Occupational Therapist

NHS; Greater London; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in Greater London is seeking a passionate Band 7 Occupational Therapist to join their multi-disciplinary team at HMP High Down. This role involves delivering trauma-informed care and supporting individuals with complex psychological needs. The ideal candidate will have experience in a prison environment and strong skills in risk assessment and management. This position offers a salary ranging from £53,751 to £60,651 per annum along with significant career development opportunities and excellent staff benefits.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing services

Season ticket loans

Cycle to work scheme

Free use of onsite leisure facilities

Qualifications

• Registered Occupational Therapist with HPCP.
• Experience in working with complex clients.
• Ability to conduct risk assessments.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized OT assessments in a prison setting.
• Develop care plans in collaboration with service users.
• Conduct group programs and lead service components.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Risk assessment and management skills

Knowledge of CPA, Mental Health Act

Ability to engage patients

Problem solving skills

Education

HPCP Registered Practitioner Occupational Therapist

Post registration qualification (e.g., CBT, DBT)

Job description

Occupational Therapist - HMP High Down

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 11 February 2026

Are you a passionate and experienced Band 7 Occupational Therapist seeking a fresh and rewarding challenge? Or perhaps you're a Band 6 OT ready to take the next step in your career? If so, we'd love to hear from you!

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our multi-disciplinary team within a Psychologically Informed Planned Environment (PIPE) at HMP High Down.

This role is ideal for a practitioner who is passionate about delivering trauma-informed care in a prison setting and is committed to supporting individuals with complex psychological needs and learning difficulties. You will work closely with service users and staff to create a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment that fosters personal growth, rehabilitation, and relational security.

You'll be part of a supportive, multidisciplinary team where reflective practice, relational working, and psychological safety are central to our approach.

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a supportive and innovative environment, while developing your clinical and leadership skills.

Main duties of the job

Work as an independent OT practitioner with women presenting with complex & challenging needs who reside on the Psychologically Informed Planned Environment units, engaging in the PIPE Outreach service & those where referral to PIPE may be considered.

Working within the MDT to provide a comprehensive service to women with personality disorder resident on the PIPE units & to contribute to ensuring the PIPE is a successful environment. Working as part of a team supporting women in their own location, through the PIPE Outreach service.

Lead on the planning & delivery of enrichment activities & a therapeutic social setting & to an Enabling Environment as defined by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The Progression PIPE is an established Enabling Environment currently & continues to work towards maintaining its award.

Work with the wider OPD Pathway to integrate careful selection of assessment tools & interventions with personal recovery principles which will engage individuals in activities & occupation, encouraging the development of 'surviving & thriving' skills & knowledge.

Apply a high level of understanding of the impact of mental & physical health conditions; providing training & advice on lifestyle changes & adaptations.

Work with the Clinical Lead to continue to develop & deliver a comprehensive OT Service within a preparation & progression PIPE, including assessment, intervention & evaluation which is underpinned by an evidence base & personal recovery principles.

About us

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust offers its staff ongoing career progression through:

• Monthly supervision
• Access to exciting internal and external training opportunities.

Excellent progression through various career pathway opportunities such as but not limited to:

• Preceptorship Programme
• Support and guidance with Revalidation
• Hidden Gem and annual award ceremonies

Excellent staff benefits, our benefit packages are amongst the best in London and include:

• Health and wellbeing services
• Season ticket loans
• Cycle to work scheme
• Relocation package subject to meeting criteria

The trust values its staff and you are entitled to become a member of MyTrustBenefits. MyTrustBenefits is an online portal for all CNWL staff, as well as their family and friends. It offers over 1400 discounts at hundreds of retailers nationwide. Save money on your weekly food shops, toiletries, cosmetics, cinema, meals out, holidays, travel and entertainment. You can also access free online courses on a variety of topics, professional and personal, ranging from business management, languages, law and teaching.

All of our sites in Surrey offer free use of the onsite leisure facilities and free parking for staff.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached JD&PS for full details of duties and responsibilities.

Clinical

• To provide specialist, culturally appropriate, evidence based occupational therapy assessments for individuals within the prison setting in order to establish and meet their occupational needs. To select and use validated standardised assessment tools routinely and in practice, exhibiting clinical reasoning skills; to include the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) assessments.
• To apply clinical knowledge and skills to carry out evidence based occupational therapy interventions, both individual and in groups, which are underpinned by relevant theoretical approaches.
• To plan, implement and review individually tailored programmes of intervention using individual and group work approaches with prisoners within the PIPE unit
• To support service users and colleagues to ensure that care plans are developed in partnership with the individual and that they reflect recovery goals. These should be strengths-based and oriented towards reinforcing a positive identity and developing valued social roles.
• To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions against clear aims, objectives and outcome measures in line with evidence based practice and in conjunction with service users, carers and other professionals.
• To work collaboratively with all professionals within the PIPE unit in developing care plans and risk assessments for prisoners.
• To support individuals to develop skills and knowledge; and engage with community partner agencies, to facilitate successful transitions from the prison environment to the community.
• To proactively undertake and ensure rigorous risk assessment & risk management strategies are applied. To ensure maximum risk tolerance facilitates the individuals recovery, in line with risk policies and local guidelines

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

• oHPCP Registered Practitioner Occupational Therapist
• oEvidence of professional development since registration
• oPost registration qualification that enhances clinical work: CBT, DBT, Dual Diagnosis, etc.

Previous Experience

• oExperience of working as part of a multi- disciplinary team
• oExperience of working with complex clients
• oExperience of running a group program
• oExperience of leading and /or developing a service/ component of a service
• oExperience of working in a Prison or forensic environment

Skills and Knowledge

• oRisk assessment and management skills
• oExcellent communication skills both verbal and written.
• oKnowledge of CPA, Mental Health Act, MAPPA, legislation and policies relevant to prison mental health.

Other

• oTo conduct self in accordance with relevant code of conduct and practice for registration
• oFull clearance via the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS), and ability to achieve enhanced Prison Clearance (vetting).
• oMotivated to maintain the highest standards possible in the service.
• oAble to accept constructive feedback.
• oAble to ask for support where required.
• oCompassionate & non-judgmental approach
• oFlexible

Skills and Knowledge

• oExpert in engaging with people with mental health problems, assessing their needs, designing and delivering appropriate interventions and evaluating the effectiveness of the process
• oAbility to work effectively as part of a team and independently as appropriate.
• oTo use supervision positively and effectively.
• oProven ability to work with patients to increase their level of self-determination and resilience.
• oEffective time management.
• oKnowledge of the needs and rights of patients.
• oKnowledge of safeguarding frameworks
• oProblem solving, stress management & conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to engage in evidence based practice, with an understanding of care quality (clinical governance).
• Knowledge of current challenges / developments in Prison health

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inc HCAS (pro rata if P/T)