Occupational Therapist Assistant chez Harrow Council

The London Borough of Harrow is seeking an Occupational Therapist Assistant to champion the support of individuals with specialist needs, enabling them to lead fulfilling lives.

Working as part of the Community Health & Wellbeing Team, the post holder will support individuals who are ordinarily resident in Harrow Council with the aim to offer the appropriate support in the right place at the right time. You will ensure the citizens of Harrow are supported with the correct advice, information and relevant signposting and prompted to utilise the assets which already exist in their local community.

You must assess for solutions to promote independence in daily living, exploring a range of options which include non-complex equipment, non-complex adaptations and housing needs, enabling people to explore strengths and assets which will improve resilience and reduce dependence while balancing safety and risk in the community setting.

Tasks include undertaking Care Act 2014 Assessments and Reviews that enable people to understand their strengths, assets and wishes and maximise their potential for independence, recognising the importance of assuming that the individual is best placed to know their own outcomes, goals, and wellbeing.

This role will involve working with health and social care colleagues and other partners by engaging in innovative practice and a visionary approach to creating a better Harrow.

This post will require work across the localities of Harrow Council in a range of community-based settings, including Community Hubs.

As part of the role, the post holder will be required to travel regularly to peripheral equipment stores to collect, deliver, fit, and assess residents with low-level equipment in their own homes. Therefore, a valid UK driving license and access to a vehicle for work purposes are essential. The post holder must also have the physical ability to safely manage and carry out the manual aspects of this role. 

The successful candidate will have:

• Willingness to undertake other intermediate and more specialist training when necessary and appropriate, as determined through regular appraisal and development.
• Ability to work within an interdisciplinary group and liaise with other agencies.
• Experience of assessment planning and delivering packages of care.
• Knowledge of the physical, social, and emotional aspects of disability.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to act as an OTA Duty Officer and provide an OT Duty service as part of a rota. With close support from an OT/Senior OT.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel to and from different locations.
• GCSE or Equivalent or experience of working as an OTA in Social services setting minimum 1 year.
• Flexibility in working arrangements – will occasionally be required to work outside of office hours.
• A full UK driving license 
• Access to a vehicle for work purposes

This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check. 

For more information, please refer to the Role Profile/Selection Criteria