lead in discharges for those people who are returning to their own home.
Occupational Therapists will also need to bring skills in moving and handling, both including in risk assessment and in identifying solutions to reduce risk which consider the needs and personal outcomes of disabled people and their families. The Recovery Service is part of Leeds Moving and Handling to ensure optimised care, including single handed care principals, are used.
Professional supervision and line management are provided by a Disability Team Manager, who is a registered Occupational Therapist. CPD is supported including through peer groups.
Occupational Therapists have a role in shaping and developing the service and there will also be other opportunities to be involved in development work within Recovery Hubs. We provide opportunities for all our registered Occupational Therapists to support student education and to gain skills in the supervision and support of new graduate Occupational Therapists. Occupational Therapists are given half a day a month for their CPD.
All posts need to hold a degree/diploma in Occupational Therapy and be registered with the HCPC.
Core Responsibilities:

• To undertake a range of complex Occupational Therapy assessments.  Assessments should have an occupational focus and aim to reduce barriers to inclusion.
• To undertake reablement assessments which have an occupational emphasis. To be responsible for the care planning for the whole process.
• To manage an allocated caseload of disabled people and, with supervision, regularly monitor, review and evaluate changes in a disabled persons needs and ensure that all services contribute effectively to the support plan and remain an effective use of resource.
• To organise work activities taking account of the need to prioritise tasks and responsibilities ensuring statutory legislation and service priorities are met.
• To manage an allocated caseload of service users, regularly monitor, review and evaluate changes in service user needs and ensure that all services contribute effectively to the support plan and remain an effective use of resources.
• To complete moving and handling and hoist training, and then carry out moving and handling assessments, and provide subsequent advice and training to disabled people, carers and staff as appropriate.
• To carry out moving and handling risk assessments, make appropriate recommendations for specific equipment, to reduce the risks for carers.
• Following assessment provide/recommend specialist services to disabled people which remove barriers to social inclusion.
• To work within legislative framework to make recommendations for complex adaptations that are necessary and appropriate to reduce environmental barriers, to improve quality of life for adults and older people and their carers
• To carry out the enhanced screening of new referrals, and people already in receipt of services.
• To develop, implement and review outcome focussed Occupational Therapy intervention to meet assessed needs and promote independent well-being and inclusion.
• To identify specialist housing needs of disabled people and their families and support them in accessing suitable housing/adaptations
• To deliver, fit and collect equipment as appropriate, including necessary moving and handling of equipment.
• To provide general advice, support and guidance on casework to less experienced and unregistered members of the team.
• To provide practice education for OT students, including annual placements, or other student related activities.
• To provide support and professional supervision to OT’s and unregistered staff and to ensure the person achieves the appropriate skills and competencies.
• To obtain the views of the disabled person during the assessment process and take into account their views when making recommendations for service provision.
• To attend regular personal and professional Supervision with identified Supervisor
• To provide in depth knowledge of specialist equipment and major adaptations to users, carers and less experienced members of the team.
• Co-working more challenging casework alongside Senior OTs/Manager
• To maintain accurate and up to date case notes and other records, write reports as required.
• To appropriately participate in meetings and relevant forums.
• To assist in the planning and developing of future service and policies
• To assist with recruitment and selection of unregistered staff.
• To be responsible for analysing information to support the ongoing needs of service users, their families and carers.
• To comply with LCC safeguarding framework to contribute to investigations, and manage risks where individuals have experienced or likely to experience significant harm.
• To contribute to safeguarding investigations in accordance with legislative requirements and Multi-agency Safeguarding procedures.  Undertake risk assessments, identify needs and options.
• To use management information systems, keep them up to date and be able to provide concise and accurate information about circumstances and plans within the requirements of data protection.
• To provide written and verbal reports which are concise, informative and based on analysis of complex evidence, for example, recommendations for major adaptations and specialist/bespoke equipment.
• To work to and within the prescribed standards of the College of Occupational Therapists.
• To promote Occupational Therapy to colleagues both within and outside the Council.
• To participate in training and development activities that ensures up to date knowledge, skills, and continuous professional development.
• To maintain up to date personal CPD folder in order to retain registration with the HCPC.
• To contribute to the development of practice by finding and using evidence on which to base professional practice.
• To be responsible for understanding and applying all relevant practice standards, policies and procedures.  Maintain knowledge of related theories and legislation
• To work to the prescribed standards for service provision and maintain performance and develop practice and experience in line with personal targets as agreed with line manager through supervision and appraisal
• To disseminate knowledge and contribute to the delivery of a high standard of service.
• To identify and implement strategies for responding appropriately to concerns about practice or procedures seeking guidance if required.
• To contribute to the promotion of improved outcomes for individuals, families, carers and groups from diverse and disadvantaged communities.
• To actively promote and support Leeds City Council’s and Directorate policies on Equality and Diversity.
• To promote Occupational Therapy to colleagues both within and outside the council.
• To develop and maintain effective relationships with disabled people, their families and carers: provide advice and support, promote independence and early intervention, as necessary; help resolve conflict, where appropriate.
• To work with individuals, families, carers and communities to help them make informed choices and decisions, enabling them to clarify and express their needs and contribute to service planning.
• To develop and maintain effective working relationships with other professionals within the directorate and partner agencies to ensure integrated, holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the care management and safeguarding of children, adults and older people.
• To work with other services within the council to deliver efficient and effective solutions to barriers faced by disabled people.
• To comply with the requirements of all Leeds City Council and Directorate policies and procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities under Health and Safety policy and procedures.
• To undertake and other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the grade and purpose of the job as may be determined by the directorate.

Working hours: Monday to Friday, 08.00-16.00 and 10.00 – 18.00.
Code: U. XMS 0009 FF32 / 1. 006005.B16287