Senior Occupational Therapist Canterbury

Job summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Occupational Therapist to bring a holistic, recovery-focused perspective to our dynamic multidisciplinary care team (MDT). In this role, you will bridge the gap between complex service user needs and innovative, life-changing care plans.

We offer a supportive environment where you are trusted to work autonomously, advocate for your profession, and mentor junior team members- all while continuously developing your own specialist skill set in a fast-paced, deeply rewarding clinical setting.

Main duties of the job

Clinical Excellence & Case Management

• Complex Caseload Management: Manage a defined caseload of service users with complex needs using evidence-based, service user-centred, hope and recovery-oriented principles.
• Assessment & Formulation: Conduct comprehensive assessments, analysing and interpreting information to form accurate formulations of function, strengths, capabilities, and occupational needs.
• Collaborative Intervention: Partner with service users, carers, and staff to co-create goals and recovery plans that maximise occupational engagement and independence while balancing risk.
• Outcome Evaluation: Continuously monitor, evaluate, and adapt therapeutic interventions to measure progress and ensure the best possible service user outcomes and experience

Leadership, Quality & Supervision

• Clinical Leadership: Demonstrate leadership skills through the management of dedicated projects and approved Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives.
• Staff Development: Provide high-quality supervision and mentorship to designated junior staff and students.

About us

We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Take a look at our Occupational Therapist Video

Details

Date posted: 10 September 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part-time

Reference number: 380-EK472-A

Job locations:
St Martins Hospital Site
Littlebourne Road
Canterbury
CT1 1AZ
United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Professional Advocacy & Service Contribution

• Champion Occupational Therapy: Keep an occupational focus at the centre of practice while promoting the value of Occupational Therapy across the service.
• MDT Collaboration: Work seamlessly both as an autonomous practitioner and as a collaborative team member, responding flexibly to competing clinical demands.
• Advanced Practice: Apply increasingly complex skills and knowledge commensurate with a higher level of professional practice to support service requirements.

Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification

The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Person Specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential

• A recognised Occupational Therapist professional qualification
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Experience

Essential

• Experience in clinical practice, holding a range of experience within a variety of settings
• Experience of delivering and clinical supervision
• Experience of developing learners and staff in the work place

Desirable

• Experience of being involved in service developments or audits

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Knowledge in the application of relevant OT theoretical models, and approaches relevant to service user group.
• Ability to make decisions and work co-operatively as part of an inter-professional team
• Ability to prioritise own work effectively and to be able to guide others

Desirable

• Computer literate. Able to use e-mail, Teams and RIO, and to access Internet resources

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name: Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Address:
St Martins Hospital Site
Littlebourne Road
Canterbury
CT1 1AZ
United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.kentmedwaymentalhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Interim Operational Manager
Debbie Pope
debbie.pope1@nhs.net
07912666962

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.