Senior Occupational Therapist - REQ004760

INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Senior Occupational Therapist
Salary: PO3 £42,839 - £46,142
Hours: 37 hours, full time
Contract: Temporary to cover maternity leave
Location: Early Intervention Team

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

It is an exciting time to come and work in Leeds City Council to be a part of the Early Intervention Teams across the city.

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist who is looking to progress their career and work as a Senior OT in the Early Intervention Team to cover maternity leave.

About the role

Occupational Therapists work with people and their family and carers, who have contacted Adults and Health for the first time requesting care and support. The Occupational Therapists work closely alongside the Social Workers, who also work in the Early Intervention Teams.

The aim of the Early Intervention Team is to provide enhanced screening of new referrals and utilise the skills and knowledge of Occupational Therapists to work with people in a strength-based way, using a self-management approach to identify solutions to meet their needs. The team will also carry out assessments in people’s own home to identify both short term and longer-term solutions to help them to remain independent in their own homes.

You will need to bring to the role an ability to take a personalised approach to creative problem solving, assessment and support planning so that people can achieve their desired outcomes.

Professional supervision and line management are provided by a Disability Team Manager, who is a qualified OT. Senior OTs are responsible for supervising less experienced members of the team.

We encourage our staff to grow their career with us, from students and newly qualified Occupational Therapists through to senior and experienced managers. Continued Professional Development (CPD) is at the heart of our practice and staff are given half a day a month to develop this. There is a clear career progression pathways and work to ensure that there is the right balance between support and challenge in all roles.

Opportunities are available to be involved in development work within the Council and with other agencies and we provide opportunities for all our registered OTs to support student education and to gain skills in the supervision and support of unregistered staff and new graduate OTs.

You will need to be a car driver and have access to a car, and a mileage allowance is paid for using your own car.

What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply
Apply for this job online. Please complete the online application form

For more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Rachel Tee, Occupational Therapy Team Manager, Early Intervention Team Tel: 07891 278597, email rachel.tee@leeds.gov.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

Under the general direction of a Team Manager to provide a high quality and comprehensive Occupational Therapy service to disabled adults, children and young people, carers and community.

This is an experienced Occupational Therapy role with specific responsibilities for managing a caseload of higher levels of challenge and complexity, which will include assessment and management of risk and to provide casework advice, support and guidance to other team members

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 and monitor a workload of complex and diverse cases within the parameters of agreed policies and practices together with professional guidance and support from team managers to safeguard and promote the welfare of individuals, families and carers.
To develop, implement and review outcome focussed Occupational Therapy intervention to meet assessed needs and promote independent well-being and inclusion within delegated levels of responsibility.
To identify specialist housing needs of disabled people and their families and support them in accessing suitable housing/adaptations.
To organise work activities taking account of the need to prioritise tasks and responsibilities ensuring statutory legislation and service priorities are met.
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 complete moving and handling and hoist training, and then carry out complex moving and handling assessments, and provide subsequent advice and training to disabled people, carers and staff as appropriate.
To carry out complex moving and handling assessments, make appropriate recommendations for specific equipment, to reduce the risk for carers.
To deliver, fit and collect equipment as appropriate, including necessary moving and handling of equipment.
Following assessment provide/recommend complex and bespoke services to disabled adults, older people, children and young people which remove barriers to social inclusion, to improve quality of life for disabled people and their carers.
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 take a lead for the enhanced screening of new referrals and people already in receipt of services.
To provide comprehensive knowledge of specialist equipment and complex adaptations to users, carers and less experienced members of the team.
To provide expert advice, support and guidance on casework to less experienced team members, both registered and unregistered.
To provide support and professional supervision to new graduate OT’s, OT’s and unregistered staff and to ensure the person achieves the appropriate skills and competencies.
To attend regular personal and professional Supervision with identified Supervisor.
To provide practice education for OT students, including student placements and other student related activities.
To maintain up to date accurate case notes and other records, write reports as required.
To assist with recruitment and selection of new graduate OT’s, Community OTs and unregistered staff.
To contribute to the promotion of improved outcomes for individuals, families, carers and groups from diverse and disadvantaged communities.
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 be responsible for analysing information to support the ongoing needs of service users, their families and carers.
To work with other services within the council to deliver efficient and effective solutions to barriers faced by disabled people.
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 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 disabled adults, older people, children and young people.
To contribute to safeguarding investigations, of disabled adults, older people, children and young people., in accordance with legislative requirements and Multi-agency Safeguarding procedures.
Undertake risk assessments, identify needs and options.
To identify and implement strategies for responding appropriately to concerns about practice or procedures seeking guidance if required.
To appropriately participate in meetings and relevant forums.
To work to and within the prescribed standards of the College of Occupational Therapists and be responsible for promoting awareness of these.
To promote Occupational Therapy to colleagues both within and outside the Council.
Be responsible for the development of practice by maintaining a knowledge of related theories and legislation and using evidence on which to base professional practice.
To participate in training and development activities that ensures up to date knowledge, skills, and continuous professional development.
To be responsible for understanding and applying all relevant practice standards, policies and procedures.
Maintain an awareness of related theories and legislation.
Maintain up to date personal CPD folder in order to retain registration with the HCPC.
Under the direction of the team manager undertake specific pieces of work in relation to customer feedback, representations, complaints, multi-agency projects or service developments and make recommendations or action plans to implement these to improve service delivery.
To deputise for the Disability Team Manager as and when required.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Specific Responsibilities within the Blue Badge Eligibility Assessment Team

