Senior Occupational Therapist

The Methodist Church in Britain; Tooting; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Career development

Job summary

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust is recruiting a Senior Occupational Therapist to join the Forensic Outreach Service, supporting a new step-down service opening in January 2027. You will deliver MOHO-informed assessments and recovery-focused interventions, contribute to risk management and supervise junior staff.

You will operate within a multidisciplinary team across community and inpatient settings, participate in MAPPA and CPA reviews, promote equality, and support

Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Evidence of post-registration training relevant to mental health or forensic practice.

Responsibilities

• Deliver MOHO-informed occupational therapy assessments and recovery-focused interventions.
• Contribute to risk assessment and management, care planning and MAPPA reviews.
• Manage a defined caseload across community and clinical settings.
• Provide clinical supervision to junior staff and students.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team and participate in MDT decisions.
• Support service development initiatives and audits.
• Work within the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act as appropriate.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Report writing

Critical reflection

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy

Post-registration training in mental health/forensic practice

Job description

Senior Occupational Therapist post in the Forensic Outreach Service at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, providing clinical input to a new forensic step-down supported living service due to open in January 2027. The service moves adults from Adult Secure inpatient care into community living, delivered with a voluntary sector partner. The post holder would deliver MOHO-informed assessments and recovery-focused interventions, contribute to risk management, care planning and MAPPA, and supervise junior staff and students. HCPC registration is required, and sponsorship is not offered.

What the job involves

• Deliver specialist occupational therapy assessments and recovery-focused interventions, informed by the Model of Human Occupation, for people in the forensic step-down service
• Contribute to risk assessment and management, care planning and CPA reviews
• Manage a defined caseload, delivering interventions across community and clinical settings
• Contribute to MAPPA processes and multi-agency working
• Provide clinical supervision, guidance and support to junior occupational therapy staff, support staff and students
• Work within a multidisciplinary community team, liaising with inpatient services, community services and external agencies
• Attend multidisciplinary decision-making meetings, including CPA reviews, risk management meetings and tribunals where appropriate
• Act as Disability Champion, promoting equality, accessibility and inclusion and supporting the team to meet disability equality standards
• Contribute to delegated occupational therapy and multidisciplinary projects with support from senior staff
• Work within the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act as appropriate to the role
• Respond flexibly to clinical demand, prioritising urgent referrals

What’s required

Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
• Evidence of post-registration training relevant to mental health or forensic practice

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration

Experience

• Experience of carrying a caseload in a mental health setting
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of individual and group interventions
• Experience of maintaining a continuing professional development portfolio
• Experience of taking part in a service development initiative

Skills & knowledge

• Interpersonal and communication skills to build therapeutic relationships with complex service users
• Strong written communication and report writing skills
• Ability to reflect on and critically evaluate own practice
• Ability to build effective clinical relationships across multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams

Checks & eligibility

• Evidence of right to work in the UK

Nice to have

• Membership of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)
• Experience of working with people with mental health needs and/or a forensic population
• Experience of supervising junior staff or students
• Completion of preceptorship
• Experience of using mental health services as a service user, carer, relative or friend

What’s offered

• Flexible working
• Career development
• A range of benefits, not itemised in the advert