Band 5 Occupational Therapist

This is a great opportunity for a band 6 or experienced band 5 looking to gain experience as a band 6. This is a 12 month contact to cover maternity leave. The role includes managing a clinical OT caseload, carrying out comprehensive assessments and delivering evidence based interventions using the Model of Human Occupation. Assessments and Interventions take place at the unit, in service users homes, or in the community. There is the opportunity to develop both individual and group interventions to help the service user achieve their personal and recovery goals.

This post also includes a small care coordination caseload whose primary difficulties are experienced within their occupational functioning. The post holder will also learn the process of, and develop skills in Community Mental Health Team initial assessments and duty, with a view of undertaking them independently.

The OT team consists of an OT Assistant Therapy Practitioner and a Band 5 Occupational Therapist. The team offers 1-1 and group interventions and has successfully facilitated a number of face to face, and virtual groups using the Recovery Through Activity framework developed by Sue Parkinson. The OT team has made links with several community resources enhancing the quality OT provision. The post holder would have the opportunity to develop this further, expanding on the current groups provided., Car driver essential, or access to a car (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving).

Hertfordshire is a lovely county to live/work in, lots of beautiful countryside to explore with great transport links to other parts of Hertfordshire and London.

The Community Mental Health Teams provide assessment and treatment to service users along 2 care pathways - one for those with psychotic disorders and the other for those with non-psychotic disorder and personality disorder. The Service encourages joint working between professions to provide in-depth interventions for the people who use the service. The multi-disciplinary team consists of Nursing, Social care, Medical, Psychology, Art and Drama Therapy, STaR workers, Employment & Vocational advisors and an Accommodation Worker. The clinical team is supported by a number of administrative and data staff.

The Community Occupational Therapy staff across Hertfordshire meet regularly for professional development and peer support which receives regular positive feedback. There is an extensive in-house training programme for all OT staff to develop, consolidate, and share specific OT skills. There is the opportunity for the post holder to complete the Assessment of Motor and Processing Skills assessment (AMPS) and /or the Evaluation of Social Interaction (ESI). The post holder will have the opportunity to supervise and delegate tasks to junior staff and offer placements to occupational therapy students. The community OT teams offer a supportive environment with regular professional supervision provided by the lead OT.

Base: Adult Community Mental Health Team Hemel Hempstead. There is currently a vacancy, to cover maternity leave, for a highly motivated and innovative band 6 or band 5/6 Occupational Therapist to work within our Community Mental Health Team in the North West of Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This post is a 12 month fixed term contract to cover maternity leave. The successful applicant will need to evidence a sound knowledge of Occupational Therapy interventions with people who have Mental Health problems.,

• BSc/MSc/PG Dip Occupational Therapy


• HCPC registration (or applied for)


• Proficient use of Microsoft Office and associated packages.


Desirable criteria


• Membership of ROCT


• Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or learning disability


• Training in the use of the Model of Human Occupation in practice areas, Application of the OT process and use of functional assessment and activity analysis


• Working knowledge of Recovery principles and how these relate to OT


• Working knowledge of standardised assessment and outcome measures appropriate to area of practice


• Experience of the application of an OT model in practice


Desirable criteria


• Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or learning disability


• Documented evidence of continuing professional development, Ability to provide and receive sensitive and difficult information regarding services users care and social situation


• Applied knowledge and understanding and ability to use a range of communication skills to overcome barriers to engagement


Physical Skills

Essential criteria


• Full driving license with access to car unless you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 2010, You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
  
  Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission

Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is rated by the Care Quality Commission as an Outstanding provider of mental health and learning disability services. In 2021, we won the prestigious Health Service Journal award for Mental Health Trust of the Year, with the judges saying they were "blown away" by our people's achievements and that everything they saw "sings and hums". This year, our staff rated us the 4^th best mental health and learning disability trust to work for out of all 52 trusts in the country. Our staff tell us that they are proud to be part of the HPFT team, proud of the standard of care we provide and proud that service users are our top priority. Our people tell us they feel supported though a great development, wellbeing and work-life balance offer and a highly compassionate, values-driven culture. We are equally proud of our staff, who live our values of being welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional