Expert Occupational Therapist - Forensic Mental Health and Intellectually Disable Person's Health

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• We have two leadership opportunities for Occupational Therapists experienced in forensics mental health and intellectual disability.
• These are exciting opportunities for Occupational Therapists who are motivated and committed to progressing their career in clinical leadership!
• Both positions are permanent full-time, working across our Forensics Mental Health Services and Intellectually Disabled Persons Health Inpatient services based Hillmorton Hospital campus.

Mō te tūnga | About the Roles

The Expert Occupational Therapist is an exciting, newly created role within our Intellectually Disabled Persons Health inpatient services. As an integral member of our multidisciplinary team, you will be responsible for providing expert-level occupational therapy assessment and intervention to tāngata whaiora and their whanau.

You will work clinically across both PSAID Inpatients, a 6-bed acute mental health unit for people with intellectual disability and Whaikaha, a 4-bed secure intellectual disability unit.

To enable tāngata whaiora to live successfully in their communities you will provide consultation, education, and behavioural management advice to NGO providers. Your expertise may enable to you to work regionally providing consultation and advice to other specialist services.

You will be responsible for the daily oversight and delegation of tasks to a small team of Allied Health Assistants across the two inpatient units.

The Clinical Occupational Therapy Specialist role provides Occupational Therapy leadership across our Forensic Mental Health Service and Intellectually Disabled Persons Health (FMHS & IDPH). You will provide clinical leadership and expertise to clinical teams across FMHS & IDPH and initiate and lead service improvement activities across the services.

Alongside this, you will provide comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment and interventions for Tāngata Whaiora in Te Whare Mauriora. Te Whare Mauriora is an open 12-bed rehabilitative unit based within the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service, Hillmorton Hospital. The team provides multidisciplinary team (MDT) case management with the Occupational Therapist being a key member and contributor of the team.

Pehea| About you

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated Occupational Therapists to join our Forensics Mental Health and Intellectually Disabled Persons Health service and the SMHS Occupational Therapy team.

You will be responsible for:

• Providing comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment, formulation and intervention
• Drawing on current evidence-based practice and research to inform your practice;
• Taking a lead role in facilitating the therapeutic programme, including individual and group-based interventions in collaboration with other members of the MDT.
• Exploring meaningful occupations that build strengths and minimise vulnerabilities;
• Applying a range of risk assessments to ensure safe implementation of occupations;
• Supporting tangata whaiora with emotion regulation using strategies such as sensory modulation;
• Being a proactive member of the MDT involved in intervention and safe discharge planning. This includes providing consultation, education and advice to community providers to enable recovery-based interventions that allow tangata whaiora to live well within their communities.
• Providing direction and delegation to a small team of Allied Health Assistants.
• Initiating and leading service development activities across Occupational Therapy and SMHS;
• Role modelling, coaching and supporting - top of scope - Occupational Therapy practice across FMHS & IDPH;
• Demonstrate a high level of professionalism and accountability.
• You will be registered with OTBNZ, have a current APC and full NZ drivers - licence.

Mō mātou | About Us

Specialist Mental Health Services are an interdisciplinary team that forms part of Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha (Canterbury). We are committed to working and partnering with tāngata whaiora and their whānau. Constantly striving to work within our philosophy; we develop therapeutic, supportive and empowering relationships with our consumers, enabling them to achieve their personal goals and aspirations.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

Please submit your most recent resume along with a cover letter stating why you believe that you are the ideal candidate for the role highlighting any skills you have gained along the way.

Applications are only accepted online so please visit our website at www.cdhbcareers.co.nz complete an application.

Contact Alice Groves, Clinical Lead for Occupational Therapy alice.groves@cdhb.health.nz mobile: 0211992427 or Gabby Buchanan, Allied Health Consultant, FMHS & IDPH gabby.buchanan@cdhb.health.nz for more information.