Assistant Therapy Practitioner in Stevenage

Please be aware that this role is NOT eligible for Sponsorship. Would you like to join an innovative, dynamic and ambitious team committed to delivering the best possible care for our service-users? The Enhanced Rehabilitation Outreach Service (EROS) is looking for a compassionate and enthusiastic Assistant Therapy Practitioner to join the team as it expands across East and North Hertfordshire. EROS provides rehabilitation interventions and support to individuals with complex and enduring long-term severe mental illness in the community. The service provides a dedicated, integrated multi-disciplinary team of professionals, who aim to improve quality of life, promote hope, recovery, and individual resilience, and reduce reliance on crisis and inpatient services.

Benefits:

• 27 days annual leave on entry to NHS
• One of the best pension schemes in the UK
• Flexible working options
• Car leasing scheme
• Childcare discounts
• Wellbeing events and activities
• A 24-hour staff support helpline

Main duties of the job:

As a new Assistant Therapy Practitioner in the team, you will be welcomed into a safe and supportive staff team who empower and encourage one another in being the best version of ourselves for the benefit of those we care for. You will support rehabilitation goals and work in collaboration with service users and other services to deliver a variety of interventions.

• Provide Occupational Therapy interventions to service users as part of their care plan, under the supervision of a registered Occupational Therapist.
• Use technical and creative skills to assist in the provision of a flexible, service-user centred programme of therapeutic activities for individuals or groups of service users who experience mental health difficulties.
• Carry a keyworker caseload and support coordination of care during the episode of EROS rehabilitation.
• Communicate with the Care Co-ordinator, GP, and any other involved professionals during the EROS episode.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Enhanced Rehabilitation Outreach service to provide high-quality care and support to service users and carers.

For more detailed information on the position, please access the Job Description and Person Specification documents provided.

Person specification:

Qualifications/Education/Training

Essential criteria:

• Technical / teaching qualification e.g., City & Guilds or Health & Social Care NVQ level 3 and experience / training as a Mental Health Worker.
• Knowledge of Occupational Therapy techniques and/or activities relevant to client group, acquired through training, experience within an OT/mental health setting to NVQ3 equivalent level.
• Willingness to undertake the following within 12 months of appointment: Computing skills, Group skills, Food handling.
• Experience of working with people with mental health problems.

Desirable criteria:

• Health and Safety Training.
• Food Handling & Hygiene.
• Functional assessment training.

Previous Experience

Essential criteria:

• Significant period working in paid or voluntary employment or community work relevant to post.
• Use of creative media / skill development within groups.
• Understanding of professional conduct.

Desirable criteria:

• Health, social care and / or teaching experience.
• Experience as a carer.

Communication Skills

Essential criteria:

• Good communication skills, both written and verbal, and good numeracy and literacy skills.
• Observation skills.
• Positive interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to teach practical skills.
• Ability to work single handed with individuals / groups within a supportive environment.
• Ability to adapt communication style to meet the needs of individuals and different situations.
• In discussion with OT, create and contribute to written reports using appropriate evaluation tools, assessment, and recovery language as appropriate.
• Presentation / teaching skills.

Analytical Skills

Essential criteria:

• Ability to work single handed with individuals and groups.
• Group work skills.
• Ability to analyse data to contribute to service development and audit.
• Knowledge of the principles of practice governance.
• Health/safety and risk awareness.