Occupational Therapist (Mental Health)

Maudsley Learning; London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team at a leading mental health trust, where you will play a vital role in providing high-quality Occupational Therapy. This position offers the chance to work in a supportive multidisciplinary environment, focusing on recovery and rehabilitation for service users in an acute setting. You will manage therapeutic activities, collaborate with a talented team, and have access to ongoing training and development opportunities. If you are passionate about making a difference in mental health care and are ready to take your career to the next level, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Access to training and CPD opportunities

Supportive multidisciplinary team

Free parking available

Qualifications

• HCPC registration and post-registration experience required.
• Experience supervising staff and working with mental health service users.

Responsibilities

• Provide Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions for service users.
• Collaborate with the MDT to create a safe therapeutic environment.

Skills

Ability to build and sustain effective working relationships

Ability to manage own workload and determine/set own priorities

Supervisory/appraisal skills

Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance

Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information

Education

HCPC Registered Occupational Therapist

Post registration experience as an OT

Post-registration qualification in related area (mental health)

Job description

Main area: Occupational Therapy

Grade: NHS AfC: Band 6

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 9.00-17.00)

Job ref: 334-CLI-6916711

Site: Bethlem Royal Hospital

Town: Beckenham

Salary: £42,939 - £50,697 per annum Incl. of outer HCAs

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 04/02/2025 23:59

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen in Croydon for a full-time Band 6 OT to work on our women's acute ward: Fitzmary 1. You will be working with an experienced, supportive multidisciplinary team who highly value OT. You will be managing the varied therapeutic activity programme with the Activity Co-ordinator on the ward and will be working with the MDT to support service users' recovery and discharge plans through OT ADL assessments.

There are great opportunities to be part of the wider inpatient network of Activity Coordinators, OTs, peer workers, volunteers and students. We promote access to training and CPD opportunities to support your ongoing career progression. You will be well supported with regular supervision from the clinical specialist Band 7 OT.

We welcome applications from experienced band 5s who are interested in taking the next step into a band 6 role.

The Bethlem Royal hospital has a central occupational therapy department which offers a wealth of creative opportunities. There is an onsite clinical exercise service, community social hub and large grounds with free parking available for staff, visitors and service users.

Main duties of the job

1. To provide Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions to service users on the ward which supports their recovery from acute mental health crisis and discharge back to the community.
2. To work collaboratively with service users and their families in a way that respects their individual culture, diversity and personal recovery goals.
3. To work with the MDT in provision of a safe and therapeutic environment which supports risk management and least restrictive practices.
4. To supervise the work of the Activity Co-ordinator and OT students and provide support and leadership to other OT staff on the Croydon wards in collaboration with the Band 7 OT Clinical Lead.
5. Applicants need to have the ability to prioritise and manage their own workload effectively, to respond to complex information and have comprehensive verbal and written skills. They need to be able to quickly build and sustain effective working relationships with others and be able to work with challenging behaviours.

Working for our organisation

The Croydon Inpatient acute wards include four single sex wards (2 men's/2 women's) and a men's intensive care unit (PICU). Each ward has its own Occupational Therapist and Activity Co-ordinator and has additional input from peer workers, volunteers, physical exercise and other bespoke sessional workers dependent on service user choice and availability. Fitzmary 1 ward has its own activity suite comprising of an ADL Kitchen, group room and sensory/quiet room and the ward has a garden.

The wards link with the Home Treatment Team and Community Locality Mental health Teams all of which also have Occupational Therapists in the team.

The OT service supports OT Students and an OT apprentices on a regular basis. Preceptorship and bespoke OT training opportunities are also offered in addition to Trust Training and development opportunities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. To manage a caseload of clients with complex needs using evidence based/client centred principles.
2. To assess, plan, implement and evaluate group and 1-1 interventions, in collaboration with other members of the multi-disciplinary and occupational therapy team.
3. To provide leadership, development opportunities and support for defined staff, students and volunteers via regular supervision and appraisal systems.
4. To develop links with relevant services and agencies in the community to support service users to begin reintegration as soon as possible.
5. To take a lead in promoting the use of employment and other vocational avenues to service users and the multi-disciplinary team as a means to recovery and social inclusion.

Full Job Description is available.

Person specification

Qualifications

• HCPC Registered Occupational Therapist
• Post registration experience as an OT
• Post-registration qualification in related area (mental health)

Experience

• Experience of supervising junior staff and students
• Working with mental health service users (pre or post qualification)
• Experience of working with people with challenging behaviours

Knowledge

• Specialist knowledge and application of OT and vocational assessments.
• Understanding of OT professional code of conduct and OT core skills and their application in practice

Skills

• Ability to build and sustain effective working relationships
• Ability to manage own workload and determine/set own priorities
• Supervisory/appraisal skills
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
• Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights.

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not been successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.