Occupational Therapist for Adult Autism Service

NELFT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Greater London; On-site; GBP 4,000 - 6,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Greater London seeks an experienced registered occupational therapist to provide specialist assessments and interventions for autistic adults. The ideal candidate will lead pre-and post-diagnostic support and promote holistic health through education and empowerment. This position offers opportunities for professional development within an organization known for its commitment to equality and diversity.

Benefits

Proactive health and wellbeing support

Flexible working opportunities

Commitment to equality and diversity

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of occupational therapy techniques.
• Experience working with autistic adults is essential.
• Ability to prioritize caseload effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist occupational therapy for autistic adults.
• Lead pre-and post-diagnostic support for clients.
• Ensure compliance with Trust protocols and procedures.

Skills

Specialist occupational therapy assessments

Knowledge of autism interventions

Organizational skills

Effective communication

Team leadership

Education

Registered occupational therapist qualification

Job description

The post holder will be an experienced registered occupational therapist, responsible for patients allocated to them and will assess, manage, plan and deliver care while being professionally and legally accountable. They will take a key role in the development and implementation of high standards of clinical care ensuring the service provided is needs-led, compliant with national guidance and is viewed positively by service users.

The post holder will support the team in understanding and valuing others' roles and contributions. They will enable others to contribute effectively, acknowledging the nature of and context of their work, sharing and taking account own and others' knowledge and skills, and differences in working and professional practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide a range of specialist occupational therapy assessments and one-to-one/group interventions for autistic adults, taking into consideration the individual's physical, cognitive, sensory and psychological abilities and needs, to identify their abilities and areas of difficulty.
• Lead on providing pre‑and post‑diagnostic support, in particular specialist occupational therapy assessments and interventions, including those addressing clients' sensory needs and their impact on daily living.
• Provide specialist assessment services to individuals referred to the adult autism service.
• Be responsible for organising and prioritising own caseload in the day‑to‑day allocation of work, whilst being able to work flexibly to meet the needs of clients, their relatives and carers and the service.
• Promote the empowerment and education of clients in relation to their holistic health. This focuses on the promotion of social inclusion, health promotion and relapse prevention.
• Deputise when required in the absence of the team clinical/service lead(s).
• Have organisational knowledge relating to Trust protocols and procedures and adhere to them.
• Be responsible for providing accurate records of information required by the Trust for audit purposes.
• Ensure effective risk management at team level by accident/incident reporting, assessing and controlling risk and ensuring residual risks are added to the Trust register.
• Provide specialist clinical advice to other team members on the suitability of various assessments and intervention methods where appropriate.
• Provide consultation and liaison to other professionals working with autistic adults in the Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest localities, both community and in‑patient based.
• Take a lead role in the education, supervision and training of more junior members of staff, support workers and occupational therapy students.
• Act as a role model for occupational therapy, raising the profile and value of the role within the service.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.

Use of AI

Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points‑based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High‑Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Benefits

• A long‑standing and award‑winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
• A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work‑life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our efforts to support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a 'Top 10 Family Friendly Employer' from the Working Families Charity.
• Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
• Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that's a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.

Supporting our Armed Forces

We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Gold Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We have supportive policies, guaranteed interview schemes for veterans, reservists and military spouses and give additional leave to our Reservists so that they can attend their annual camp.

About the Trust

Joining #TeamNELFT means you'll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We're CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award‑winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Core Values

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

Induction Process

NELFT places a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop‑in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,714 and a maximum payment of £5,941 – per annum, pro rata for part time).