Occupational Therapy Assistant Essex

St Andrew's Healthcare; Basildon; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Blue Light Card discounts

35 days annual leave

Life cover

Electric car lease scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Healthcare cash plan

Free parking

Paid DBS application

Job summary

St Andrew's Healthcare in Essex is seeking an enthusiastic Occupational Therapy Assistant to support a locked rehabilitation environment under the guidance of a registered Occupational Therapist. You will deliver patient-centred activities and apply the Vona Du Toit Model of Creative Ability, with structured training, weekly staff development sessions and regular supervision.

You will collaborate with the Occupational Therapy team to help patients build confidence, develop skills and work toward

Qualifications

• Resilience under pressure in a secure environment.
• Physical stamina for activity-based interventions.
• Positive role-modeling and professional boundaries.
• Interest in meaningful, therapeutic activities.
• Adaptability to changing clinical priorities.
• Clear, respectful communication within MDT.
• Team collaboration and proactive support of colleagues.
• Experience in de-escalation and managing challenging behaviours.

Responsibilities

• Deliver patient-centred therapeutic activities under supervision.
• Apply the Vona Du Toit Model of Creative Ability in assessment and intervention.
• Participate in staff development and supervision sessions.
• Support patients in structured rehabilitation and progressing toward goals.

Job description

Occupational Therapy Assistant – Essex

Location: Essex

About St Andrew’s

St Andrew’s is a charity specialising in complex mental health. Its mission is to help people with complex mental health needs transform their lives.

Occupational Therapy Assistant – Essex

From £24,973 - £26,906 (dependent on experience) plus £1,250 Essex Allowance

Location: Essex

Hours: Full Time 37.5 hours a week

About St Andrew’s

St Andrew’s is a charity specialising in complex mental health. Its mission is to help people with complex mental health needs transform their lives. With its history dating back nearly two centuries, St Andrew’s today is undergoing significant change to deliver on its mission for years to come. St Andrew’s has hospitals in Birmingham and Essex, with its base in Northampton. It delivers inpatient and outpatient services, as well as dedicated care services for adults.

Your role with us

We are seeking an enthusiastic and resilient Occupational Therapy Assistant to join our team within a locked rehabilitation environment. This setting can be demanding, so the role requires both physical and mental resilience, alongside a calm, grounded approach when supporting individuals with complex needs.

Our Occupational Therapy programme is guided by the Vona Du Toit Model of Creative Ability, which underpins how we assess, plan and deliver therapeutic interventions. You will receive structured training, weekly staff development sessions and regular supervision to deepen your understanding of the model, with the expectation that you will apply it confidently in day‑to‑day practice.

Working under the guidance of a registered Occupational Therapist, you will use your technical, practical and creative skills to deliver patient‑centred therapeutic activities, informed my our clnical treatment model, that help individuals build confidence, develop skills and work towards meaningful goals. You will also act as a positive role model, supporting patients to engage safely and meaningfully in a structured rehabilitation environment.

You will be part of a highly motivated Occupational Therapy team, with opportunities to contribute to staff training, service development and receive regular supervision from a Senior Occupational Therapist.

Your profile

You Should Have

• Emotional resilience — able to remain calm, grounded and professional when working with individuals who present complex needs or unpredictable behaviour.
• Physical resilience — capable of supporting activity‑based interventions, managing an active timetable and working safely in a secure environment.
• Positive role‑modelling — demonstrates pro‑social behaviour, healthy boundaries and consistent routines that support patient recovery.
• Interest in meaningful activities — enthusiasm for engaging patients in purposeful, therapeutic and leisure‑based activities.
• Adaptability — able to adjust approaches, communication and activity plans to meet individual needs and changing clinical priorities.
• Effective communication — clear, respectful and confident communication with patients, colleagues and the wider MDT.
• Team collaboration — works well within a structured team, contributing positively to shared goals and supporting colleagues.
• Ability to work under pressure — maintains professionalism and decision‑making in fast‑paced or challenging situations.
• Rapport‑building skills — able to form therapeutic, trusting relationships with individuals who may be guarded, distressed or mistrustful.
• Confidence in managing behaviours that challenge — understands de‑escalation principles and can maintain safe, boundaried interactions.
• Creativity — able to design and deliver engaging activity sessions that motivate and inspire participation.
• Initiative and self‑direction — able to complete delegated tasks independently, organise workload and contribute ideas to service development.
• Understanding of the Vona Du Toit Model of Creative Ability — or willingness to learn and apply the model in assessment, intervention planning and activity delivery.
• Commitment to professional development — engages in weekly staff development sessions, supervision and training to enhance practice.
• Respectful, non‑judgmental attitude — values dignity, equality and person‑centred care in all interactions.

Our patients and your colleagues will expect you to live the St Andrew’s CARE values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence every single day.

Reward And Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package including: Pension; Sickness policy on par with the NHS; Access to the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts schemes; 35 days annual leave (including bank holidays), increasing after 10 years' service; Life cover; Electric Car lease scheme; Cycle to work scheme; Healthcare cash plan; Free parking; Paid DBS application

Closing Date: Sunday 25th October 2026