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Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Occupational Therapy Assistant

The closing date is 02 July 2025

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Job summary

As an occupational therapy assistant in TEWV you will provide support to service users (inpatient adult mental health) to engage in a therapeutic programme of care, as delegated by an occupational therapist, demonstrating adherence to the Trust Values at all times and operating as a member of the team, service and organisation.

The D&D Occupational Therapy Hub service is well-established and aims to support personalised recovery plans and work with individuals to help re-establish purposeful and meaningful lives. The successful applicant will work under the direction of qualified Occupational Therapists with a strong focus on delivering high quality evidence based services that directly support recovery, occupational formulation and occupational engagement delivered as 1:1 or group interventions either on site or in the community.

Main duties of the job

  • To be responsible for working with delegated service users and contributing to assessments and interventions to address key occupational areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.
  • To engage service users and their carers in therapeutic programmes of care, supporting them in achieving their identified goals and promoting independence and well-being through a client-centred approach
  • To participate in clinical supervision
  • To contribute to multi-disciplinary team working
  • To contribute to safety and quality improvement activities as part of occupational therapy team.
  • To use the Trust electronic patient record system
  • To abide by all Trust policies and procedures
  • To be able to respond flexibly and creatively to challenges

About us

We are looking for an occupational therapy assistant who can work flexibly to meet service need and has the vision, energy and inspiration to support in the delivery of creative, imaginative solutions to delivering occupational therapy with adults experiencing mental health crisis and their families/carers.

You will access wider support from the occupational therapy network in Durham & Darlington in supporting the delivery of a high quality, needs-led OT service, utilizing your technical and creative skills to engage service users in therapeutic activities and supporting service users/carers to achieve their identified goals.

Details

Date posted

12 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£22,816 to £24,336 a year pro rata, per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

346-DDA-152-24-E

Job locations

Lanchester Road Hospital

Lanchester Road

Durham

DL1 5RD


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the person specification within the attached job description to ensure you meet the essential criteria for the post prior to applying. Applicants must meet the shortlisting criteria to be considered for this post.

The post holder will support occupational therapists in the provision of evidence-based occupational therapy assessment and interventions as part of the OT Pathway and offer input to individuals, their families and carers.

All team members must be committed to providing the best possible care for the people we work with and their families/carers.

The ability to engage and communicate with service users well as the parents/family/carers and system around them is essential.

Clinical/Professional supervision is provided by the supervising Occupational Therapist as identified by the relevant Lead OT. The postholder will attend OT Learning and Governance Networks to ensure fidelity to core occupational therapy delivery, enhance CPD and contribute to the wider OT service developments.

You must be able to demonstrate experience of working alongside occupational therapists or experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities. And a keenness to continually develop yourself and others. We will support use of transferrable skills from a range of clinical settings.

There are varied opportunities for training and development, with CPD needs being identified and monitored through appraisal.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the person specification within the attached job description to ensure you meet the essential criteria for the post prior to applying. Applicants must meet the shortlisting criteria to be considered for this post.

The post holder will support occupational therapists in the provision of evidence-based occupational therapy assessment and interventions as part of the OT Pathway and offer input to individuals, their families and carers.

All team members must be committed to providing the best possible care for the people we work with and their families/carers.

The ability to engage and communicate with service users well as the parents/family/carers and system around them is essential.

Clinical/Professional supervision is provided by the supervising Occupational Therapist as identified by the relevant Lead OT. The postholder will attend OT Learning and Governance Networks to ensure fidelity to core occupational therapy delivery, enhance CPD and contribute to the wider OT service developments.

You must be able to demonstrate experience of working alongside occupational therapists or experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities. And a keenness to continually develop yourself and others. We will support use of transferrable skills from a range of clinical settings.

There are varied opportunities for training and development, with CPD needs being identified and monitored through appraisal.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Relevant NVQ Level 3 in Care or
  • Appropriate AVCE in Health & Social Care or
  • Willingness to undertake within agreed timescale.
  • Numeracy, Literacy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities

Desirable

  • Experience working alongside occupational therapists

Knowledge

Essential

  • Awareness of needs of service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.
  • Awareness of the needs of individuals from diverse social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
  • Understanding of therapeutic terminology (within agreed timescale)
  • Understanding of a variety of therapeutic approaches (within agreed timescale)
  • Awareness of health & safety issues (within agreed timescale)
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Relevant NVQ Level 3 in Care or
  • Appropriate AVCE in Health & Social Care or
  • Willingness to undertake within agreed timescale.
  • Numeracy, Literacy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of paid or voluntary work with people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities

Desirable

  • Experience working alongside occupational therapists

Knowledge

Essential

  • Awareness of needs of service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.
  • Awareness of the needs of individuals from diverse social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
  • Understanding of therapeutic terminology (within agreed timescale)
  • Understanding of a variety of therapeutic approaches (within agreed timescale)
  • Awareness of health & safety issues (within agreed timescale)

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).

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.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lanchester Road Hospital

Lanchester Road

Durham

DL1 5RD


Employer's website

https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lanchester Road Hospital

Lanchester Road

Durham

DL1 5RD


Employer's website

https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Occupational Therapist

Paul Meylan

paul.meylan@nhs.net

01325552000

Details

Date posted

12 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£22,816 to £24,336 a year pro rata, per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

346-DDA-152-24-E

Job locations

Lanchester Road Hospital

Lanchester Road

Durham

DL1 5RD


Supporting documents

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