Occupational Therapists

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in the UK is seeking enthusiastic Occupational Therapists to join acute mental health teams. This role involves managing a caseload, providing leadership, and engaging in training opportunities. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and experience in mental health settings. Competitive benefits include generous holidays, pension schemes, and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

27–33 days holiday

Flexible working

Employee Assistance Programme

Opportunities for additional training

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a mental health/PICU setting is essential.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience of leadership or supervisory role is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients with complex OT needs.
• Provide leadership for junior staff and supervise students.
• Participate in planning and developing OT services.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Communication

Client-centred care

Education

BSc/MSc/PGDip Occupational Therapy

HCPC Registration

Tools

MS Office proficiency

Job description

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients with complex OT needs, using evidence‑based/client‑centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings and on home visits.
• Provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal.
• Participate in the planning, development and evaluation of OT services, holding responsibility for defined projects where appropriate.
• Regularly supervise OT students on practice placement.
• Select and apply Occupational Therapy assessments for a designated caseload, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, enabling the client in areas of self‑maintenance, productivity and leisure.
• Monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for clients with multiple needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• Work using a problem‑solving approach to reduce risk at home.
• Work with clients to identify OT goals as part of the overall care plan.
• Plan and implement individual interventions, in collaboration with the client, using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals.
• Demonstrate and apply a broad level of understanding of the effect of disability and recommend adaptations to the client’s physical and social environment.
• Review and reflect on personal practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.
• Coordinate day‑to‑day activities of junior staff where applicable.
• Demonstrate basic leadership skills through the management of designated projects.
• Participate in the induction, training and education of students and other staff in this setting as appropriate.
• Supervise junior staff as appropriate.
• Monitor and evaluate treatment to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of the intervention and feedback to appropriate forum.

Job Overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Occupational Therapists to join our acute mental health teams in St Albans/Stevenage. There may also be options to work at our site in Kingfisher Court, Radlett. The postholder will provide occupational therapy expertise within the multi‑disciplinary team, including specialist assessment, individual and group work intervention. They will have a leadership & supervisory role in the OT team. The teams consist of occupational therapists, a physiotherapist, arts therapists, a horticulturalist, psychologists as well as a full MDT. There are regular opportunities to network with other OTs to share ideas and good practice, engage in CPD and funded external courses including Masters or PGDip level study in a variety of specialties such as Sensory Integration, Trauma Informed Care & Reducing Restrictive Practice. Dependent on the successful candidate’s experience, this post will either commence as a Band 6 post, or as a Band 5‑6 Development post. Robust supervision from the Band 7 and 8 OTs with growth opportunities will support the post‑holder to transition successfully from a Band 5 to a Band 6 level using a bespoke training package and competency framework. Ideally individuals will make the transition to Band 6 within six months of starting in post however this will be assessed on an individual basis. Previous experience of working in acute mental health is essential.

Qualifications

• BSc/MSc/PGDip Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration
• Proficient use of MS Office and associated packages
• Experience of working in a mental health/PICU setting

Desirable criteria

• Membership of RCOT
• Training in the use of the Model of Human Occupation
• Training in the use of other OT models such as VdTMOCA
• Sensory Integration Training, Application of the OT process, use of functional assessment and activity analysis
• Working knowledge of Recovery principles
• Working knowledge of standardised assessment and outcome measures relevant to role
• Experience of a leadership or supervisory role
• Documented evidence of continuing professional development
• Experience of leading a range of groups and 1:1 interventions in a health or social care setting
• Candidate who require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the United Kingdom can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this position by assessing their circumstances against the criteria specified on the Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK website. We would encourage all applicants to review the criteria carefully to understand their eligibility for sponsorship. You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

About the Trust

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ from the Care Quality Commission. Our family of over 4,500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is rated by the Care Quality Commission as an Outstanding provider of mental health and learning disability services. In 2021, we won the prestigious Health Service Journal award for Mental Health Trust of the Year, with the judges saying they were “blown away” by our people’s achievements and that everything they saw “sings and hums”. This year, our staff rated us the 4th best mental health and learning disability trust to work for out of all 52 trusts in the country. Our staff tell us that they are proud to be part of the HPFT team, proud of the standard of care we provide and proud that service users are our top priority. Our people tell us they feel supported though a great development, wellbeing and work‑life balance offer and a highly compassionate, values‑driven culture. We are equally proud of our staff, who live our values of being welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service) plus bank holidays (pro rata where applicable)
• One of the UK's best pension schemes
• Flexible working
• Special leave for family and personal reasons
• NHS Car Lease Scheme (for substantive staff)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Opportunities for additional training