Occupational Therapist - The Guardian : Job Details

This role has a starting salary of £40,929 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.

This is a fixed term contract/ secondment opportunity until the end of May 2025.

We are excited to be hiring a new Occupational Therapist to join our fantastic Guildford Locality team, which is committed to the ongoing development of its staff.

We have an OT group who are supportive and passionate about the impact of occupational therapy with the wide range of people we work with. The team is based in Guildford Borough Council offices and we endorse Surrey's agile way of working, aiming to have a minimum of 2 days a week in the office for full time staff.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

You will join a supportive, skilled and creative team that values a good work ethic, honesty, reliability and the ability to apply and document sound and solid clinical reasoning to ensure we are providing a service we all can be proud of. As such, if you are a pragmatic, driven, creative Occupational Therapist (OT), wanting to make a difference, then this may be the right environment for you to flourish in.

We offer a competitive starting salary, equivalent to that of a Band 6 OT in a health care setting. For newly-qualified OTs we offer a supportive preceptorship programme. In addition, we are open to flexible working patterns which may support your work-life balance.

We offer a large variety of training courses which will increase your knowledge and enable you to provide a service you can feel proud of. We are a supportive team that provides informal supervision on a daily basis and regular formal supervision. In addition to peer support, we shall provide the practical tools you need to manage your work. You will not be expected to work in isolation, however we do aim to equip you to work autonomously and with confidence.

About the Role

You will work alongside a variety of clients who have differing and/or complex needs by using a strength-based approach. Clients may be elderly and frail, experience a learning disability, physical or sensory impairment, or have mental ill health. This diverse role will facilitate your development and equip you with a large range of skills to enable you to undertake frontline holistic occupational therapy practice within a social care setting. You will have the opportunity to put into practice assessments such as the moving and handling risk assessments and intervention, with the aim of supporting and empowering our clients to live meaningful lives within the community.

Joining us you will work closely with your team members, as well as with other organisations and agencies, to provide an integrated service in order to support vulnerable adults and their carers in a community-based setting. This community-based role requires you to visit clients predominantly in their homes, as well as other settings such as residential care and nursing homes.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Professional qualification in Occupational Therapy and current registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Experience of working within a social care, health or community focused multi-disciplinary setting
• Ability to complete person centred and proportionate OT assessments
• Familiarity with moving and handling equipment such as hoists and stand aids
• Knowledge of medical conditions and the likely impact on the individual, carer and family
• Knowledge of current legislation, including the Care Act and the Mental Capacity Act and its application to practice in a social care setting

Contact us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Ros Barham by telephone .

The closing date for this advert is 30/09/2024 although applications will be reviewed, and appointments made, on an on-going basis.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.