Occupational Therapist

Bsmhft; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The Occupational Therapist role at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust is a frontline clinical post within a secure custodial environment in Birmingham. You will deliver specialist occupational therapy assessments and interventions to support recovery, independence, and meaningful activity for service users in custody and on release.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team with mental health and primary care colleagues and contribute to service development,

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy. Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Experience supporting individuals with complex physical health, mental health, cognitive, learning disability,
• Experience of conducting comprehensive occupational therapy assessments and delivering evidence-based interventions.

Responsibilities

• Deliver occupational therapy services within a secure custodial environment, ensuring practice is aligned with prison security procedures and operational requirements.
• Develop interventions that promote independence, self-care, daily living skills, emotional wellbeing, and meaningful activity within the constraints of the prison setting.
• Undertake environmental and functional assessments to identify barriers to participation and advise on reasonable adjustments for prisoners with disabilities or long-term health conditions.
• Promote equality of access to health, wellbeing, educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities within the prison environment.
• Work as part of a 24-hour integrated healthcare service, contributing specialist occupational therapy expertise to both physical and mental health pathways.
• Support individuals transitioning between prison wings, secure settings, healthcare units, and community services on release, ensuring continuity of care and rehabilitation planning.

Skills

Occupational therapy

HCPC registered

Team collaboration

Education

Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy

Job description

Site HMP Birmingham Town Birmingham Salary £39,959 - £48,117 plus Environmental Allowance of £1542 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 17/11/2026 23:59

Please note that this post may close earlier than the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, motivated, and innovative Occupational Therapist to join our multidisciplinary prison healthcare team.

Working within a secure custodial environment, you will provide specialist occupational therapy assessment and intervention to individuals with a range of complex physical health, mental health, neurodiversity, cognitive, and social care needs. You will play a key role in promoting recovery, independence, wellbeing, and meaningful occupation for people living within the prison community.

As part of a 24-hour integrated healthcare service, you will work collaboratively with mental health professionals, primary care teams, substance misuse services, prison staff, and external agencies to deliver holistic, person-centred care that reduces health inequalities and supports rehabilitation.

Main duties of the job

• .Develop and implement person-centred treatment plans aimed at promoting independence, recovery, and wellbeing
• .Deliver evidence-based occupational therapy interventions on both an individual and group basis.
• Support patients experiencing challenges relating to activities of daily living, sensory processing, cognition, mental health, and functional independence.
• Contribute to risk assessment and risk management processes.
• Facilitate engagement in meaningful occupation, education, vocational activities, and social inclusion opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with prison and healthcare colleagues to support safe discharge and continuity of care.
• Provide specialist advice to multidisciplinary teams regarding occupational performance and environmental adaptation.
• Supervise, support, and mentor junior staff, support workers, and students where appropriate.
• Participate in service development, quality improvement initiatives, clinical audit, and professional development activities.

Working for our organisation

Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.

Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people’s lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Occupational Therapist will play a unique role in addressing the impact of incarceration on health, wellbeing, and occupational functioning. Through specialist assessment and intervention, the postholder will support rehabilitation, recovery, social inclusion, and resettlement, enabling individuals to develop the skills and confidence required to lead healthier, more independent lives both in custody and upon release. The role contributes directly to reducing health inequalities, improving patient outcomes, supporting prison safety, and reducing the risk of reoffending through meaningful occupational engagement.

• Deliver occupational therapy services within a secure custodial environment, ensuring practice is aligned with prison security procedures and operational requirements.

Develop interventions that promote independence, self-care, daily living skills, emotional wellbeing, and meaningful activity within the constraints of the prison setting.

Undertake environmental and functional assessments to identify barriers to participation and advise on reasonable adjustments for prisoners with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

Promote equality of access to health, wellbeing, educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities within the prison environment.

Work as part of a 24-hour integrated healthcare service, contributing specialist occupational therapy expertise to both physical and mental health pathways.

Support individuals transitioning between prison wings, secure settings, healthcare units, and community services on release, ensuring continuity of care and rehabilitation planning.

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

• Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy. Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Experience supporting individuals with complex physical health, mental health, cognitive, learning disability,
• Experience of conducting comprehensive occupational therapy assessments and delivering evidence-based interventions.

Our Trust is committed to treating individuals fairly and ensuring they have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential, even if this means doing things differently for different people sometimes. We are working hard to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity within Birmingham and Solihull and that our services meet the needs of all diverse service users and carers.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of our safe recruitment practice pre‑employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. As part of the selection process you may be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, however all cases of criminal record history are dealt with on a case by case basis.

Please note, if applicable for your role you will be required to cover the cost of your DBS certificate. This will be deducted from your salary over 3 months.

All successful applicants will be required to complete the Trust’s induction programme. The Fundamental (Statutory and Mandatory) training will be in an e-learning format. You will be required to complete training modules online (approx. 9-14 hours depending on post) by the end of your second week with us.

Relocation expenses may be reimbursed subject to eligibility. The policy provides for reimbursement up to £8,000.

Please note - if you are applying for a role within Police custody, due to Police Vetting requirements you must have been a UK resident for the last years.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.