Substance Misuse Outreach Occupational Therapist

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 06 May 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a well-established drug and alcohol team operating in the community across the London Borough of Hillingdon.

We are seeking an Occupational therapist to support a multidisciplinary team to help engage with the homeless population who struggle with substance use within the borough of Hillingdon. The team uses holistic assertive outreach techniques to support service users to access community-based drug and alcohol treatment and to secure long-term accommodation.

Main duties of the job

To undertake specialised assessment and provide interventions to adults in the community who present with complex and diverse problems developing negotiated goals and addressing impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
To advise, instruct and teach patients, relatives, carers, and other professionals to promote understanding of the aims of therapy interventions and to empower patients and carers to self-manage the condition and optimise potential.
To manage a delegated caseload and work as an autonomous practitioner in the assessment and treatment of patients within their place of residence and or ward, evaluating clinical practice and managing clinical time effectively by caseload prioritisation to meet service and patient needs and balancing other professional demands.
To communicate information of a complex and sensitive nature and deal with highly stressful, emotional or hostile situations with empathy and professionalism.
To organise group activities for service users that would empower service users to build on their independence skills by enabling them to access local services
To use a trauma-informed approach in helping service users to overcome the stigma attached to mental and substance use by increasing their confidence in accessing meaningful activities, such as work or education.

About us

Come and join us and be one of the friendly and supportive 1500 Therapists / AHP's in CNWL. We work in many different teams in both physical and mental health, as well as a number of specialist areas. You could have a career for life with us and maintain your dual skills.

CNWL is very fortunate in having a long-established professional structure and this includes a Head of Therapies, an AHP associate director, Trust wide Professional Leads for all professional groups and borough and specialist professional leadership. This has the huge benefit of ensuring representation of our profession and therapies as a whole at all levels - both strategically and operationally.

Personal and professional development is a high priority for the profession this enables us to invest in the development of our staff by providing excellent internal training as well as commissioning specialised external training and providing quality supervision. This ensures all our therapists / AHP's reach their full potential at every stage of their career. Our commitment to research, audit and evidence-based practice is made possible by our strong links with local universities and our CNWL AHP Research Network.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are a priority for us in CNWL we expect staff to be culturally competent, reflective and open to culturally diverse CPD opportunities.

Date posted

15 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£42,939 to £50,697 a year per annum pro rata inc. Outer HCAS

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

333-D-AD-0513-B

Job locations

ARCH

64 High Street

Hillingdon

UB8 1JP

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY:

**Please see full job description for further information**

To provide the multidisciplinary team (MDT) with an occupational therapy service and expertise.

To manage a caseload of service users/patients to assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment.

To liaise and work collaboratively with carers/families, and statutory and 3rd sector partners when required.

To provide leadership for junior/unqualified staff through supervision and appraisal as required.

To act as fieldwork educator to students on practice placement.

To contribute to service development of local & Trust wide OT services.

Clinical

1.1 To provide occupational therapy assessments for service users/patients in order to establish and meet their occupational needs.

1.2 To apply specialist clinical knowledge and skills to carry out evidence based occupational therapy interventions, both individual and in groups to support rehabilitation and recovery.

1.3 To assess the impact of mental and/or physical conditions on an individuals functional ability with regards to the provision of equipment/aids and adaptations.

1.4 To work in partnership with carers/families when required.

1.5 To be aware of the safeguarding needs of children and adults in their work and refer if required.

1.6 To provide OT consultation to other professionals within the team.

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY:

**Please see full job description for further information**

To provide the multidisciplinary team (MDT) with an occupational therapy service and expertise.

To manage a caseload of service users/patients to assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment.

To liaise and work collaboratively with carers/families, and statutory and 3rd sector partners when required.

To provide leadership for junior/unqualified staff through supervision and appraisal as required.

To act as fieldwork educator to students on practice placement.

To contribute to service development of local & Trust wide OT services.

Clinical

1.1 To provide occupational therapy assessments for service users/patients in order to establish and meet their occupational needs.

