Senior Occupational Therapist

Bristol City Council; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol City Council is seeking a Senior Occupational Therapist to join the Inner City and East Locality Team. You will lead on complex assessments, promote early intervention and prevention, and support independence, safety, and wellbeing.

You will supervise and guide OT staff within the service, work within Care Act frameworks, and collaborate across internal and external agencies to deliver high-quality care. Hybrid working is available with office presence required part of the week.

Qualifications

• Senior OT leading on complex assessments and service improvements.
• Lead on moving and handling, risk management plans.
• Collaborate across social care and health partners.

Responsibilities

• Offer professional triage and screening.
• Recommend and implement evidence-based interventions.
• Lead on complex Moving and handling and risk plans.
• Collaborate with service users, carers, and families.
• Provide input into multidisciplinary decision-making forums.
• Manage the duty desk triage to match risk and need.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical expertise

Multi-disciplinary working

Risk assessment

Co-production

Education

Registered Occupational Therapist

Job description

Full Time, PermanentThis is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Occupational Therapist to be part of our Inner City and East Locality Team. The team is a multi-disciplinary service offering the people of Bristol a strengths-based approach to their supportneeds.

Full Time, PermanentThis is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Occupational Therapist to be part of our Inner City and East Locality Team. The team is a multi-disciplinary service offering the people of Bristol a strengths-based approach to their supportneeds. As a Senior Occupational Therapist in the service, you will be an important part of the leadership team, working alongside the Senior practitioners and supporting the Team Managers. You will play a critical role within a fast paced, multidisciplinary service, providing timely, strengths based clinical expertise for adults seeking support. You will lead on complex assessments, promote early intervention and prevention, and ensure that individuals receive proportionate, outcome focused responses that maximise independence, safety, and wellbeing.

Professional Leadership

You will supervise, and support Occupational Therapist, Social Care Practitioners, and Occupational Therapy assistants, within the service. You will work within the statutory structure of the Care Act 2014 and other relevant legislation, supporting practitioners to undertake high quality Care Act Assessments, Carer assessments, S42 Enquiry planning, Mental Capacity Assessments and Best Interest Assessments. Also you will work closely with internal and external agencies and departments across all Adult Social Care. You will have a strong passion for Equity and Inclusion valuing peoples individuality and giving them the freedom to be themselves and express life as they wish it to be. This role blends expert Occupational therapy practice with leadership responsibilities, supporting the professional development of others, modelling best practice, and contributing to service improvement.

Clinical Occupational therapy Practice

You will offer professional triage and screening to support effective decision‑making. Recommend and implement evidence‑based interventions that reduce risk, enable independence, and prevent escalation of need. Lead on complex Moving and handling, postural assessments and risk management plans. You will work collaboratively with service users, carers, and families to develop co‑produced support plans.

Multi‑Disciplinary Working

You Will:

• Work closely with social workers, occupational therapists, unregistered practitioners, and partner organisations to deliver integrated, holistic support.
• Provide expert Occupational therapy input into multidisciplinary decision-making forums, panels, and case discussions.
• Promote an understanding of Occupational therapy as a specialism within the service and working towards greater integrated practice.
• Build strong relationships with external partners including health services, housing, and voluntary sector organisations within the community.
• Manage our duty desk on a rotational basis – triaging referrals to enable a proportionate response based on risk, urgency and need.

Travel across the City either from home or from Robinson House, Hockeys Lane, Fishponds where the service is based. Currently, working from home is permitted but you would be expected to work from the office a minimum of 2 days per week.

Please note that this role is also subject to an Enhanced DBS Check.

Why Bristol City Council?

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high-profile organisation. For the majority of our roles hybrid working arrangements are available, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice - mixing both home and office working. Join us and you’ll receive an excellent rewards package including flexible working and flexitime, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you’ll be working in a supportive environment where you’ll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

We're a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.

Bristol City Council strives to have a workforce that reflects the communities it serves, we are therefore committed to ensuring diversity in our hiring process. We welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. Appointments will be made on merit.

The personal information section (including your name) you’ll complete as part of the application form will not be visible to hiring managers, but is used confidentially to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.