Job summary
37.5 hours per week.

We are excited to be recruiting 2 x permanent Band 5 Occupational Therapists to join our diverse Community Therapy Teams within the North and West Neighbourhoods at Livewell Southwest.

Community Therapy is an evolving service that supports people to return home from hospital, maximise their independence, and achieve their rehabilitation goals. We also provide ongoing assessment, rehabilitation, and management for people living in their own homes and residential care settings.

As an integrated health and social care team, we work alongside a wide range of professionals to support people throughout their adult lives. Our focus is on helping individuals achieve and maintain their optimum level of independence, wellbeing, and participation in the activities that matter most to them.

We are looking for enthusiastic, adaptable, and motivated Occupational Therapists who are passionate about person-centred care. You will be a collaborative team player, eager to contribute new ideas and help shape the continued development of our proactive and growing service.

If you're looking to develop your skills, bring fresh ideas, and help shape the future of community therapy, we'd love to hear from you. In return, you'll be part of a multidisciplinary team and have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to people's lives every day.

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible for the comprehensive assessment, treatment and evaluation of patients including those with complex presentation using treatment techniques to promote normal movement, motor relearning, cognitive therapy, compensatory techniques and daily living skills.
• To use standardised and non-standardised assessments to assist and aid diagnosis of cognitive, sensory, perceptual, behavioural, physical, psychosocial and social functioning.
• To assess for and prescribe adaptive equipment from the core catalogue, complete special orders to increase / enable or compensate for independent function.
• To assess for major and minor adaptations, including disabled facilities grant applications.
• To carry out assessment and compile supporting evidence to enable change in individuals housing arrangements (e.g. Devon Home Choice).
• To assess postural and seating needs.
• Complex manual handling risk assessment and provision of equipment for use in the community setting.
• To have a working knowledge of legislation including The Care Act, Manual Handling Operations Regulations, Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act, Mental Capacity Act / Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and how these relate to the Occupational Therapy role.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.

All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall.

Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs. As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives. We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships.

Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation. Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities.

If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Essential: Diploma / degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Essential: Current HCPC Registration.
• Desirable: Post graduate qualification in OT Professional Practice.

Experience

• Essential: Team working.
• Essential: Use of functional assessment and activity analysis.
• Essential: Ability to work autonomously with individuals.
• Essential: Group work skills.
• Essential: Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Essential: Computer literacy.
• Essential: Good personal organisation skills.
• Essential: Ability to manage own workload and prioritisation of tasks.

Additional Requirements

• Essential: A commitment to client centred, non-discriminatory practice.
• Essential: Ability to frequently travel independently and in a timely manner between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations including areas not served by public transport.

Employer details
Employer name: Livewell Southwest
Website: https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/
Contact: West Community Therapy Lead, Jo Ansell, j.ansell1@nhs.net, 07801702044

Disclosure and Barring Service: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for previous criminal convictions. Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community.