Occupational Therapist, Intensive Support Team (Stafford)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The IST is part of the Specialist Learning Disability Services and receives internal referrals from CLDT colleagues. The post requires interface with several teams and services to promote shared formulation. This includes assessment and management of risks which place the individual and others at risk of serious harm; or for whom the nature or degree of risk might otherwise lead to exclusion, placement breakdown, and admission to inpatient services.
On occasion this may involve planned out of hours work, with access to on-call support and supervision, if the needs of an individual require it.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. To support a shared clinical caseload of people with a learning disability and associated complex needs, including behaviours which are challenging. This will include caseload management and decisions on how to prioritise workload.

2. To carry out assessments including gathering complex information from clients, carers and other members of the multi-disciplinary team. This will include the use of specialist standardised and non-standardised assessment tools, verbal and non-verbal communication skills and observation of the client in a variety of environments.

3. To contribute to formulation and the production of an overall care plan using specialised Occupational Therapy treatment intervention programmes. Negotiate and communicate these in the most suitable manner with the client, family, carers and other members of the IST.

4. To implement, evaluate, analyse and adjust intervention treatment programmes according to individual needs, which will be highly complex. This may involve investigation and creativity in order to find suitable options. The frequent use of encouragement, motivation, negotiation, reassurance and training skills as well as discussing progress with clients, families and carers will be essential.

5. To write and disseminate reports according to agreed protocols in line with local and national standards. Reports should be clear, accurate and easy to read containing appropriate language for clients and other professionals.

6. To work flexibly with Occupational Therapists within the community teams ensuring that service users receive continuity of service from the most appropriate and best placed clinician.

7. To contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Plans. You may also be expected to lead on PBS plan development.

8. To contribute to multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings, providing the specialist Occupational Therapy perspective. This will include presentation, verbal reporting and negotiating to achieve agreement on delivery of care., including regular liaison with external professionals and agencies, eg Social workers, Health Care Commissioners, Care Providers.

9. To participate in and provide clinical supervision to maintain best practice. This will involve discussion of caseload, reflective practice and the ability to receive and act on constructive feedback.

10. To participate in the delivery of intensive multi-disciplinary support to service-users including face-to-face involvements to prevent or manage a crisis.

11. To support flexible working practices as required in the provision of the Intensive Support Team both in the community and where required in in-patient/24 hour settings.

12. To take part in and lead on clinical audit/research within own area of responsibility. This may include written and electronic communication across the whole trust and co-operative working with other disciplines. The post will require knowledge of audit methods and research methodology.

13. To contribute to the planned discharge of clients from the service. This will involve analysis of the clinical situation and how the case should best be dealt with in the future. Liaison and communication with other members of the multi-disciplinary team and other agencies will be necessary.

14. To actively maintain and demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge of national guidelines, standards, legislation and professional developments in current methods in the treatment of client’s conditions within the specialism.

15. To integrate the policies, standards and evidence- based practice with the result of client assessment in order toto develop the service in line with the strategic plans for the service...

*Please see the attached Job description & Person specification for further details.*

The post is 30 hours over 4 days.