Band 6 Occupational Therapist/Care Co-ordinators

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare provider in the UK is seeking Band 6 Occupational Therapists to join their Community Perinatal Teams. This role involves assessing and treating mental health conditions in pregnant women and mothers with infants. The candidate will collaborate with various healthcare teams and lead junior staff, providing clinical expertise and support. The position offers flexible working arrangements and opportunities for career development within a supportive community-focused environment.

Benefits

Generous pay and leave package

Flexible working opportunities

Career development and mentoring

Qualifications

• Experience in managing mental health difficulties in pregnant women.
• Ability to provide clinical supervision to junior staff.
• Understanding of safeguarding procedures.

Responsibilities

• Manage caseload of women with moderate to severe mental illness.
• Implement recovery principles in care plans.
• Provide training and consultation for healthcare professionals.

Skills

Clinical expertise

Risk assessment and management

Therapeutic engagement

Education

Relevant qualification in Occupational Therapy

Job description

Band 6 Occupational Therapist / Care Co-ordinator (Community Perinatal Teams)

An exciting opportunity for 2 Band 6 Occupational Therapist/Care Co-ordinators (Lambeth and Lewisham Community Perinatal Teams).

The post holder will be responsible for assessing and treating a range of mental health difficulties suffered by pregnant women and those with infants up to one year old.

You will provide clinical expertise to Specialist Borough CMHTs and relevant agencies (e.g. obstetric liaison, community mental health teams, acute inpatient units) and facilitate safe and appropriate discharge plans for women from the Mother and Baby Inpatient Unit.

Work closely with colleagues from generic psychiatric services and staff from other perinatal services, including the inpatient Mother and Baby Unit at the Bethlem Royal Hospital. Provide training, consultation and liaison for other healthcare professionals both within and outside the Trust.

Serve as a member of internal and external professional networks to ensure coordinated care plans. Clinically supervise, advise or manage junior members and trainees in the Perinatal Team and work as part of the multidisciplinary team.

The service operates 9 am‑5 pm, Monday‑Friday. The role is full time.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and care‑coordinate a caseload of women with moderate to severe mental illness during the perinatal period.
• Encourage and empower service users to take responsibility for their individual programme of care, with consent, following recovery principles and approaches.
• Demonstrate competencies in risk assessment and risk management, including reporting serious incidents and complaints.
• Take part in the daily duty rota, screening and managing new referrals, fielding telephone queries and supporting the team.
• Implement safeguarding procedures in a community setting, recognising, reporting and investigating safeguarding issues and raising alerts if a service user or carer is exposed to harm or abuse.

Role Profile

As a practitioner working in a community setting, promote and deliver evidence‑based care for mothers with mental health conditions in their own homes and within a variety of accommodation settings.

Work autonomously, leading and supporting junior staff and the wider care team to deliver quality care, contributing to physical, psychological, social, recreational and spiritual care in a recovery‑focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities, addressing any issues that arise.

Demonstrate an enhanced understanding of mental‑health signs and symptoms and support junior staff in developing appropriate responses.

About the Trust

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history and international reputation. We provide specialist services across the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond. The Care Quality Commission rates our services as “good”.

We launched our five‑year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021, with the Our Care Improvement System as our quality management methodology, aiming to improve patient care, outcomes and staff experience.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care, guided by values of caring, kindness, politeness, promptness, honesty, listening and keeping promises. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

Commitments and Policies

• We are a Disability‑Confident Employer and welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics.
• We embed commitments to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment, promoting equality and good relations in everyday practice.
• We ensure all services and staff understand and support our commitments.
• People who use our services, carers and staff are treated with compassion, respect and dignity.
• We are smoke‑free and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

Application Details

• All applications must be made online.
• Read and understand the job description and person specification; the statement of support should reflect the requirements.
• The closing date is a guide only; the vacancy may close earlier if sufficient applications are received. Apply early.
• By applying, you agree to your application being transferred to a third‑party e‑recruitment system (apps.trac.jobs).
• If you are not heard from within three weeks from the closing date, the application has not been successful.
• Priority consideration may be given to at‑risk NHS employees.
• Successful appointment authorises the Trust to confirm previous NHS service via an Inter‑Authority Transfer process.

Benefits

• Generous pay, pension and leave package (dependent on role and length of service).
• Flexible working and support for part‑time working and job sharing.
• Career development opportunities, mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes.
• Car lease deals and keyworker housing on selected sites.
• NHS discounts through the Health Service Discounts website.

We look forward to receiving your application.