Occupational Therapy Assistant

Transformation Unit; Bradford; Remote; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust seeks an Occupational Therapy Assistant to join Clover Ward at Lynfield Mount Hospital, a mixed Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit for adults 18–65. The role is 37.5 hours per week, with a 7-day shift pattern across 8am–8pm as service needs dictate.

You will support patients through a range of meaningful therapeutic activities, assist with specialist assessments and help patients work toward recovery goals in a safe ward environment.

Qualifications

• NVQ III in care or equivalent qualification.
• QCF diploma level 111 or equivalent.
• Experience in Adult Mental Health or Rehabilitation services.
• Ability to communicate verbal and written English.

Responsibilities

• Under the direction of Senior and Clinical Practitioners (Occupational Therapy), carry out occupationally focused interventions based on specialist occupational assessment including individual and group work.
• Takes leadership from Assistant Practitioners and Senior/Clinical Practitioners within a delegation framework for agreed tasks. This will include supporting with a clinical caseload within the service.
• Ensure high standards are maintained in a safe environment, which promotes equality and sensitivity for all individuals.
• Ensure patient safety is maintained and patient experience is positive by treating all patients, family, relatives and colleagues with respect, dignity and courtesy in accordance with Trust values.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

NVQ III in care

QCF diploma level 111 or equivalent

Job description

Main area Mental health Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (It is expected that this role will work across a 7 day shift pattern between 8am - 8pm Monday to Sunday, for a maximum of 37.5 hours per week, as determined by the needs of the service users.) Job ref 453-26-8415799

Employer Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Lynfield Mount Hospital Town Bradford Salary £25,760 - £27,476 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 15/11/2026 23:59

Occupational Therapy Assistant

NHS AfC: Band 3

Bradford District Care Trust is an award-winning Trust that provides a range of innovative services that have been recognised as best practice nationally. As a provider of care for people of all ages who have mental and/or community health needs we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service, close to where people live and as much as possible tailored to an individual’s needs.

As a provider of care for people of all ages who have mental and/or community health needs we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service, close to where people live and as much as possible tailored to an individual’s needs.

Job overview

As a provider of care for people of all ages with mental health and community health needs, we are committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred care close to where people live and tailored, wherever possible, to individual needs.

Are you passionate about supporting people and looking for an opportunity to develop your skills within an inpatient mental health setting? We have an exciting opportunity for an Occupational Therapy Assistant to join our established team at Lynfield Mount Hospital, working on Clover Ward, our mixed Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for adults aged 18–65.

As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, you will work alongside the wider Occupational Therapy team to support patients through a range of meaningful therapeutic activities, both in groups and on a one-to-one basis. You will also assist with specialist clinical assessments and support patients to work towards their individual recovery goals.

This is an important and rewarding role where you will help ensure patients have a positive and therapeutic experience during their time in hospital. You will need to be confident in building professional and therapeutic relationships, working with people who may have complex needs and supporting effective risk management within the ward environment.

Main duties of the job

Under the direction of Senior and Clinical Practitioners (Occupational Therapy), carry out occupationally focused interventions based on specialist occupational assessment including individual and group work.

Takes leadership from Assistant Practitioners and Senior/Clinical Practitioners within a delegation framework for agreed tasks. This will include supporting with a clinical caseload within the service.

Ensure high standards are maintained in a safe environment, which promotes equality and sensitivity for all individuals.

Ensure patient safety is maintained and patient experience is positive by treating all patients, family, relatives and colleagues with respect, dignity and courtesy in accordance with Trust values.

Closing Date: 15th November 2026

Shortlisting Date: W/C 16th November 2026

Interview Date: TBC

Working for our organisation

Everything we do is underpinned by our core values: -

We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference

We Listen - We understand people’s views and respond to their individual needs

We Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners

We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :

Increase mileage rates for > 4500

A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages

A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities

Plus many more.

We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Right to Work in the UK

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.

Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trust’s eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.

As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right‑to‑work status, including but not limited to visa expiration , revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.

Person specification

Qualifications

• NVQ III in care; QCF diploma level 111 or equivalent
• Caring and working with people/children in a health care environment.
• Numeracy and literacy skills at level 2.

Experience

• Experience of working in Adult Mental Health or Rehabilitation services.
• Experience of dealing with the public

Knowledge

• Ability to communicate verbal and written English.
• A basic knowledge/understanding of the mental health act.
• Ability to work independently demonstrating initiative, decisionmaking and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• High degree of manual dexterity
• Demonstrate safe decision making skills commensurate with role.
• Experience of supervising others.

In view of Home Office Immigration Regulations all applicants must state their current immigration status, including expiry dates.

Bradford District Care Trust is an award-winning Trust that provides a range of innovative services that have been recognised as best practice nationally. As a provider of care for people of all ages who have mental and/or community health needs we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service, close to where people live and as much as possible tailored to an individual’s needs.

The Trust’s purpose is to create connected communities and help people to feel as healthy as they can be at every point in their lives and our vision is to connect people to the best quality care, when and where they need it and be a national role model as an employer and provide our staff with the best place to work.

Bradford has been awarded the coveted status of UK City of Culture 2025. The year is set to deliver more than 1000 new performances and events including 365 artist commissions, a series of major arts festivals as well as exciting national and international collaborations. Its themes will be rooted in the unique heritage and character of Bradford and will reveal the magic of the district that is held in its people, its ambition, and above all, its potential.

We would welcome applicants with lived experience of providing unpaid care and/or support to a family member or friend with a disability, health condition, frailty, mental health problem, addiction or other health and care needs.

We welcome people from all backgrounds and in particular Bradford District Care Trust is keen to reflect the population we serve, we are currently underrepresented in terms of black and minority ethnic staff. Applications are encouraged from the groups, but it must be stressed that selection will be solely on merit and in accordance with the Trust recruitment policy.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.