Senior Occupational Therapist MHST

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We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home.

Patients are at the heart of everything we do.

Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.

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With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you’re at, there’s always a place for you at CNWL.

Main area Occupational Therapist Grade NHS Af C: Band 6 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (Maternity Leave Cover) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 333-G-CA-1734 Site Ash Tree Clinic Town Harrow Salary £45,953 - £54,254 per annum inc HCAS (pro rata if P/T) Salary period Yearly Closing 05/08/2026 23:59

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond.

We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken.

It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation.

We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.

We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare.

We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles.

For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page

Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Job overview

This is a role within the Green Paper for Transforming children and young people’s mental health.

We are seeking a Band 6 Senior Occupational Therapist to join our diverse Harrow Mental Health Support Team (MHST), based within CNWL Early Intervention CAMHS.

The post holder will work across Harrow schools, supporting children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs, including anxiety, low mood, behavioural difficulties, and occupational performance or participation needs.

This role will involve delivering evidence-based, short-term occupational therapy interventions, supporting whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing, and working closely with our key stakeholders which include children, young people, families, schools, and multi-disciplinary colleagues.

The post holder will also contribute to the development of the OT pathway within Harrow MHST in line with CYP-IAPT principles.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide occupational therapy assessment, intervention, consultation and signposting for children and young people within Harrow schools.

This will include individual and group work, psychoeducation, promoting healthy routines, supporting emotional regulation, improving participation in education, self-care and leisure, and helping young people develop coping and self-management skills.

The role will also involve working in partnership with schools, parents/carers and other professionals to develop strengths-based care plans with clear goals.

The post holder will support whole school approaches to wellbeing, provide training, workshops and consultation to education staff, complete risk assessments, maintain accurate records and outcome measures, and contribute to supervision to junior colleagues and other team members.

Working for our organisation

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest and most diverse community and mental health Trusts in the country.

CNWL provides a wide range of services across London and the South East and works with diverse communities where over 100 first languages are spoken.

Harrow MHST provides early intervention mental health support for children and young people, their families and carers.

The service works collaboratively with schools to improve access to mental health support, provide timely advice, and help children and young people remain engaged in education.

CNWL’s values are Compassion, Respect, Empowerment and Partnership, and the Trust offers a range of development, learning and staff network opportunities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Senior Occupational Therapist will care for a caseload of children and young people with mild to moderate mental health difficulties and identified occupational performance or participation needs.

They will use specialist OT skills to assess, plan, implement and review brief interventions, ensuring these are evidence-based, culturally appropriate and centred on the young person’s goals.

Key responsibilities include delivering individual and group OT interventions; supporting children and young people with routines, coping skills, emotional wellbeing, social participation and engagement in education; offering consultation and advice to schools; supporting whole school approaches to mental health; developing and evaluating group work; evidencing outcomes of OT intervention; and contributing to the ongoing development of the MHST OT pathway.

The post holder will work as part of the wider MHST senior team, contribute to supervision and service development, show awareness and implementation of CYP-IAPT and CBT-informed principles, support safeguarding processes where needed, maintain high standards of clinical documentation, complete routine outcome measures, and uphold professional standards in line with HCPC, RCOT and CNWL policies.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

• Relevant Professional Qualification in Occupational Therapy
• Additional qualifications and training in Child and Adolescent mental health
• Registered with the HCPC and BAOT
• Formal CBT training
• Accredited courses/workshops in CYP-IAPT principles
• Previous Experience and knowledge
• Substantial consolidated experience working as an occupational therapist in paediatrics or mental health.
• Experience of delivering evidenced-based occupational therapy interventions for mild to moderate mental health issues such as anxiety, low mood and behavioural problems
• Experience running therapy groups and/or training events
• Experience either working as a member of a multidisciplinary team or multi-agency working.
• Good understanding of the range of child and adolescent mental health services
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to children and adolescents and safeguarding procedures and policies
• Substantial consolidated experience working in child and adolescent mental health.
• Knowledge and experience in mental health promotion work.
• Experience of delivering evidenced-based occupational therapy interventions for mental health issues to CYP both individually, to parent(s)/carer(s) and in groups.
• Experience of delivering evidenced-based CBT informed interventions to CYP and their families for mild to moderate mental health issues such as anxiety, low mood
• Experience of working with schools to support CYP emotional well-being needs
• Communication and Administrative Skills /Competencies
• Able to communicate effectively with the team, through face to face, video call, telephone and email communication.

This includes discussing case work, taking note of actions, updating others in the team and use team meetings effectively.

• Maintaining accurate, timely, concise and legible clinical records both electronic and handwritten which adhere to the CNWL policies
• Able to talk to people about sensitive issues in a supportive manner but also challenge others assertively where necessary
• Excellent communication, assessment, planning and recording skills.
• Ability to deliver interventions which address the assessed needs.
• Ability to work co-operatively with other disciplines.
• Knowledge of risk management and ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly to ensure safety.
• Able to maintain electronic patient records
• Use Microsoft products including Word for letter and report writing, Power Point for presentations and workshop delivery and Excel for service monitoring and evaluation.
• Ability to use IT systems for evaluation of interventions and practice for service improvement.
• Clinical skills and competencies
• Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children and young people/families
• Ability to carry out group work and deliver workshops
• Ability to deliver training sessions
• Ability to conduct mental health assessments of children and young people
• Ability to make an assessment of risk and to record and communicate it appropriately.
• Experience of conducting group parenting programmes.
• Experience of providing mental health consultation and signposting to education staff and other professionals.
• Experience delivering trainings and psycho-educational workshops about mental health issues
• Knowledge
• Understanding how the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards impacts on their work and the people they are working with
• Understanding how the Mental Health Act impacts on their work and the people they are working with
• Understanding the concept of quality and their role in improving safety, clinical outcomes and the patient experience
• Knowledge of educational environments
• Knowledge of children and young people safeguarding legislation, policies and procedures
• Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence
• Knowledge and Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion by delivering culturally responsive and accessible care to children, young people, families, schools and colleagues
• Knowledge of the functional operation of specialist CAMHS teams
• Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work.

Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience.

AI-generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience.

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully.

You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.

Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users.

As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

• Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system

• Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
• If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

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