Job summary
This role is ideal for an experienced Band 6 OT with advanced clinical and leadership skills or a Band 7 OT with a passion to learn new ways of developing and expanding existing services. You will be working within a well-established MDT, managing the planning and delivery of the core Occupational Therapy Service within HMP Wormwood Scrubs to achieve the best service outcomes for residents . You will have supervision, staff management, training and development responsibility and will be supported by the Therapies Lead. This is a challenging and exciting time to join the Service as we develop new models of care focusing on enhancing the experience of residents' early days in custody.
Main duties of the job
Alongside senior and junior therapy colleagues as well as the wider MDT, your role will support the delivery of a therapy program to the residents of HMP Wormwood scrubs.
This will include specialist OT assessments and interventions, both in a group and 1:1 setting, as well as consultation to prison and healthcare colleagues. The post will also include providing consultation and input (including assessment and intervention) to the team's Neurodiversity pathway, working with men presenting with a learning disability, ASD, ADHD and/or acquired brain injury.
The post holder will work as an autonomous Occupational Therapist, responsible for the management, planning, implementation and direction of the OT Team which consists of Band 6, Band 5 and Band 3 staff .
We have a strong commitment to offering high quality supervision and CPD opportunities. Prison service Occupational Therapists have recently benefited from Sensory Integration and AMPS training, alongside Trauma Informed Care training which supports our current focus on improving trauma informed practice within our services.
About us
Our vision
Our vision is embedded within our clinical strategy. We want to help people live, love, do.
- Live - A safe and secure place to call home
- Love - Re-building relationships which may have broken down during a period of illness
- Do - Help people to find a meaningful activity - that may be getting back into employment or further education
Our values
The Trust's values are:
- Compassion
- Respect
- Being Positive
- Working together
Our values and quality improvement are at the heart of everything we do.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Person Specification
Skills and Aptitudes
Essential
- The ability to autonomously manage workload and determine priorities, delegating as appropriate.
- The ability to process, manage and communicate complex information. To do this in a sensitive and clear manner in order to ensure optimum understanding and co-operation.
- Leadership and supervision skills
Desirable
- Evidence of ability to meet performance deadlines and support to ensure other meet deadlines.
- Audit and Service Improvement skills.
Knowledge / Awareness / Understanding
Essential
- Understanding of O.T. outcome measures.
- Up to date knowledge of developments effecting OT practice.
- Awareness of the role of OT in prisons
Desirable
- Up to date knowledge of developments effecting OT practice.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a forensic or secure setting
- Minimum 4 years relevant clinical postgraduate experience in Occupational Therapy, including a minimum of 2 years experience as a senior practitioner working with people with mental health problems in particular psychosis, depression, challenging behaviours, personality disorders, and dual diagnosis.
- Dip. COT or BSc O.T. Current State Registered O.T. Evidence of CPD/Reflective practice in application to clinical setting.
- Experience of working autonomously, being responsible for own practice and managing a varied workload.
- Experienced lead planner and facilitator in a range of treatment sessions on a group or individual basis including: Practical based, discussion, support and psycho-educational groups. Including experience of working with clinical staff of a variety of grades to support their development of treatment skills
- Experience in the use of the Model of Human Occupation, MOHOST and other standardised assessments.
- Experience of planning, monitoring and evaluating therapy programmes to ensure the most effective use of clinical priorities.
- Experience of assessing and managing risk issues within OT and Mental Health and contributing to multidisciplinary teams risk assessments, care plans and the discharge process.
- Experience of supervision and appraisal of junior staff.
Desirable
- Experience of working in prisons
- Postgraduate training to achieve clinical expertise and specialism at Masters level or equivalent E.g. MSc in Occupational therapy MSc in Mental Health or a health related area Advanced
- Experience of implementing service improvements.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- as a proactive team member and contribute to overall service development in addition to designated team responsibilities.
- Ability to be flexible and adaptable to manage fluctuating work demands.
- Able to sustain demands of fulfilling role working with a challenging client group in a pressured environment.
Person Specification
Skills and Aptitudes
Essential
- The ability to autonomously manage workload and determine priorities, delegating as appropriate.
- The ability to process, manage and communicate complex information. To do this in a sensitive and clear manner in order to ensure optimum understanding and co-operation.
- Leadership and supervision skills
Desirable
- Evidence of ability to meet performance deadlines and support to ensure other meet deadlines.
- Audit and Service Improvement skills.
Knowledge / Awareness / Understanding
Essential
- Understanding of O.T. outcome measures.
- Up to date knowledge of developments effecting OT practice.
- Awareness of the role of OT in prisons
Desirable
- Up to date knowledge of developments effecting OT practice.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a forensic or secure setting
- Minimum 4 years relevant clinical postgraduate experience in Occupational Therapy, including a minimum of 2 years experience as a senior practitioner working with people with mental health problems in particular psychosis, depression, challenging behaviours, personality disorders, and dual diagnosis.
- Dip. COT or BSc O.T. Current State Registered O.T. Evidence of CPD/Reflective practice in application to clinical setting.
- Experience of working autonomously, being responsible for own practice and managing a varied workload.
- Experienced lead planner and facilitator in a range of treatment sessions on a group or individual basis including: Practical based, discussion, support and psycho-educational groups. Including experience of working with clinical staff of a variety of grades to support their development of treatment skills
- Experience in the use of the Model of Human Occupation, MOHOST and other standardised assessments.
- Experience of planning, monitoring and evaluating therapy programmes to ensure the most effective use of clinical priorities.
- Experience of assessing and managing risk issues within OT and Mental Health and contributing to multidisciplinary teams risk assessments, care plans and the discharge process.
- Experience of supervision and appraisal of junior staff.
Desirable
- Experience of working in prisons
- Postgraduate training to achieve clinical expertise and specialism at Masters level or equivalent E.g. MSc in Occupational therapy MSc in Mental Health or a health related area Advanced
- Experience of implementing service improvements.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- as a proactive team member and contribute to overall service development in addition to designated team responsibilities.
- Ability to be flexible and adaptable to manage fluctuating work demands.
- Able to sustain demands of fulfilling role working with a challenging client group in a pressured environment.
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
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).
