Overview
River House, SLaM NHS Foundation Trust – Inpatient Mental Health
Join our inpatient mental health team as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. Based in a supportive, recovery-focused environment, you’ll help service users re-engage with meaningful activities and develop skills for life beyond hospital. River House offers in-house training, development opportunities, and exposure to a broad range of service user needs within a collaborative team.
What You’ll Do
* Contribute to the development of and provide occupationally focused interventions under the supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist.
* Work closely with service users, families, and carers to ensure a person-centred, recovery-focused approach tailored to individual needs.
* Be an integrated member of a supportive multidisciplinary team, contributing to holistic care planning.
* Take delegated responsibility for operating work areas during clinical interventions and ensure health and safety standards are met daily.
* Assume greater responsibilities and autonomy in 1:1 and group interventions on the wards and in managing a Recovery Hub caseload.
About NHS Professionals
NHS Professionals is the UK's largest flexible staff bank, owned by the Department of Health and Social Care. We offer flexible shifts or fixed-term placements, with a community-focused environment and opportunities to develop your career within the NHS.
Details
* Job locations: SLaM NHS Foundation Trust, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3BX
* Band: 4
* Salary: £15.60 per hour
* Contract: Bank
* Duration: 3 months
* Working pattern: Full-time
* Reference: M0042-84710
Job Responsibilities
As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, you will support recovery-focused, person-centred interventions within the River House OT team, under supervision by a qualified Occupational Therapist. You will develop and facilitate individual and group therapeutic activities on the wards and in the Recovery Hub, contribute to occupationally focused care plans, support discharge planning, and promote engagement, recovery, and social inclusion.
You will collaborate with service users, carers, and the wider multidisciplinary team, providing progress updates and contributing to assessments. You will ensure a safe clinical environment, adhere to health and safety standards, and maintain accurate documentation in line with Trust and professional guidelines. The role includes managing a small caseload, participating in risk management, and carrying out restrictive interventions where required, following Seni Lewis training.
The post includes opportunities to support student training, service development, and ongoing professional development through supervision, training, and annual appraisal. You may work evenings or weekends and are expected to contribute to quality improvement initiatives and uphold Trust policies.
Person Specification
Essential
* GCSEs in Maths and English
* Health and Social Care NVQ Level 2 or above, Care Certificate or equivalent
* Experience in a Health or Social Care setting
* Experience working with people with mental health difficulties and complex needs
* Collaborative working and ability to deliver individual and group sessions
Desirable
* Forensic experience
* Creative qualification or personal interest (e.g., art, photography, music, drama) or background in psychology or related field
* Open to new ideas and awareness of issues relevant to service users involvement
Disclosures
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require a Disclosure check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Employer Details
Employer: NHS Professionals Limited
Address: SLaM NHS Foundation Trust, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3BX
Employer website: https://www.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk/
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