Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust; Ashford; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job summary

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist to join our team on a full-time basis. The role focuses on leading the Occupational Therapy service, supporting frontline NHS teams, and delivering high-quality patient care within a dynamic NHS environment.

The successful candidate will work in a collaborative, flexible-working organisation and contribute to the planned integration with Medway Community Healthcare from 1 October 2026 onward.

Qualifications

• Enthusiastic and organised Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist
• Ability to provide support to frontline NHS teams
• NHS experience is not a requirement for this role

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction for the Occupational Therapy service within the team
• Support clinical teams to deliver high-quality patient care
• Contribute to integration planning with Medway Community Healthcare following the 1 October 2026 integration

Job description

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Medway Community Healthcare or working on the Staff Bank within these organisations. Nursing and AHP vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses/AHPs.

The NHS is changing. More emphasis on community-based care means there’s never been a better time to join us.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and organised Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist to join our professional service on a full time basis.

We’re a close team but we’re never exclusive, if you can bring a professional approach and fresh ideas we would love to hear from you.

Could you use your skills and experience to support the NHS to deliver great patient care? Great patient care needs great people to support clinical teams. That’s where you come in.

We’re always looking for enthusiastic, responsive, and adaptable people to join our outstanding trust. This role is an important one as you’ll be using your knowledge, experience and expertise to provide support to our hard-working frontline NHS teams.

We put patients first and we expect all of our colleagues to do the same, so although NHS experience isn’t a requirement for this role you’ll need to share our passion for delivering excellent patient care and keep that passion at the forefront of your professional activity at all times.

The challenges come thick and fast in this role but you’ll know that your input is contributing to the excellent experience our patients and service users have every day.

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is due to integrate with Medway Community Healthcare on 1 October 2026. Following integration and to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles. Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.

Rated ‘Outstanding’ by CQC, we deliver high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent.

We are proud to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We use protected characteristic information for monitoring only and it is not seen by recruiting managers, except where applicants choose to be considered under our disability guaranteed interview scheme.

We know life outside work matters. As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients.

Explore KCHFT career pathways

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Maryke Grewar Job title: Locality Clinical Manager - ACC Email address: [e-mail]