1.2 To apply specialist clinical knowledge and skills to carry out evidence based occupational therapy interventions, both individual and in groups to support rehabilitation and recovery.

1.3 To assess the impact of mental and/or physical conditions on an individuals functional ability with regards to the provision of equipment/aids and adaptations.

1.4 To work in partnership with carers/families when required.

1.5 To be aware of the safeguarding needs of children and adults in their work and refer if required.

1.6 To provide OT consultation to other professionals within the team.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

oDegree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
oRegistered with HCPC.
oEvidence of Continuing Professional Development.

Desirable

oFieldwork education/student supervision course.

Experience

Essential

oPostgraduate occupational therapy experience.
oExperience in group facilitation.
oExperience of ADL assessments and provision of equipment.
oExperience of working in a multi cultural environment.
oExperience of MDT working.
oExperience in interfacing with primary care and 3rd sector organisations.

Desirable

oPrevious experience in relevant clinical area.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Can demonstrate an application of OT process
Is able to undertake caseload management.
Clear understanding of the assessment process and use of OT assessment tools.
Demonstrates an understanding of the physical health agenda in mental health (if relevant)
Demonstrates reflective practice.
Demonstrates service user/patient centred practice.
Ability to prioritise workload/use own initiative.
Ability to treat service users/patients with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach, which considers the needs of the whole person.
Ability to build constructive working relationships (colleagues, service users/patients, families and carers).
Demonstrates effective communication skills both written and verbal.

Desirable

Teaching skills

Specialist Knowledge

Essential

Has knowledge of OT theory related to practice.
Can demonstrate clear clinical reasoning skills.
Knowledge of specialist conditions
Awareness of local and national issues and relevant legislation.
Has a clear concept of clinical models of practice and up to date knowledge of developments relevant to the service.
Demonstrates a clear understanding of Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

Desirable

Supervision of students
Experience of supervising/supporting junior staff/students.
Evidence of additional relevant training.

Research & Development

Essential

Experience of use of standardised assessments and outcome measures
Experience of Integration of models of practice

Desirable

Research experience.
Audit experience

Professional Conduct

Essential

Can work autonomously.
Is able to take responsibility.
Has good team skills.
Has excellent time management and organisational skills.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

oDegree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
oRegistered with HCPC.
oEvidence of Continuing Professional Development.

Desirable

oFieldwork education/student supervision course.

Experience

Essential

oPostgraduate occupational therapy experience.
oExperience in group facilitation.
oExperience of ADL assessments and provision of equipment.
oExperience of working in a multi cultural environment.
oExperience of MDT working.
oExperience in interfacing with primary care and 3rd sector organisations.

Desirable

oPrevious experience in relevant clinical area.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Can demonstrate an application of OT process
Is able to undertake caseload management.
Clear understanding of the assessment process and use of OT assessment tools.
Demonstrates an understanding of the physical health agenda in mental health (if relevant)
Demonstrates reflective practice.
Demonstrates service user/patient centred practice.
Ability to prioritise workload/use own initiative.
Ability to treat service users/patients with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach, which considers the needs of the whole person.
Ability to build constructive working relationships (colleagues, service users/patients, families and carers).
Demonstrates effective communication skills both written and verbal.

Desirable

Teaching skills

Specialist Knowledge

Essential

Has knowledge of OT theory related to practice.
Can demonstrate clear clinical reasoning skills.
Knowledge of specialist conditions
Awareness of local and national issues and relevant legislation.
Has a clear concept of clinical models of practice and up to date knowledge of developments relevant to the service.
Demonstrates a clear understanding of Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

Desirable

Supervision of students
Experience of supervising/supporting junior staff/students.
Evidence of additional relevant training.

Research & Development

Essential

Experience of use of standardised assessments and outcome measures
Experience of Integration of models of practice

Desirable

Research experience.
Audit experience

Professional Conduct

Essential

Can work autonomously.
Is able to take responsibility.
Has good team skills.
Has excellent time management and organisational skills.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).