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Job summary

Main area
Occupational therapists, Speech and Language Therapists
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
383-ACA-4203-24-A
Employer
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Kingsway House
Town
Derby
Salary
£43,742 - £50,056 per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
Today at 23:59

Employer heading

Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust logo

Sensory Lead Acute Adult Mental Health Inpatient Services

NHS AfC: Band 7

Want to make a real difference and have a truly rewarding career?  Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of ‘making a positive difference in people's lives’.

We’ve been rated ‘good’ overall by the CQC, with some outstanding services.  The CQC commented at our most recent inspection on how our colleagues “treated patients with compassion and kindness” and “felt positive and proud about working for the trust.

We are passionate about making equality, diversity and inclusion part of our DNA. We take pride in our “People First Culture” which creates a workplace where everyone feels a genuine sense of belonging, difference is celebrated, and people are comfortable to bring their whole selves to work. We value the richness that comes from having colleagues that are fully representative of the local community. We welcome people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, protected characteristics, and with all backgrounds and experiences.

 

Job overview

Sensory Lead for Mental Health Inpatient Services 
Full time: 37.5 hours per week 
Base: Radbourne Unit, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby 

A unique role has been created within our Making Room For Dignity Program to lead in enabling the Derbyshire mental health inpatient environments to be sensory friendly and utilise the newly established sensory environments optimally.  The role will involve managing and utilising a budget to; support the co-design and engagement, implement adaptions to the environments and produce training materials.  Such person will be responsible for and training of staff in the safe use of specialist equipment required and take the responsibility of safe assessing, prescription and ordering specialist equipment. 

So now let’s talk about you…

1.    Are you a registered Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Therapist? 
2.    Are you educated to degree level or hold demonstrable equivalent experience?
3.    Do you have a postgraduate certificate, diploma or master's degree in Sensory Integration?
4.    Do you have a proven track record in service user and carer engagement and involvement in service development?
5.    Do you hold have exceptional leadership skills and proven ability to motivate others? 
6.    Do you have a proven track record in working across systems and with partners to deliver improved services?
7.   Are you able to travel to locations across Derbyshire as required?  

If so,  please submit your application via this advert.
 

Main duties of the job

•    Demonstrate clinical professional knowledge and experience at an advanced senior level of this area of expertise.
•    Demonstrate experience and ability to apply supervisor role and application of the Trust supervision strategy.
•    Ability to use Quality Improvement, Research and Clinical Audit to improve practice.
•    Demonstrate awareness and knowledge of wider patient experience agenda.
•    Knowledge of Clinical Governance and the Quality Improvement agenda.
•    Demonstrate evidence of leading clinical strategic change initiatives.
•    Evidence of previous/current advanced clinical practice within Sensory Integration demonstrating the application and evaluation of evidence-based interventions.
•    Detailed knowledge of the relevant legislation and clinical risk management/patient safety planning.
•    Demonstrate leadership and influencing skills.
•    Ability to inspire confidence within teams, multi-professional groups, and individual professionals and in a multi-disciplinary environment.
•    To have an awareness of Positive Behavioural Support Plans and Safe & wellness plan and how a person’s sensory needs impact behaviour. 
•    Experience of working within a Multi-Disciplinary Team in the to establish the function of a person’s behaviour and their care needs.
•    Practical experience of using sensory integration approaches in clinical practice.
•    Demonstrate understanding of a trauma-based approach to care and good safeguarding principles .

Working for our organisation

Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of 'making a positive difference in people's lives'.

Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission; we have achieved this by providing high quality patient care, within an inclusive organisation that works together and shows care and compassion for each other.

