Occupational Therapist in Plymouth

This is a permanent role within the DTA Pathway. Livewell Southwest is one of the largest independent social enterprises in England, delivering health and social care to people in Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, as well as some specialist services to parts of Cornwall and Devon. Livewell Southwest champions a positive work-life balance and offers multiple flexible working options.

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist with a can-do attitude to join our award-winning patient-centred team. DTA is committed to client-centred care and has a culture of shared learning, integrated working, and promotes positive risk-taking. Occupational Therapy is a valued discipline within the MDT, and you will gain great satisfaction in using your therapeutic skills, in collaboration with trusted health and social care colleagues, to work with patients during their reablement journey.

All Livewell Therapy staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7-day service. Staff are supported with regular training programmes to meet team competencies, as well as encouragement to attend relevant professional courses and engage in service development.

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.

• Work with the wider MDT to provide specialist Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions.
• Provide a specialist, high-quality therapy service within the Discharge to Assess Team.
• Provide specialist Occupational Therapy assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and education to individuals who may have a range of conditions and presentations.
• Provide advice, signposting, guidance, and information to health and social care professionals, patients, carers, relatives, or other non-professional contacts.
• Be an integral member of the MDT providing education, training, and dissemination of information to all healthcare professionals.
• Be an autonomous practitioner, holding a caseload and working without direct supervision.
• Continue own professional development in line with HCPC regulations.

Experience:

• Working as a member of an MDT with the ability to work flexibly.
• Extensive clinical experience in health and/or social care.
• Documented evidence of CPD.
• Advanced post-registration experience in a health and social care setting.
• Multi-pathology assessment.
• Home and community assessments.
• Management, leadership, and supervisory skills.
• Experience of working with staff from other agencies.
• Experience of supervision of junior staff and/or assistants.
• Orthotics and splinting including fabrication of thermoplastic splints.
• Risk assessment in a variety of settings.
• Assessment for standard prescription wheelchairs, static seating, and assessment of posture and positioning.
• Working in and facilitation of groups.

Qualifications:

• Diploma/degree in Occupational Therapy.
• HCPC Registration.
• Evidence of ongoing education and professional development.
• Recognised qualification in written and spoken English if this is not first language.
• Clinical Educator.
• Evidence of postgraduate training/ongoing professional development through formal/informal short courses.
• Wheelchair Accreditation.
• Recognised first-line management/leadership qualification.
• Membership of relevant special interest groups.
• ECDL or equivalent.
• Current valid UK driving licence.
• Basic Food Hygiene training.

Specific skills:

• Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities.
• Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
• Supervisory and appraisal skills.
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
• Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information.
• Skills in clinical assessment, intervention, and evaluation.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to be creative and transpose established treatment methods into a home rehab setting.
• Ability to work in teams.
• Knowledge and use of complex manual handling techniques and strategies including manual handling plans and risk assessments.
• Knowledge of major adaptations and management through the DFG process.
• Leading in-service training and education workshops.

Knowledge:

• Application of OT process within a variety of clinical settings.
• Knowledge of OT models of practice.
• Understanding of OT outcome measures.
• Working knowledge of health and social care legislation and its use in current practice.
• Working knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and its application to practice.
• Presentation and training skills.
• Application of health and safety and risk management policies including dynamic risk assessment.
• Detailed knowledge of a range of standardised and non-standardised assessment.
• Detailed knowledge of varied intervention media.
• Knowledge of clinical conditions relevant to area of practice.
• Applying research to practice.
• Knowledge of NSFs, Professional and Government agenda.
• Knowledge of Environmental Control Systems.

Additional requirements:

• Willingness to work flexibly and to work across a range of community and inpatient settings.
• The post holder will need to travel and attend to service users based across Plymouth and other geographical areas.
• Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act will be taken into account for the successful applicant.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.