Senior Occupational Therapist - MHST in Harrogate

We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified, competent, confident, and enthusiastic full-time permanent Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join the Harrogate Wellbeing in Mind Team, based in schools. Occupational Therapy is a governed complex intervention; as a Specialist Occupational Therapist in TEWV working as part of the national Mental Health Support Team (MHST) agenda, you will be responsible for managing this complexity as part of the three strands of MHST delivery that the Wellbeing in Mind Team (WiMT) must undertake, ensuring adherence to the Trust Values at all times.

Main duties of the job:

• Offer consultation, advice, and guidance to staff in each education setting.
• Contribute to the "Whole School Approach" offer via training, assemblies, group work and attendance events which relate to wellbeing within each education setting.
• Receive referrals for occupational therapy, triage and prioritise these, completing evidence-based assessments and interventions to address key occupational areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.
• Use client-centred approaches to co-produce negotiated occupational goals and evaluate these with service users collaboratively.
• Participate in clinical/professional and management supervision.
• Contribute to multi-disciplinary team working.
• Lead on service improvement and quality initiatives.
• Use the Trust electronic patient record system.
• Abide by all Trust policies and procedures.
• Respond flexibly and creatively to challenges.

The Wellbeing in Mind service is a mental health support team that works directly into education. This is in line with the government's priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people within education settings.

Each MHST national has 3 core functions:

• Support the development of a whole-school or college approach to wellbeing, including developing policies, resources, campaigns, training, assemblies and PHSE curriculum.
• Provide timely advice and consultation to education staff to build skills and confidence in supporting student wellbeing.
• Undertake direct assessments and intervention for young people within education, offering a low intensity service model (primarily using cognitive-behavioural therapy).

We are looking for OTs who can work flexibly to meet service needs and have the vision, energy and inspiration to develop creative, imaginative solutions to working with young people and families.

Job responsibilities:

The successful candidate will work with young people in a variety of primary, secondary and further education settings, their families and educational staff. The postholder will consider the wider social prescribing agenda and support the creation of opportunities for young people. The postholder will access wider support from the Occupational Therapy network in CAMHS in TEWV to develop a new way of delivering a high quality, needs-led OT contribution to the service, utilising core Occupational Therapy skills to ensure all of the young people referred have a robust occupational therapy assessment and intervention plan in place. The post-holder will work collaboratively with a wide number of agencies, voluntary services and community groups to develop the ability of young people to engage in occupation and improve or maintain their mental wellbeing. They will also deliver activities related to the whole school approach to wellbeing and offer informal advice and support to educational staff.

The successful candidate will be compassionate, enthusiastic and motivated to improve the lives of young people experiencing a mental health problem while minimising the impact of mental ill health. The role involves delivering occupational therapy with flexible hours across the entire week. The OT role will bring a fresh perspective to the needs of the young people we work with and enhance the existing care offered. A forward-thinking, creative approach will be supported to utilise core OT skills to inform and complement care.

The ability to engage and communicate with children and young people across the developmental spectrum, as well as parents/carers and systems around them, is essential. The post holder must demonstrate experience in delivering occupational therapy, a keenness to continually develop themselves and others, and a particular interest in this field of OT.

You will access wider support from the occupational therapy network in CAMHS in TEWV to develop a high quality, needs-led OT service, utilising core occupational therapy skills to ensure all the people we work with have a robust occupational therapy assessment and intervention plan in place. Clinical/Professional supervision is provided by the Lead Occupational Therapist for CAMHS for the Trust. The postholder will attend OT Learning and Governance Networks to ensure fidelity to core occupational therapy delivery, enhance CPD and contribute to wider OT service developments.

All team members must be committed to providing the best possible care for the people we work with and their families/carers.

Person Specification:

• Appropriate professional qualification for occupational therapy role.
• Current relevant registration with specific regulatory body.
• IELTS level 7 (SLT = 8) for International recruits.
• Postgraduate training in relevant specialist area.
• Minimum 12 months post-qualifying experience of occupational therapy delivery.
• Experience of supporting people with mental health issues, learning disability or autism.
• Experience of working in a Multidisciplinary Team.
• Understanding of the needs of people who use our services with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.
• Clinical risk assessment and application in practice.
• Knowledge of evidence-based practice in designated specialist area.
• Experience of managing complex occupational therapy cases.
• Awareness of professional standards and its application to practice.

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.