Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapy
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Working a 7 day rota including weekends, evenings and bank holidays)
- Job ref
- 186-817-26-FS
- Employer
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Wathwood Hospital
- Town
- Rotherham
- Salary
- £28,392 - £31,157 Per annum (pro rata for part time)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 04/10/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Technical Instructor
Band 4
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Job overview
We have a very exciting opportunity available for a band 4 technical instructor at Wathwood Hospital! We are looking for a motivated individual to join the occupational therapy team, based on The Lodges ward.
This unique role provides a catering service to patients at The Lodges and support patients with developing their skills regarding catering and independent living. The Lodges is a 22-bed ward. The technical instructor team at The Lodges provides a 7-day service where the role caters for up to 10 patients.
You must have relevant catering qualification or equivalent experience and application of this in the workplace. You must have awareness of food safety in the workplace.
The occupational therapy service is well established and provides a comprehensive range of interventions to promote rehabilitation and mental health recovery. The hospital has excellent facilities for patients and provides a wide range of leisure, sport, craft, vocational and educational opportunities. There is also a large horticulture area which provides great links with the local community.
Wathwood Hospital is a purpose-built, 78 bed adult, male, medium secure hospital in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Main duties of the job
To support the catering provision on The Lodges for up to 10 patients. This includes menu planning, awareness of allergens and dietary requirements, and food hygiene. The post holder will be supporting patients to develop their catering skills within this environment.
To assist occupational therapists to develop, deliver and evaluate a needs-led programme of group and individual activity as part of the occupational therapy programme. The post holder will facilitate purposeful and therapeutic activity within the designated areas in the hospital and the community.
Ensure the maintenance of a safe and secure treatment environment within designated areas, including the development and adherence of group protocols, adhering to Trust policy and procedure, and risk management plans. The post holder will work within Food, Health and Safety legislation, Trust policies and local procedures including HACCP food safety legislation and comply with all documentation.
The role has two shift patterns: a production kitchen shift and a 9-5 shift. During the production kitchen shift you will be responsible for preparing and serving lunch and evening meals for up to 10 patients on The Lodges. During the 9-5 shift you will be supporting the occupational therapy team with the provision of meaningful activity and therapy programmes, with an emphasis on developing and maintaining patients independent living skills. The post holder will be on a rota for both of these day shifts.
Working for our organisation
#TeamNottsHC comprises over 10,500 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health and forensic health services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 80 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings and secure environments.
We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• Keep accurate, appropriate and contemporaneous patient records in accordance with the Forensic Information Governance Group and Trust policy
• Maintain appropriate levels of purposeful and therapeutic activity within the designated areas
• Assist Occupational Therapists in the development and delivery of agreed specific individual and group therapeutic programme in the unit and community
• Actively contribute to service development activities
• To undertake escorting duties as requested
• To prepare equipment/materials/ingredients for each individual/group session
• Attend relevant meetings as required
• Communicate effectively within the Occupational Therapy team and with other colleagues
• Be involved in Clinical Governance activities as required
• Accurately record statistical information
• Provide both oral and written reports about patients as required
• Undertake administrative tasks as required by the OT team and the unit
• Maintain stock under own control as required and ordering of ingredients and stock rotation including checking of deliveries
• Work to a high standard in completion of all duties
• Participation in quality assurance programmes as required
• Check machinery and equipment and report any faults
• Ensure the maintenance of a safe and secure treatment environment.
• Ensure all work is carried out in line with food safety legislation
• Contribute to the General Workplace Risk Assessment process and adhere to specific activity risk management plans.
• Work within Food, Health and Safety legislation, Trust policies and local procedures including HACCP food safety legislation and comply with all documentation.
• Report to senior staff any safety concerns about materials or equipment used within the designated areas taking remedial action where appropriate.
• Encourage patients in the designated area to behave in a safe and appropriate manner and deal with concerns about patients, referring on where appropriate.
• Participate in the Trusts’ Performance Appraisal and Development process in line with the Knowledge and Skills Framework.
• Continually update and develop skills and utilise CPD opportunities as relevant to their personal development and to the development of the service.
• Complete all essential training
• Engage in regular supervision according to trust policy.
Please note that this post does not meet the pay level required for a Skilled worker visa.
Successful applicants with no prior NHS experience would normally be placed at the bottom of the band in line with Agenda for Change. This salary is below the minimum salary required for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa. In these circumstances the Trust would not, therefore, be able to sponsor for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa.
Applicants requiring a Skilled Worker Visa can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship against the relevant criteria here https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Person specification
Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria
- All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
- All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role. The Trust’s expectations are highlighted within our EDI Policy, and associated EDI and Human Rights legislation
Physical Requirements
Essential criteria
- Ability to undertake relevant mandatory training and engage in the management of violence and aggression
- Occasional requirement to exert moderate physical effort throughout the period of work to respond to incidents
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GCSE/GCE English Language and Maths or equivalent
- Catering qualification i.e. City & Guilds 706/1/2 or equivalent
Desirable criteria
- Food hygiene qualification
Training
Essential criteria
- Training specific to the area of expertise (catering or vocational areas)
- Willingness to complete and engage in further training appropriate to the area of expertise
Desirable criteria
- Training specific to mental health care
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working in a catering environment
- Experience of organising and facilitating group and individual patient sessions
- Experience of daily organisation and planning of practical tasks with others to deliver a service
- Experience and understanding of working in a team setting and communicating with a range of other colleagues and services
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in forensic mental health/learning disability settings
- Experience of working in Occupational Therapy teams
- Experience of providing skill specific supervision and training to colleagues
- Experience of developing services
- Experience of working within a food safety management system (HACCP)
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of catering environments
- Understanding of the purpose of rehabilitation, recovery and occupational therapy
- Knowledge of health and safety within the workplace and patient clinical risk issues
- Awareness of confidentiality and professional boundaries in a healthcare setting
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of Wathwood Hospital medium secure unit and its purpose
- Knowledge and awareness of special diets and allergens
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to demonstrate a non-judgmental and positive attitude towards working with mentally disordered offenders
- Ability to motivate others
- Ability to work independently and prioritise own workload
- Ability to work effectively without direct supervision
- Good verbal and written communication and ability to communicate in a range of forms
- Good IT skills to enable effective delivery of services
- Ability to identify risk in a catering/kitchen setting and adhere to relevant policy and procedure
Desirable criteria
- Other skills relevant to the post
Contractual Requirements
Essential criteria
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service
- Requirement to work occasional evenings, weekends and bank holidays on a rotational basis
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Emma Parr
- Job title
- Occupational Therapy Professional Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01709 870822
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