Job summary
Are you a passionate and experienced Occupational Therapist ready to progress your career to a strategic level? Do you think you have the skills to influence service change and champion the value of occupational therapy profession in "Improving Lives and Saving Public Money"? If so, this may be an ideal role for you.
We are looking for a Lead Occupational Therapist with extensive experience in both clinical and leadership roles, to lead our expanding occupational therapy service within the Older People's Mental Health and Dementia Services here at West London NHS Trust.
In response to the new NHS Long Term Plan, West London NHS Trust has recently reviewed the service provisions to the older people both in the in-patient and community settings. This year, the Cognitive and Dementia Service has now expanded and became the Older People's Mental Health Services that will include 70+ above patients with other mental health problems in addition to the existing dementia service.
With the above changes, this new and exciting Band 8B Occupational Therapy (OT) Lead position was created in addition to the existing B8a.
Main duties of the job
The post is an ideal opportunity for an experienced Occupational Therapist to lead a service strategically and improve provisions to older people with complex physical and mental health needs. They will provide leadership and direction to occupational therapy in the three in-patient wards (Meridian, Jubilee and Limes) and community services which includes 4 dementia community services and three specialist older adult metal health services.
The post holder will be expected to provide an over all leadership and clinical supervision to the occupational therapy staff within the service line to ensure service effectiveness, using evidence-based interventions and promoting innovations and quality improvements.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.
Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.
We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.
We'rerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.
We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.
The regulations mandating vaccination for in-scope roles in the NHS have now been removed. The Trust does however continue to encourage and support staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID19. Vaccination data will be collected by our recruitment team during your on-boarding if you are happy to provide a copy of your COVID pass.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Older Peoples Mental Health Service (OPMHS) is a supportive, caring, integrated service where staff work together closely to support our patients and their families. We have strong links with medical teams, Allied Health Professionals, Carers and the local community. We value diversity and are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability and sexuality. We are immensely proud of our staff and their passion, professionalism and dedication to changing peoples lives. If you share that passion and want to make a difference, then come and join us.
We have a strong close-knit AHP community in the Trust and are drivers of innovation and change using QI methodologies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Older Peoples Mental Health Service (OPMHS) is a supportive, caring, integrated service where staff work together closely to support our patients and their families. We have strong links with medical teams, Allied Health Professionals, Carers and the local community. We value diversity and are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability and sexuality. We are immensely proud of our staff and their passion, professionalism and dedication to changing peoples lives. If you share that passion and want to make a difference, then come and join us.
We have a strong close-knit AHP community in the Trust and are drivers of innovation and change using QI methodologies.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Occupational Therapist (HCPC)
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable
- QI trained (IA/coach/QSIR)
- Master degree (or working towards)
- Recognised Teaching Qualification
- Management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive clinical and therapy leadership experience in older people's services either within the general or mental health care settings, inpatient and community
- Substantial recent experience in practice development / service improvement
- Proven ability to work at a strategic and senior leadership level
- Significant experience of developing and delivering patient safety initiatives, working with a range of clinical and patient audiences
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight and often changing deadlines
- Skills for delivering results using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.
Desirable
- Previous experience as Therapy lead / 8A level
- Previous experience in working within a clinical governance framework
- Experience in QI projects
- Project management experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of national policy relating to mental health services.
- Excellent knowledge about older people's complex physical and mental health needs.
- Government's modernisation agenda, including Clinical Governance.
- Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
- Well-developed knowledge of risk and safety agenda and regulation linked to delivery of quality improvement programmes
Desirable
- Understanding of mental health legislative framework for mental health services
- Knowledge quality improvement methodology
- Working knowledge of competency base systems of appraisal/assessment
Skills
Essential
- High quality written and oral communication skills
- Good leadership skills.
- Specialist Clinical Skills
- Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
- Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
- Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action
- Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
- Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of equality opportunity and diversity taking into account and being aware of how individual actions contribute to and make a difference to the equality agenda
Other Requirements
Essential
- Excellent team player and ability to facilitate partnership working
- Can use constructive criticism and openly seeks to review and reflect on own style and presentation.
- Resilient and self motivated with drive and vision that is able to work on own initiative and manage a range of priorities across competing agendas.
- Source of inspiration
- Empathy towards the needs of people using mental health and related services, and a vision of how services can make step changes for improvement
- Decisive and does not avoid sensitive issues
Desirable
- Record of professional publications
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Occupational Therapist (HCPC)
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable
- QI trained (IA/coach/QSIR)
- Master degree (or working towards)
- Recognised Teaching Qualification
- Management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive clinical and therapy leadership experience in older people's services either within the general or mental health care settings, inpatient and community
- Substantial recent experience in practice development / service improvement
- Proven ability to work at a strategic and senior leadership level
- Significant experience of developing and delivering patient safety initiatives, working with a range of clinical and patient audiences
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight and often changing deadlines
- Skills for delivering results using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.
Desirable
- Previous experience as Therapy lead / 8A level
- Previous experience in working within a clinical governance framework
- Experience in QI projects
- Project management experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of national policy relating to mental health services.
- Excellent knowledge about older people's complex physical and mental health needs.
- Government's modernisation agenda, including Clinical Governance.
- Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
- Well-developed knowledge of risk and safety agenda and regulation linked to delivery of quality improvement programmes
Desirable
- Understanding of mental health legislative framework for mental health services
- Knowledge quality improvement methodology
- Working knowledge of competency base systems of appraisal/assessment
Skills
Essential
- High quality written and oral communication skills
- Good leadership skills.
- Specialist Clinical Skills
- Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
- Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
- Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action
- Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
- Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of equality opportunity and diversity taking into account and being aware of how individual actions contribute to and make a difference to the equality agenda
Other Requirements
Essential
- Excellent team player and ability to facilitate partnership working
- Can use constructive criticism and openly seeks to review and reflect on own style and presentation.
- Resilient and self motivated with drive and vision that is able to work on own initiative and manage a range of priorities across competing agendas.
- Source of inspiration
- Empathy towards the needs of people using mental health and related services, and a vision of how services can make step changes for improvement
- Decisive and does not avoid sensitive issues
Desirable
- Record of professional publications
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