To carry out complex and children’s in clinic assessments of service users applying for a Blue Badge using the guidelines determined by the Department for Transport.
To carry out telescreen assessments
To manage, analyse and screen all new referrals, allocating to staff as appropriate.

Specific Responsibilities within Children and Young Peoples Services

To consider the development of the Child or Young Person and the needs of the Family/Carer when making recommendations for service provision.
To obtain the views of the Child or Young Person as well as the family/carer during the assessment process and to take account of these views when making recommendations for service provision.

Specific Responsibilities within Environment and Housing

To understand and contribute to the annual service plans of the Health & Housing service that creates opportunities for all disabled people and their families to live independently in quality, affordable, safe and stable housing of their choice across all tenures.
To have a knowledge of the various cross tenure funding streams and the scope of the adaptations and re-housing services within Council.

Specific Responsibilities with the Occupational Therapy Recovery Team

To work on a rota pattern between 8am and 8pm 7 days a week – to include some weekend working.
To take a lead in the discharge planning for customers in the Recovery Hubs.
To complete support plans for a defined group of people to facilitate their discharge.

Specific Responsibilities with the Community Wellbeing Service

To use a Person-Environment-Occupation Performance model to consider the person and their environment and what tasks they need to do, and how the structure of those tasks needs to be adapted.
To provide Occupational Therapy assessments with people when they first join the Community Wellbeing Service, and review them as necessary, during their involvement.
To embed reablement principles within the Community Wellbeing Service and establish a strengths-based approach, with a focus on promoting independence.
To design reablement focussed support plans to work towards a customers independence and to promote and support reablement as a core function of the service.
To undertake moving and handling assessments and to promote single handed care.
To complete support plans, where appropriate.

Specific Responsibilities for Integrated Reviewing Team

To be part of the citywide Integrated Reviewing Team for people who have 2 paid carers and large packages of care.
To undertake complex moving and handling risk assessments with people and their carers – both paid and unpaid, and make recommendations to reduce the packages of care either by change in process or equipment.
To provide detailed moving and handling plans to care providers and provide expert advice, support and guidance.
To work with care agencies to ensure staff are competent to undertake single handed care.

Priorities will be:

people who have been discharged from hospital, with a new package of care, where there are two carer staff members.
people who, have a large package of care, would benefit from a full functional assessment, with an aim to reduce the package of care where:
They have not seen an occupational therapist before.
Where the person has no equipment to support them
The Occupational Therapists will work closely with social workers in the Integrated Reviewing Team
To work to agreed KPIs for numbers of assessments to be completed on a weekly basis
To provide detailed performance information on a weekly basis to evidence savings made, and any expenditure spent on equipment.
To complete support plans where appropriate

Specific Responsibilities for Early Intervention Team

To provide enhanced screening to new contacts to the council, who meet the criteria for the Early Intervention Team
Promote Independence and Wellbeing, by intervening early to support individuals, helping people to retain their skills and confidence and preventing the need or delaying deterioration wherever possible.
To embed reablement principles within the Early Intervention Teams and establish a strengths-based approach, with a focus on promoting independence.
To make appropriate referrals to the area Disability Services Teams
To provide detailed performance information to evidence savings made.
To complete support plans where appropriate
To work closely with the SW teams – both rapid response and neighbourhood teams to ensure the best pathway for people who no longer meet the criteria for early intervention.

Qualifications

Qualification in Occupational Therapy – Degree/diploma. Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) upon commencement in post and maintain yearly registration.

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