Specialist Occupational Therapist

A warm welcome awaits you in the adult acute in-patient mental health therapy team at the Welland Centre, Kettering. We are a supportive and committed staff group comprising of a therapy team clinical lead, occupational therapists (OTs), a physiotherapist, degree level OT apprentices, therapy assistants, a sports and exercise instructor, volunteers, sessional workers and students. We are established within the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and work closely with the wider team throughout a patient's admission. The Welland Centre therapy team is part of a countywide in-patient acute mental health therapy service across adults and older adults in both Kettering and Northampton. We are committed to staff well-being and development, and you will benefit from a comprehensive supervision, appraisal, competency, and training package that helps you achieve your potential.

Wards consist of a female recovery, male recovery, mixed recovery and female psychiatric intensive care unit, any of which you may cover. Band 5 applicants who would prefer a little more experience/development before undertaking a Band 6 position are also welcome to apply for this role as a B5-6 development post. Part time hours to a minimum of 30 per week can be accommodated. Proposed interview date 4th June 2025.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for providing occupational therapy for the full caseload of patients on one of the adult wards alongside a therapy assistant or OT apprentice and the MDT. You will undertake occupational therapy assessment of patients with a full range of acute mental health conditions, often with additional varied and sometimes complex physical health conditions requiring a broad, holistic approach to develop individualised treatment programmes. As well as responsibility for your ward, you will deliver treatment groups within the central therapy department which is accessed by all acute wards. You will support junior OT staff and apprentices in the team with their competency development and caseload which may be on a different ward. The occupational therapists in the team lead on development of individualised sensory based approaches for patients and support nursing colleagues knowledge and skills to use the sensory rooms and spaces on their ward for effective de-escalation. Working alongside the clinical lead and wider MDT on projects and development initiatives, you will contribute to ongoing continuous improvement and improved patient outcomes, in addition to deputising in the absence of clinical lead OT.

Working for our organisation

We pride ourselves in developing our staff to provide the best possible treatment to our patients. You will be trained and supported in using the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability (VdTMoCA) to guide assessment and treatment delivery, enabling you to develop a strong occupational therapy identity and person-centred approach. You will also be supported to extend your knowledge and skills in sensory integration.

NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and speciality services in both hospital settings and out in the community. NHFT promotes a culture of learning to improve the care and safety of our patients and staff, which focuses on people who enable our Trust to be outstanding by supporting opportunity, innovation, development and growth.

If you have a true desire to work in mental health, with a commitment to developing yourself and the service to meet ever-changing needs, we guarantee that this post has a lot to offer you.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

You will demonstrate an enthusiasm for self-development and will be motivated to further your understanding and skills through various training opportunities, supervision, and appraisal processes. You will possess the skills and confidence to influence, share and progress service improvements, representing the views of occupational therapy and demonstrating a wider appreciation of Trust objectives.

Person specification

Professional Education and Training

• Essential criteria: Diploma/degree in Occupational Therapy, Current HCPC registration, Minimum of 1 year experience as an Occupational Therapist.
• Desirable criteria: Additional training (non-mandatory) relevant to mental health, Practice Educator training, Masters level qualification in relevant field.

Skills and Knowledge

• Essential criteria: Sound knowledge of mental health conditions, Evidenced skills in assessment, care planning, treatment, and evaluation, Experience of health and safety, including risk assessment and management, Personal organisation skills and ability to work under pressure, Skills in supervising, appraising and delegating work to others.
• Desirable criteria: Knowledge and experience of sensory theory and practice, Experience of working with the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability, Post qualification experience of prescribing low level equipment, Experience of providing (or supporting) pre-registration placements for occupational therapy students.

Experience and Interest in Post

• Essential criteria: Articulated and genuine interest in the role, mental health and service/NHFT.
• Desirable criteria: Post qualification experience of working in a mental health setting in the UK (or previous relevant MH setting experience such as OT assistant), Additional skills, knowledge or experience that would benefit the skill mix within the team.

Important Information

By completing an application you are giving authorisation for the transfer of your data. In submitting an application form, you authorise us to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process. Including factual reference, occupational health clearance and statutory and mandatory training records and full service history. You must ensure that your application, including supporting statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Correspondence regarding your application will be sent to you via a TRAC system account. Please submit your application as soon as possible; due to the high volumes of applications we receive we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications. We are an equal opportunities employer, which aims to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.

All roles are subject to the home office immigration rules and therefore eligibility must meet certain requirements for any sponsorship to be considered. Please visit the government website for more information regarding eligibility.

At NHFT we support many of our colleagues to work flexibly and we will consider requests for flexible working from day one. For this role, we are open to discussing a range of options including flexible hours, agile/home working, compressed hours and part time hours. Please have a conversation with the recruiting manager about the flexibility you need and we will promise to explore what is possible with you.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

All posts that are engaged in a regulated activity will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a DBS re-check on a three yearly basis whilst employed in such a role. Staff employed in these posts will therefore be asked to register with the DBS Automatic Update Service upon receipt of their DBS certificate and must update yearly, the annual fee will be reimbursed subject to Trust policy.

Please note if a DBS is applicable for the position then a charge will be deducted from your first salary or upfront cost if a staff bank position. Please note that all new starters to the trust are subject to a probationary period.