Occupational Therapist - HMP High Down

Are you a passionate and experienced Band 7 Occupational Therapist seeking a fresh and rewarding challenge? Or perhaps you're a Band 6 OT ready to take the next step in your career? We’d love to hear from you! An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our multi-disciplinary team within a Psychologically Informed Planned Environment (PIPE) at HMP High Down. This role is ideal for a practitioner who is passionate about delivering trauma-informed care in a prison setting and is committed to supporting individuals with complex psychological needs and learning difficulties.

You will work closely with service users and staff to create a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment that fosters personal growth, rehabilitation, and relational security. You’ll be part of a supportive, multidisciplinary team where reflective practice, relational working, and psychological safety are central to our approach. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a supportive and innovative environment, while developing your clinical and leadership skills.

• Work as an independent OT practitioner with women presenting with complex & challenging needs who reside on the PIPE units, engaging in the PIPE Outreach service & those where referral to PIPE may be considered.
• Working within the MDT to provide a comprehensive service to women with personality disorder resident on the PIPE units & to contribute to ensuring the PIPE is a successful environment.
• Lead on the planning & delivery of enrichment activities & a therapeutic social setting & to an Enabling Environment as defined by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
• Work with the wider OPD Pathway to integrate careful selection of assessment tools & interventions with personal recovery principles which will engage individuals in activities & occupation, encouraging the development of 'surviving & thriving' skills & knowledge.
• Apply a high level of understanding of the impact of mental & physical health conditions; providing training & advice on lifestyle changes & adaptations.
• Work with the Clinical Lead to continue to develop & deliver a comprehensive OT Service within a preparation & progression PIPE, including assessment, intervention & evaluation which is underpinned by an evidence base & personal recovery principles.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust offers its staff ongoing career progression through monthly supervision, annual personal development plans/appraisals, and access to training opportunities. Excellent progression through career pathway opportunities such as Preceptorship Programme, Revalidation guidance, Hidden Gem and annual award ceremonies. Excellent staff benefits, including health and wellbeing services, season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, relocation package (subject to criteria). Membership in MyTrustBenefits, an online portal with discounts and access to free online courses for CNWL staff and their families. Onsite facilities: free use of leisure facilities and free parking for staff at CNWL sites in Surrey.

• To provide specialist, culturally appropriate, evidence based occupational therapy assessments for individuals within the prison setting in order to establish and meet their occupational needs.
• To select and use validated standardised assessment tools routinely and in practice, including MOHO assessments.
• To apply clinical knowledge and skills to carry out evidence based occupational therapy interventions, both individual and in groups, underpinned by relevant theoretical approaches.
• To plan, implement and review individually tailored programmes of intervention using individual and group work approaches with prisoners within the PIPE unit.
• To support service users and colleagues to ensure that care plans are developed in partnership with the individual and reflect recovery goals, strengths-based, and oriented towards reinforcing a positive identity and developing valued social roles.
• To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions against aims and outcomes with service users, carers and other professionals.
• To work collaboratively with all professionals within the PIPE unit in developing care plans and risk assessments.
• To support individuals to develop skills and knowledge; engage with community partners to facilitate transitions from prison to community.
• To proactively undertake and ensure rigorous risk assessment & risk management strategies are applied.