Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor

NHS; Hailsham; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in England seeks a part-time Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor for its Hellingly Centre. In this Band 4 role, you will conduct music-based activities to support service users' rehabilitation in a secure forensic mental health setting. Essential qualifications include NVQ Level 3 in health care and experience working with mental health difficulties. Join a team dedicated to providing compassionate care and therapeutic interventions for patients with complex needs while participating in a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Free on-site parking

Access to gym facilities

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience working with people with mental health difficulties.
• Ability to play one or more musical instruments.
• Experience of planning and facilitating group music sessions.

Responsibilities

• Plan music-focused sessions aligned with therapy goals.
• Work in a secure forensic environment maintaining professional boundaries.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams for therapeutic planning.

Skills

Music facilitation

Team collaboration

Understanding of mental health

Teaching skills

Education

NVQ Level 3 Health care

Tools

Digital Audio Workstation

Music Instruments

Job description

Job summary

Are you keen to work a fascinating and ever-changing environment?

Are you curious, creative and always looking for new learning opportunities and ways to implement this into practice?

We have a Band 4 Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor vacancy in our central therapies team at the Hellingly Centre - a medium and low secure inpatient service for male and female service users.

Forensic mental healthcare is a unique and fascinating field which provides both challenge and opportunity in abundance.

At the Hellingly Centre, we specialise in the assessment and treatment of people with complex and enduring mental health needs, who have had contact with the criminal justice system.

You will be working with service users who have committed criminal offences, but have also often been victims themselves. Service users regularly experience stigma for both mental health and offending history, so our role is to develop trusting and safe relationships which balance being compassionate, collaborative and supportive with sound risk assessment and management skills.

Main duties of the job

As an Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor, you will contribute to a programme of structured, therapeutic, and recovery-focused interventions within a secure forensic mental health inpatient setting. Under the guidance of qualified Occupational Therapists, you will use music-based activities to foster creativity and self-expression, support the development of functional, cognitive, social, and emotional skills, and help service users build confidence. Your work will play an important role in supporting their rehabilitation and progression through secure care.

Previous experience of working with or supporting people with mental health difficulties is essential and an understanding of the benefits of using music to health and wellbeing.

Desirable experience and skills

• Previous experience of planning and facilitating individual and group music or creative sessions, ideally within a mental health setting or other healthcare setting, community arts or education.
• Ability to play one or more instruments, e.g., guitar, keyboard, drums, percussion.
• Training in audio production, sound recording, or digital music tools (e.g. Ableton, Logic Pro)
• Experience using a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) to record, edit, mix, and produce music.
• Experience of setting up and managing musical equipment safely.
• Basic technical troubleshooting skills, e.g., tuning instruments, simple audio issues.
• Experience of planning and organising music and/or social events.

About us

The Hellingly Centre is a modern purpose built medium secure unit specialising in the assessment and treatment of people with complex and enduring mental health needs, who have had contact with the criminal justice system.

There are 4 specialist wards (2 male medium secure wards – Oak and Ash, 1 female medium secure ward – Blossom and 1 male low secure ward – Elm), each with a strong multi-disciplinary team.

We have a range of therapy facilities within the centre including: a gym, shop, music, woodwork and art rooms and Badger's Caf and allotment space on-site.

The centre is situated within the beautiful Hellingly Country Park and the Cuckoo Trail is also very close by. The local town, Hailsham is under 10 minutes away by car. There is a direct bus link to Eastbourne.

There is a small gym on-site which is available for staff to use. Badger's Cafe is on site and sells a good selection of hot drinks, meals and snacks. There is a large car park and parking is free.

Job details

Date posted: 19 December 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 4

Salary: £27,485 to £30,162 a year pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours

Reference number: 354-FH-20581

Job locations: Hellingly Centre, The Drive, Hailsham, BN27 4EP

Job responsibilities

• Plan and deliver meaningful, music-focussed sessions including music appreciation, instrument-based activities, digital music production, singing or vocal work, rhythm exercises, songwriting, etc., working with occupational therapists to ensure they are aligned with service users' goals and occupational therapy principles.
• Work safely within a secure forensic environment, applying trauma-informed, recovery-focused practice and maintaining professional boundaries.
• Collaborate with Occupational Therapists, ward staff, the wider MDT and service users to support therapeutic goal-setting and care planning.
• Engage service users in person-centred activities, adapting approaches to individual abilities, interests, and needs.
• Maintain records of sessions, progress, and outcomes, contributing to evaluation, audit, and service development.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for full details of the role and requirements.

There will be access to regular supervision, reflective practice and training and development opportunities, including attendance to communities of practice.

This role is part time (30 hours), across Monday - Friday. Flexible working requests will be considered.

Please apply using the link in this advert. For any further information regarding the role and/or to arrange a visit, please contact:

Amy Boot, Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist – [e-mail] / 07471034261 or Emily Barnard, Acting Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist – [e-mail].

Person Specification

Qualifications – Essential

• NVQ Level 3 Health care or equivalent in subject relevant to service area

Qualifications – Desirable

• NVQ Level 4 Healthcare or equivalent in subject relevant to service area

Knowledge/Experience – Essential

• Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties
• Experience working as part of a team
• An understanding of the benefits of music activities to health and wellbeing
• Experience of being supervised

Knowledge/Experience – Desirable

• Experience of supporting others to develop creative/leisure/social skills
• Experience of facilitating individual and group music related activities
• Training in audio production, sound recording, or digital music tools (e.g. Ableton, Logic Pro)

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Hellingly Centre

The Drive

Hailsham

BN27 4EP

Employer's website: https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/