Research jobs in United Kingdom

The Occupational Therapy role is embedded within our community mental health service, with a particular focus on the rehabilitation and reablement of service users. The rehabilitation pathway is designed to support individuals regain their independence and improve their quality of life by delivering a variety of interventions which include activities that promote daily living skills, social skills, and vocational skills. The goal is to help individuals develop a sense of routine and purpose, which can significantly aid in their recovery process.

The Occupational Therapist will take a leading role in the development and delivery of Occupational Therapy services, providing specialist assessments and interventions in both individual and group settings. Collaboration with other healthcare professionals, such as nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers is integral to this role, ensuring service users receive comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of their well-being.
• Manage a clinical caseload of service users with complex mental health needs.
• Act as Care Co-ordinator and/or vocational lead where appropriate.
• Identify and work towards OT goals as part of the multi-disciplinary care plan.
• Deliver OT-specific assessments and interventions in both individual and group formats.
• Use specialist mental health and OT assessment tools and treatment techniques.
• Provide interventions in various settings to ensure effective care.
• Promote independence through daily living, social, and vocational skills.
• Assess for and provide equipment to enhance independence.
• Monitor, evaluate, and modify treatment plans to measure progress and outcomes.
• Deliver services within the Care Programme Approach framework.
• Apply a high level of understanding of disability and provide life skills training.
• Prioritise referrals and manage effective discharge planning.
• Contribute to and carry out risk assessments and management plans.
• Work collaboratively as part of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
• Supervise support workers and OT students on placement.
• Participate in service development, research, and audit activities.
• Maintain up-to-date electronic and written records in line with Trust standards.
• Ensure practice is evidence-based and aligned with national guidelines and legislation.
• Attend mandatory training and maintain a CPD portfolio.
• Promote service user involvement and uphold Trust values.

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.

We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
• We’re Kind
• We’re Fair
• We Listen
• We Care

Clinical Responsibilities
• Caseload Management: Hold a capped caseload of service users with complex mental health needs. Act as Care Co-ordinator and/or vocational lead where appropriate.
• Assessment & Intervention: Use specialist OT and mental health tools to assess and plan interventions. Deliver both individual and group-based therapeutic activities tailored to service user goals.
• Settings: Provide interventions across various settings (e.g., home, community, clinic) to ensure accessibility and effectiveness.
• Daily Living & Vocational Skills: Promote independence through activities that enhance self-care, leisure, and work-related skills. Provide equipment to support independence where physical disabilities are present.
• Monitoring & Evaluation: Regularly review and adapt treatment plans to ensure progress and positive outcomes. Use evidence-based approaches and outcome measures.
• Care Programme Approach (CPA): Deliver services within the CPA framework, ensuring comprehensive care planning and review.
• Risk Management: Conduct and contribute to risk assessments and implement risk management plans in collaboration with the MDT.
• Discharge Planning: Ensure timely and effective discharge, providing relevant information to service users and external agencies.

Teamwork & Collaboration
• Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT): Work closely with nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other professionals to deliver holistic care.
• Clinical Meetings: Attend and contribute to MDT meetings, case discussions, and care planning sessions.
• OT Leadership: Provide specialist OT input to the team, promoting the role and value of occupational therapy within mental health services.

Supervision & Development
• Support Staff & Students: Supervise OT support workers and students on placement, offering guidance, feedback, and learning opportunities.
• Professional Development: Maintain a CPD portfolio, attend mandatory and specialist training, and engage in reflective practice.
• Evidence-Based Practice: Stay updated with national guidelines and research. Apply current evidence to clinical practice and contribute to the development of OT services.

Research & Audit
• Service Improvement: Participate in audits, quality improvement initiatives, and service evaluations.
• Research Engagement: Critically appraise and apply research findings to practice. Contribute to local research projects where appropriate.

Communication
• Service Users & Carers: Communicate effectively and compassionately, adapting methods to meet individual needs (e.g., cognitive or communication difficulties).
• Documentation: Maintain accurate, timely, and professional records in line with Trust and HCPC standards.
• Reporting: Follow Trust procedures for reporting incidents, complaints, and safeguarding concerns.

Governance & Compliance
• Health & Safety: Adhere to all relevant health and safety regulations and promote a safe working environment.
• Infection Control: Comply with infection prevention policies and complete mandatory training.
• Safeguarding: Recognise and report safeguarding concerns. Undertake training appropriate to the role.
• Equality & Inclusion: Uphold the Trust’s commitment to equality, diversity, and human rights in all aspects of work.

Trust Values & Sustainability
• Values-Driven Practice: Embody Oxleas’ values—Kindness, Fairness, Listening, and Caring—in all interactions.
• Sustainability: Support the Trust’s Green Plan and contribute to initiatives aimed at achieving Net Zero by 2040.


This advert closes on Sunday 17 Aug 2025