Senior Occupational Therapist Reablement Service

Cumbria; Carlisle; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority council in England is hiring an Occupational Therapist to lead on therapeutic assessments and manage a caseload within a reablement service. You will guide other practitioners, ensure compliance with governance principles, and actively contribute to service improvement. Requirements include an accredited Occupational Therapy degree and registration with a professional body. The position offers a permanent full-time contract with a competitive salary range of £42,839 to £44,075.

Qualifications

• Must have current UK professional registration.
• Willing to complete Best Interest Assessor training.
• Must have evidence of ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Undertake strength-based Occupational Therapy assessments.
• Direct the work of other practitioners and provide guidance.
• Manage a caseload and ensure timely delivery of activities.

Skills

Occupational Therapy

Leadership

Communication

Change Management

Education

Accredited Occupational Therapy Degree

Job description

Job Summary

• National best practice is that reablement services should be therapy led. This is the opportunity to work in the reablement service and to assist reablement managers to improve the therapeutic offer. It will involve contributing to the planning of improvements, overseeing identified agreed actions for improvement and contributing to evidencing the outcomes.
• It will be essential to be able to demonstrate leadership skills within a change management setting to facilitate improvements. It provides an exciting opportunity to lead on developments with the teams and work with managers to promote embed improvements.
• There will be a focus on therapy led programmes that are graded in a way that promotes independence and enables individuals to maximise their strengths, improving their quality of life and promoting the prevention agenda.
• The post holder will actively promote the work of the service and be a good communicator to work effectively with relevant stakeholders both internal and external to the council.
• There will be initial enhanced support offer for this role.

Main duties of the job

To undertake strength based Occupational Therapy assessments, including environmental and functional assessments, capacity assessments and Best Interest Assessments/Decisions with individuals and their carers, ensuring the development and delivery of personalised support to meet the Councils statutory obligation for the protection and support of adults who have care and support needs.

Practice within the relevant national legislation, professional standards of practice and organisation policies and procedures and ensure compliance with care/clinical governance principles. Carrying out duties according to instruction, legal and procedural frameworks and individual and organisational performance frameworks.

To ensure colleagues are supported by directing the work of other practitioners, giving day‑to‑day case guidance and advice to practitioner and manager and directing practitioners by providing instruction, coaching and on‑the‑job training. Assist in allocating work to others and check the quality of work of colleagues in their team to maintain effective teamwork.

To assess, develop and review individual support/action/risk plans, recommend the appropriate service, monitor outcomes supported by evidence based practice, ensuring personalised outcomes and appropriate interventions are provided within a legal framework on behalf on Cumbria County Council.

To prioritise and manage a caseload to ensure activities are delivered to an agreed timescale.

About the organisation

Cumberland Council is a unitary council responsible for all local authority services for the area of Cumberland, which covers an area of 3,012 square kilometres and has a population of 276,876. The Council was established in 2023 to replace Allerdale Borough Council, Carlisle City Council, Copeland Borough Council and Cumbria County Council.

Key details

Pay scheme: £42,839 to £44,075 a year. Contract: Permanent. Working pattern: Full‑time. Reference number: F0131-26-0001. Locations: Parkhouse Building, Kingmoor Park, Carlisle, CA6 4SJ; Unit 1 Lillyhall Business Centre, Jubilee Road, Workington, CA14 4HA.

Job responsibilities

To exercise individual professional autonomy in order to make recommendations regarding appropriate interventions and evidence this clearly in all recording and correspondence, with reference to relevant practice guidelines. Record, monitor and review case information to ensure complete and accurate case recording is maintained. Contribute to developing professional practice and delivery of service by working with others including internal and external stakeholders, contributing to service planning, making recommendations for improvements, cooperating with change, to ensure standards are maintained and improved and lessons learned. Work with relevant professionals, internal and external partners, within a given area to ensure that assessment and appropriate care and support interventions fit with other existing provisions to maximise benefits and achieve efficiencies from available resources and meet the needs of people. Ensure the effective implementation of the Safeguarding Adult Policies and Procedure and support the Local Authorities statutory Duty under the Care Act. This will involve knowledge of the 6 core principles of Safeguarding Adults and the implementation of Making Safeguarding Personal to promote the wellbeing of people by following established procedures to ensure the personal protection and safety of adults at risk. Demonstrate effective communication skills including an ability to discuss and explain sensitive information with people and carers, and produce clear accurate and factual written reports and records in a timely manner using defined policies, procedures and working practices. Act as a point of contact for communities, people, parents/carers/guardians and their families, to trust and support individuals and groups in making person‑centred choices and in navigating their way through the care and support system. Seek opportunities for personal development through identified CPD activities and maintain professional standards which are required to meet registration with the appropriate body. Use opportunities in developing professional practice by collaboratively working with a wide range of stakeholders including senior colleagues.

Person Specification – Essential

• Accredited Occupational Therapy Degree or equivalent Professional Occupational Therapy qualification.
• Registration with appropriate professional body.
• To have successfully completed/be willing to complete Best Interest.
• Assessor training, in order to take on the statutory role of Best Interest Assessor (BIA).
• Evidence of ongoing professional development/CPD within the last 2 years.
• Evidence of successful completion of ASYE where the local authority has this in operation or, where there has been no ASYE programme, the ability to demonstrate significant experience in equivalent Post Qualification level.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.