Job summary
An opportunity has arisen for a Technical Instructor to join our forensic inpatient services. We are currently a service undergoing significant growth and expansion having developed a new leadership structure to ensure a strong culture of staff support and development.
The Shaftesbury clinic is a small forensic inpatient unit that holds 52 beds across 4 wards including a male MSU, a male LSU, a women's MSU and the newly developed ward for those with intellectual disabilities and autism. We have a sizeable OT team of 17 staff, allowing a broad service offering to our patient group. We are fortunate to have an LD and sensory lead working across our wards, to uplift the skills and understanding within the team of sensory assessments and approaches. We are currently exploring how we embed sensory approaches into our OT pathways. We have activity workers aligned to each ward who run ward based activity programmes as well as cross ward activities. Our patient's mental health is supported though our small team of clinical exercise therapists contributing to our physical health and exercise offering.
Main duties of the job
We have two technical instructors within the team who support patients in developing skills that support their rehabilitation, and transition back into the community. This postholder will have opportunity to engage in both individual and group work with patients from across the service. Due to patients having an average of two years stay there is opportunity to develop longer term therapeutic relationships and to work alongside the OT team to support patient in developing their interests and exploring what will make their daily lives more meaningful.
Our service currently offers a vocational project, a recovery college, a recovery through activity group, a gardening project, music sessions, healthy eating and physical exercise initiatives, alongside individual work. We are however expanding our programme in line with best available evidence, with particular focus on developing pathways into the community and increased coproduction. We are developing links with our OT team in the forensic outreach service and FIND (intellectual disabilities) community team looking at opportunities for partnership working.
This post holds significant opportunity for development and innovation, while being held in the structure of a large and supportive team. The team places high value on continued professional development with regular CPD and training opportunities.
About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work effectively as a member of a team in providing a programme of ward, department and community-based creative, vocational, educational and re-motivational activities.
To monitor service users progress, taking into account their environment, with the ability to adjust their own clinical interventions accordingly.
To implement and evaluate OT and team interventions that support service users to achieve their agreed goals.
According to service needs, to be responsible for a designated case load, under OT supervision.
To work with service-users both on a 1:1 basis, and as a co-facilitator to deliver groupwork, planned with a registered OT.
To maintain a flexible working approach, and to undertake appropriate delegated tasks as required to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service.
To form professional relationships with service-users and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
To instruct and guide individuals/groups of service users in the use of therapeutic activities.
To report effectively to the team on service-user performance/progress in areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.
To provide relevant information, written and oral, for documents relating to service user progress.
To establish working relationships with outside agencies in order to facilitate service user engagement in community-based vocational, educational and creative activities.
To correspond with external agencies on clinical matters.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work effectively as a member of a team in providing a programme of ward, department and community-based creative, vocational, educational and re-motivational activities.
To monitor service users progress, taking into account their environment, with the ability to adjust their own clinical interventions accordingly.
To implement and evaluate OT and team interventions that support service users to achieve their agreed goals.
According to service needs, to be responsible for a designated case load, under OT supervision.
To work with service-users both on a 1:1 basis, and as a co-facilitator to deliver groupwork, planned with a registered OT.
To maintain a flexible working approach, and to undertake appropriate delegated tasks as required to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service.
To form professional relationships with service-users and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
To instruct and guide individuals/groups of service users in the use of therapeutic activities.
To report effectively to the team on service-user performance/progress in areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.
To provide relevant information, written and oral, for documents relating to service user progress.
To establish working relationships with outside agencies in order to facilitate service user engagement in community-based vocational, educational and creative activities.
To correspond with external agencies on clinical matters.
Person Specification
Training & Qualification
Essential
- Qualification pertaining to health and social care, i.e. City & Guilds or Health & Social Care NVQ Level 2 or equivalent skills acquired through in-service development or experience
- Willingness to undertake the following within 12 months of appointment oGroup work skills oFood hygiene oPreparing to Teach in the Life Long learning Sector (PTTLS)
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Desirable
- Health and social care related qualification above basic level e.g. City & Guilds final certificate, NVQ 3 or 4, Diploma or Degree
- PTTLS or equivalent teacher training qualification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working in health/social care/teaching setting
- Experience of report/letter writing and form filling
- Experience of training others in technical/ leisure skills
- Experience of working both independently and in a team, as well as providing group and 1:1 interventions
Desirable
- Experience of training/teaching others
- Experience of facilitating therapeutic groups in a health and social care setting
- Experience of teaching IT skills to others
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Ability to work single handed in ward and community settings
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems
- Group work skills
- Ability to assimilate new information and learn new skills
- Ability to teach practical skills to patients
- Excellent IT skills (able to use all Microsoft Office tools competently for example)
Desirable
- Supervisory skills
- Knowledge of applying Health and Safety and risk awareness procedures and policies
Person Specification
Training & Qualification
Essential
- Qualification pertaining to health and social care, i.e. City & Guilds or Health & Social Care NVQ Level 2 or equivalent skills acquired through in-service development or experience
- Willingness to undertake the following within 12 months of appointment oGroup work skills oFood hygiene oPreparing to Teach in the Life Long learning Sector (PTTLS)
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Desirable
- Health and social care related qualification above basic level e.g. City & Guilds final certificate, NVQ 3 or 4, Diploma or Degree
- PTTLS or equivalent teacher training qualification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working in health/social care/teaching setting
- Experience of report/letter writing and form filling
- Experience of training others in technical/ leisure skills
- Experience of working both independently and in a team, as well as providing group and 1:1 interventions
Desirable
- Experience of training/teaching others
- Experience of facilitating therapeutic groups in a health and social care setting
- Experience of teaching IT skills to others
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Ability to work single handed in ward and community settings
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems
- Group work skills
- Ability to assimilate new information and learn new skills
- Ability to teach practical skills to patients
- Excellent IT skills (able to use all Microsoft Office tools competently for example)
Desirable
- Supervisory skills
- Knowledge of applying Health and Safety and risk awareness procedures and policies
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).
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).