Here are just some of the benefits of working for DHCFT:

  • Commitment to flexible working where this is possible
  • 27 days annual leave/year plus bank holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years & 33 days after 10 years' service
  • Yearly appraisal and commitment to ongoing development
  • Generous NHS pension scheme
  • Health service discounts and online benefits
  • Incremental pay progression
  • Free confidential employee assistance programme 24/7
  • Access to our LGBT+ Network, Disability and Wellness Group, BME Staff Support Network, Armed Forces Network, Women's Network, Multi-Faith Forum and Christian Network
  • Health and wellbeing opportunities
  • Structured learning and development opportunities

As an employee it will be your responsibility to ensure that your behaviour and values reflect those set out in the DHCFT Way outlined on our website and in the additional information provided.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DHCFT is an NHS Trust that strives for innovation and improvement for the service and individuals that work within it. Our Vision is to make a positive difference in people’s lives by improving health and wellbeing. Our objectives are to provide great care, be a great place to work and best use of money. Our values of People first, Respect, Honesty, & Do your best are why our workforce chose to work for the NHS & DHCFT.

  • To lead and imbibe sensory treatment strategies in the acute adult mental health inpatient services in the acute inpatient services (Radbourne, Kingsway and Hartington). This includes optimising the use of our new sensory-adapted inpatient environments, including utilising them to meet the needs of people with sensory needs.
  • To manage and utilise the budget to support the co-design and engagement and implement adaptations to the Adult Mental Health inpatient environments.
  • To devise an evidence-based training package for mental health inpatient staff, focussing on recognition and response to sensory–related issues and to lead on its implementation. This will involve the co–ordination of training across services to roll–out training to other staff members.
  • To support the review of the Learning Disability In-Patient Service (Hillside, Ash Green) and Dormitory Eradication Programme and to ensure that sensory considerations are a part of any service reconfiguration.
  • To work alongside the Transforming Care Program (TCP) 'Flow Coordinator'/In–reach Clinician in supporting successful discharge from inpatient services by ensuring that the person’s sensory needs will continue to be met.
  • To support clinical supervision and continued professional development as needed.
  • As a clinical practitioner the post holder will be professionally and legally accountable under HCPC code of professional practice.
  • Assess and treat own highly specialised caseload of adults with sensory needs, with potential co-morbidities, disabilities, and additional health needs in a variety of settings using specialist evidence-based assessment and skills at an extended scope of practice.  
  • To provide a holistic approach to the treatment of adults with sensory needs by working closely with a variety of agencies throughout the service and the wider community.  
  • To provide specialist sensory input to plan, develop and evaluate services and hold responsibility for defined projects including leading on the positive and safe agenda in relation to meaningful activity and reduction of challenging behaviour.
  • To develop the use of assistive technology to enhance self–care approaches and promote safe, timely discharge.
  • Work in collaboration with other services and professionals using sensory approaches as required. 
  • Work within in-patient units, but to liaise with peoples’ carers and families, in a variety of community locations to support safe discharge and transition.  
  • Lead in specialist area of sensory interventions within service; contributes to development of wider neurodevelopmental provision including related policies within inpatient services as required.
  • To provide complex clinical assessments for people with sensory needs (ADHD and Autism) and support the sensory interventions and care-planning. This will primarily but not exclusively be in the PICU and HDU environments.
  • To take an active lead in clinical audit, quality improvement and research within specialist area in the inpatient service. 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Diploma/Degree in relevant discipline
  • Registration with HCPC
  • Accredited Post graduate certificate in Sensory integration/ Sensory Integration practitioner
  • Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable criteria
  • Master’s degree in sensory integration

Skills and experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant specialised experience working with Autistic people and/or other neurodevelopmental conditions and additional sensory/health needs.
  • Practical experience of using sensory integration approaches in relevant clinical practice
  • Experience of multi-disciplinary working
  • Evidence of audit and quality improvement training
Desirable criteria
  • Evidence of delivering quality improvement projects with measurable outcomes
  • Publication of research or quality improvement projects
  • Evidence of completing an Impact review

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStep into health

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Becki Priest
Job title
Chief AHP
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07584 855825

If you have problems applying, contact

Address
Recruitment Team
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
1st Floor Kingsway House (Entrance D)
Kingsway
Derby
DE22 3LZ
Telephone
07900 138117 / 01332 564856, option 1, option 1 (please note, my normal working days are Mon, Tue, Wed)
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