Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor Higher Level AFC Band 5 | East London NHS Foundation Trust

Overview

The Operational Lead will provide operational oversight and logistical support for a range of therapeutic employment initiatives within ELFT’S forensic mental health service, including the Oasis Coffee Shop, the Therapeutic Horticulture / Landscaping project, the Nu Leaf Painting and Decorating project, the Admin project and the JHC Barber Shop / Salon. The projects aim to support service users in secure settings to access meaningful vocational experiences that enhance recovery, independence, and rehabilitation, in line with the Good Lives Model (GLM) and trauma-informed care.

Provide operational and logistical support to the senior clinician and the therapeutic employment project leads across the forensic service.

Responsibilities

• Implement structured vocational pathways designed by the lead clinician and tailored to the needs, strengths, and interests of the service user population and the wider service.
• Manage and coordinate daily operational activities, including rotas, planning, and resource allocation and procurement of goods and materials pertaining to therapeutic activities.
• Support and deputise for the senior clinician, including participation in service planning, governance, and operational meetings.
• Provide supervision, guidance and support to junior staff.
• Work collaboratively with clinical teams, peer support workers, and external partners (e.g., education providers, employers, and voluntary organisations).
• Embed a culture of recovery, empowerment, and positive therapeutic risk-taking consistent with the Good Lives Model and trauma-informed practice.
• Monitor project’s financial viability; contribute to audits, and support service evaluation and development.
• Champion patient engagement and co-production in vocational activities.
• Undertake all necessary documentation and admin tasks.
• Undertake all mandatory training in a timely manner.
• Engage in CPD.
• Engage in frequent supervision and provide monthly supervision to junior staff.

Organisational Values

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people\’s lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive. We are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Communication and Working Relationships

• Use advanced levels of communication, negotiation and motivational skills to facilitate good working relationships with staff, between all levels of the multidisciplinary team and with external agencies.
• Communicate effectively with patients to maximise rehab potential, and ensure understanding of clinical condition. Use verbal and non-verbal communication skills to encourage patients to undertake treatment programmes and optimise treatment outcomes. Adapt style to various levels of understanding and different situations, including when sensitive, complex or emotive information needs to be gained or imparted or when barriers to communication exist.
• Maintain accurate and up to date documentation in line with legal and departmental requirements, and communicate vocational/employment programme/activity results to the appropriate disciplines via timely reports and letters.
• Communicate appropriately using electronic formats including word processing and e-mail.
• Ensure confidentiality is maintained.
• Collect statistics and submit them regularly as required.
• Undertake administration tasks as required for the smooth running of the department, including managing service user employees’ time sheets and wages.
• Provide patients and staff with accurate and current information on the OT service.

Clinical Responsibility

• Promote Occupational Therapy specifically the vocational and employment activities within the service to staff and patients.
• Co-ordinate operational aspects of all employment projects to ensure their smooth running.
• Provide clinical and operational support to the Band 4 project leads.
• Be involved in planning, initiation and delivery of vocational and employment programmes in collaboration with other professionals tailored to patient need.
• Prioritise workload according to individual patient’s needs and the standards of the employment service.
• Possess knowledge of clinical skills to carry out vocational and employment programmes/activities in both one-to-one and group interventions with patients.
• Use clinical reasoning to support the Occupational Therapist in assessing patients’ occupational performance in relation to their mental health needs and risk.
• Assess the client’s mental state and identify significant risk factors, both generally and pertaining to specific therapeutic activities, under supervision of senior staff.
• Provide individual employment advice and guidance as required (e.g., CV writing, disclosure statements).
• Involve in evaluating the effectiveness of therapy interventions in conjunction with patients and other professionals.
• Apply evidence-based practice to service delivery under supervision of senior staff.
• Apply equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory interventions that respect patients’ customs, values and spiritual beliefs at all times.
• Contribute to reports focused on vocational and employment aspects and disseminate to relevant professionals, agencies and patients.
• Make entries in multidisciplinary notes pertaining to patients’ assessment, intervention and progress.
• Attend clinical meetings/ward rounds/CPA meetings and provide clinical information on patients’ progress.
• Exercise professional and clinical judgement in routine cases and refer to senior staff when necessary.
• Prioritise caseload in response to client need and changing service needs under guidance of senior staff.
• Develop and maintain links with relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies related to vocational rehabilitation and employment in the community.

Service Development and Improvement

• Follow all Trust and OT Service policies and procedures and the College of Occupational Therapy (COT) Professional Standards in Clinical Practice.
• Encourage user involvement in service development.
• Attend staff and business meetings within the OT service, relevant MDT meetings and other clinical specialist groups.
• Implement and suggest changes to policies within the service user employment department.
• Actively participate in clinical audits related to service evaluation and review.
• Participate in the development of culturally sensitive services responsive to ethnic diversity within the borough.

Financial and Physical Resource Responsibility

• Monitor stock and equipment levels required for departmental needs.
• Adhere to policies and procedures for safe use of therapeutic stock and equipment in line with health and safety requirements.
• Manage procurement of patient wages for vocational jobs in line with trust policy.
• Make petty cash entries related to purchases for patients’ service provision.

Working Conditions and Education

• Formal qualification or equivalent, or in-depth knowledge and practical experience in relevant technical areas (e.g., graphic design, catering, horticulture/landscaping).
• Knowledge and experience of designing and implementing group and individual therapeutic interventions (e.g., vocational programmes, therapeutic group work).
• Knowledge of diagnoses and their management and effect on function related to specialist areas.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of policies across therapy and other areas of work.
• Maintain knowledge of mandatory training and emergency procedures (CPR, fire, equality and diversity, MAPPA, infection control).
• Engage in regular supervision and Trust appraisal/performance review.
• Assist with training and development of OT students on clinical placements when suitably experienced.
• Participate in induction of new staff as required.
• Work autonomously within policy and guidelines to manage caseload and rotas for smooth department operation.
• Maintain Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portfolio.

Research and Development

• Contribute to clinical effectiveness through audits, research and evidence-based practice.
• Contribute to Trust-wide Clinical Interest groups and other relevant forums.

This advert closes on Friday 19 Sep 2025