Senior Occupational Therapist in Exeter

Overview

Are you looking for a career in one of the UK\’s most respected mental health and learning disability trusts? Would you like to be part of a dedicated team committed to making a difference to people’s lives to enjoy a better future?

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is growing and aims to be a leading provider of mental health services. Working as part of the Trust, you will make a difference to people’s lives from the moment you start.

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated Senior Occupational Therapist to join Coombehaven Ward at The Cedars. Your clinical work will involve taking a lead on working with service users with severe/complex mental health needs, using occupationally focused evidence-based assessment and skills to provide therapeutic interventions. You will be supported by the onsite Occupational Therapy Team Manager and will support junior members of the team. There are opportunities for professional development and quality improvement initiatives.

Main duties of the job

• Assess and treat own specialist caseload of clients within identified settings
• Act as clinical OT within the inpatient services, ensuring effective planning and delivery of the service and manage a small team to ensure effective planning and delivery of the service
• Ensure supervision for all OT staff within the inpatient to ensure a high standard of client care
• Contribute to the development of high quality occupational therapy services through the professional clinical governance frameworks including audit
• Provide professional advice and expertise to the urgent inpatient management team
• Report to the OT Manager on professional issues and Ward Manager on operational issues

About Us

About Devon Partnership Trust
We provide mental health & learning disability services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people\’s recovery.

Our values

We recruit individuals who possess and demonstrate the behaviours which underpin the core values of our organisation. These include a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We aim to bring these values to life in everyday tasks by giving a smile, making time for people, challenging ourselves & others, and being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer. Applications are encouraged from all sections of the community, regardless of protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part-time & flexible working applications will be considered where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health & learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Employer.

Details

• Date posted: 21 January 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
• Band: Band 6
• Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
• Reference number: C9369-26-0911-3
• Job locations: The Cedars, Dryden Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5SN

Job Description & Responsibilities

Duties And Responsibilities

• Communication and Working Relationships: develop and maintain effective communication structures to facilitate communication on professional and Trust issues within the adult urgent care and inpatient care network
• Provide professional advice to the urgent inpatient management team and community team leaders, ensuring representation in local decision making and awareness of OT contribution in the acute setting
• Chair professional meetings as required
• Receive, interpret and provide highly complex and sensitive information to patients, families/carers, multidisciplinary teams, primary care teams and external agencies
• Inform OT manager on capacity, performance and development issues of the OT workforce within the urgent inpatient services
• Ensure effective mechanisms are in place to advise the OT manager of OT activity

• Judgement / Analysis: analyse individual patient needs, make decisions, and use professional judgement in evaluating and implementing care
• Specialist assessments of people, including functional performance in self-care and activities of daily living to inform discharge planning and longer-term treatment

• Planning and Organisation: organise and deliver professional governance; maintain networks; contribute to teaching, mentoring and coaching; support development of new OT roles in line with service developments

• Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy: undertake specialist clinical work; maintain accurate and timely client records in line with professional standards

• Policy, Service, Research, Innovation and Improvement: contribute to development and maintenance of clinical standards; contribute to policy development relating to the profession; promote evidence-based practice

Supervision, Leadership & Management

• Provide leadership to OTs and collaborate with clinical and management colleagues to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness
• Support development of new roles within the service
• Provide leadership and supervision to OTs and other staff with objective setting, appraisal and CPD
• Engage OTs in relation to the modernisation agenda
• Ensure governance arrangements for OTs in urgent inpatient and rehabilitation settings
• Support students on placement

Information Resources & Administrative Duties

• Ensure administrative systems support professional governance

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Diploma / Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Evidence of further training with emphasis on mental health

Desirable

• Short specialist courses to Masters equivalent level

Experience

Essential: Substantive post-graduate experience in a range of mental health settings; experience supervising a range of people

Desirable: Experience of leading service development; experience of working in urgent inpatient settings

Knowledge & Skills

• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Sound knowledge of current OT theory and practice
• Strong communication/interpersonal skills with ability to communicate clearly to a range of people
• Ability to present information logically and concisely, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to deal with complex and emotionally charged situations
• Flexibility, adaptability to change and ability to remain calm under pressure
• Sound impartial judgement and ability to form positive relationships with staff, service users and partner organisations
• Leadership skills and ability to drive service change
• Ability to engage and motivate individuals in activities of daily living during acute phases
• Ability to plan and deliver service development
• Confidentiality, empathy and patience toward individuals with mental health illness
• Demonstrate understanding of Trust visions and values

Desirable

• Ability to think quickly and calmly in emergency situations

Compliance

Certificate of Sponsorship — Applications from job seekers who require UK skilled worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. See UK Visas and Immigration guidance.
Criminal records checks for overseas applicants are required for certain residencies. UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.