Occupational Therapist Assistant

Job Description

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

About us

Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK, making it a great place to live, work and visit with a range of cultures, religions and opinions that come together to produce high achieving schools and a close and friendly community. Located 10 miles from the city centre and just 13 minutes to Euston from Harrow & Wealdstone station there are great transport links via the Metropolitan Line, Watford DC Line and national rail service. It is easily accessible to the M1, M25 and A406.

Other information

Support for candidates visit:Harrow.gov.uk Our behavioural indicators roles below G11 and above G11 Here at Harrow Council, the vision is one of 'Working together to make a difference for Harrow' Please click here to view Harrow Council's benefits

Important Note

To deliver our commitment to equality of opportunity in service provision, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs at the London Borough of Harrow. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender, reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification applies. As such, we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. For further information, please read our equality statement.

As a disability-confident employer, we are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and accessible to everyone. This includes reasonably adjusting the recruitment process for those with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For further information, please contact us at resourcing@harrow.gov.uk

London Borough of Harrow is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Harrow operates stringent, safer recruitment procedures.

Due to the high number of applications received for some posts, we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Harrow redeployees will be given priority consideration.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, any your data protection rights, can be found by visiting www.cifas.org.uk/fpn