Specialist Occupational Therapist

Specialist Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 08 October 2025

Do you want to develop your OT career working in community mental health?

Would you like to know that you have made a difference to people who have a number of challenges to their health and wellbeing?

This is a great opportunity for a band 6 or experienced band 5 Occupational Therapist, to develop their career working in an adult community mental health team.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will:

• manage a clinical OT caseload, carrying out comprehensive assessments & delivering evidence based interventions using the Model of Human Occupation. Assessments & Interventions take place at the unit, in service users homes, or in the community.
• have an opportunity to develop both individual & group interventions to help the service user achieve their personal & recovery goals.
• includes a small care coordination caseload whose primary difficulties are experienced within their occupational functioning.
• learn the process of, and develop skills in Community Mental Health Team initial assessments and duty, with a view of undertaking them independently.

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of \’Outstanding\’ from the Care Quality Commission.

Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

Job responsibilities

• To manage a caseload of clients with complex OT needs, using evidence based/client-centered principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings and on home visits.
• To provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal
• To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of OT services, holding responsibility for defined projects where appropriate
• To regularly supervise OT students on practice placement, following attendance at an approved Fieldwork Educators course

For a more detailed description, please see attached JD and PS.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

• BSc/MSc/PG Dip Occupational Therapy
• HCPC registration
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office and associated packages.
• Completion of preceptorship and/or evidence of having met the full KSF Gateway for Band 5 OT\’s
• Evidence of relevant post grad training.
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy training
• AMPS/ESI/SI training
• Broad base of clinical experience
• Membership of RCOT, including specialist section
• First line management training
• Solution Focussed Brief Therapy training.

Experience and Knowledge

• Post registration experience in relevant clinical setting
• Applied experience of providing both individual and group work interventions.
• Specialist knowledge and experience of using the Model of Human Occupation assessment tools, or others appropriate to area
• Experience of other specialist Occupational Therapy assessment tools, e.g., AMPS, Pool Activity Levels
• Experience in providing advice, support and clinical supervision to junior staff and/or students
• Documented evidence of continuing professional development.
• Applied knowledge of Recovery principles and how these relate to OT.
• Previous experience of having worked at Band 6 level.
• Experience in research or audit
• Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or learning disability in a variety of health and social care settings.

Communication Skills

• Strong communication skills, written and verbal and the ability to persuade and negotiate with peers and senior colleagues
• Proven track record of working within a multidisciplinary team and an understanding of team dynamics.
• Knowledge and application of key policy, health legislation and guidelines which impact on OT and mental health/LD practice
• Ability to provide and receive sensitive and difficult information regarding service users care and social situation.
• Knowledge of and effective use of appropriate professional relationships and boundaries
• High level of ability to grade and adapt practical skills.
• Evidence of delivery of training and professional development sessions

Analytical Skills

• Ability to apply broad knowledge of current best practice in OT and mental health.
• A high level of problem solving/clinical judgement/observational skills and the ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
• Ability to respond and adjust appropriately to the changing needs of service users
• Specialist knowledge and experience of using the Model of Human Occupation Assessment tools and or equivalent in area
• Highly developed ability to evaluate group interventions and outcomes.
• Highly developed case formulation skills to guide own OT intervention plan and those of others
• Experience of audits/evaluations of interventions and direct involvement of implementation of any subsequent changes to practice

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Civic Centre, Elstree Way, Borehamwood. WD6 1WA

£40,617 to £48,778 a yearper annum pro rata (5% HCAS included)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

367-AMCS-3749

Job locations

Civic Centre, Elstree Way, Borehamwood. WD6 1WA