Specialist Occupational Therapist

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A public healthcare organization in Tees Valley seeks a confident Specialist Occupational Therapist (Band 6) to join their multidisciplinary team. The role involves delivering evidence-based occupational therapy for adults with mental health needs. Candidates should possess the necessary professional qualifications and experience, with the ability to work collaboratively in a team, engage clients and their families, and uphold the trust's policies. Opportunities for training and development are available.

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering occupational therapy.
• Experience of supporting people with mental health issues or learning disabilities.
• Engagement with families and carers.

Responsibilities

• Provide evidence-based occupational therapy assessment and interventions.
• Engage with individuals with mental health needs.
• Participate in multi-disciplinary team working.

Skills

Client-centred approach

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

Appropriate professional qualification for occupational therapy role

Current relevant registration

Post graduate training in relevant specialist area

Job description

Go back Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 21 October 2025

The Hartlepool Occupational Therapy Hub Team are looking to recruit a confident, and enthusiastic Specialist Occupational Therapist (Band 6) to join their team working alongside our existing Lead Occupational Therapist, Specialist Occupational Therapist and Occupational Therapy assistants, as part of a diverse multidisciplinary team.

This post is suitable for an existing Band 6 or a post-preceptorship Band 5 therapist who has developed their skills and is ready for a new opportunity within community adult mental health services.

The OT Hub provides specialist advice, assessment, support and intervention for people with a mental health diagnosis.

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible for receiving requests for occupational therapy, triaging and prioritising these, completing evidence-based assessments and interventions to address key occupational areas of self care, productivity and leisure.
• to use client-centred approaches to co-producing negotiated occupational goals and evaluate these with service users collaboratively.
• To participate in clinical/professional and management supervision
• To contribute to multi-disciplinary team working
• To contribute to and lead on service improvement and quality initiatives
• To use the Trust electronic patient record system
• To abide by all Trust policies and procedures
• To be able to respond flexibly and creatively to challenges

About us

This post is based in Hartlepool.

The multi-disciplinary team works with adults who may have mental health needs and/or neurodiversity. Occupational Therapy plays a key role within the service to support individuals to develop and maintain their occupational performance skills.

You will access wider support from the occupational therapy network across TEWV, to develop a way of delivering a high quality, needs-led OT service, utilising core occupational therapy skills to ensure all of the people we work with have a robust occupational therapy assessment and intervention plan in place.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will provide evidence-based occupational therapy assessment and interventions as part of the OT Pathway.

All team members must be committed to providing the best possible care for the people we work with and involve families/carers.

The ability to engage and communicate with adults with mental health needs and/or neurodiversity as well as the parents/family/carers and system around them is essential.

Clinical/Professional supervision is provided by the supervising Occupational Therapist as identified by the relevant Lead OT. The post holder will attend OT Learning and Governance Networks to ensure fidelity to core occupational therapy delivery, enhance CPD and contribute to the wider OT service developments.

You must be able to demonstrate experience of delivery of occupational therapy, keenness to continually develop themselves and others, and a particular interest in this field of OT. We will support use of transferrable skills from a range of clinical settings.

There are varied opportunities for training and development, with CPD needs being identified and monitored through appraisal.

In the event that permanent funding is secured for this post the successful applicant will be confirmed in post on a permanent basis.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.

Due to the nature of the role it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Person Specification

Qualification

• Appropriate professional qualification for occupational therapy role
• Current relevant registration with specific regulatory body
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) level 7 for international recruits
• Post graduate training in relevant specialist area

Experience

• Experience of working in a variety of practice areas whilst on student placements (or postgraduate)
• Experience of supporting people with mental health issues, learning disability or autism
• Experience of working in Multidisciplinary Team

Knowledge

• Understanding of the needs of people who use our services with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.
• Awareness of professional standards and their application to practice
• Clinical risk assessment and application in practice
• Knowledge of evidencebased practice in designated specialist area

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.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust