Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 18 May 2025

Job summary

Are you a passionate and experienced Occupational Therapist ready to make a real difference? Do you thrive in dynamic environments, where your skills and expertise can transform lives? If so, we want to hear from you!

We have an exciting opportunity for a B6 Occupational Therapist in our Community Therapy Team North (Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex) to come and work in the service to provide holistic, person centered therapeutic rehabilitation. You will work as part of a well-established wider Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) across our local communities.

Our teams work flexibly to provide a seven-day service, 365 days a year, between 8am and 6pm.

Main duties of the job

The Role:

As a Senior Occupational Therapist, you will play a pivotal role in supporting a diverse range of patients--helping them to improve their ability to perform everyday activities with confidence and independence. Your extensive knowledge and experience will be instrumental in developing and leading therapeutic interventions, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and mentoring junior staff.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead and Inspire: Lead the delivery of high-quality occupational therapy services, setting the standard for practice and patient care.
  • Patient-Centered Approach: Assess, plan, and implement evidence-based interventions to support individuals with a variety of physical and mental health conditions.
  • Collaborative Work: Work closely with other healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, nurses, and doctors, to create comprehensive care plans tailored to each patient's needs.
  • Mentorship: Guide and mentor junior and newly qualified therapists, sharing your expertise and nurturing their professional development.
  • Clinical Excellence: Stay at the forefront of advancements in occupational therapy, continuously improving your practice and ensuring that interventions reflect the latest evidence-based practices.
  • Outcome-Focused: Monitor and evaluate patient progress, adjusting therapy plans as necessary to ensure the best outcomes.

You will need to able to drive with a full UK license due to the geographic area covered by the team.

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex. Our 6,000 staff serve a population of 1.3 million providing essential medical, nursing, and therapeutic care to adults and children.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community, helping people plan, manage, adapt to changes in their health, supporting avoidable hospital admissions and reducing hospital stay times.

We have opportunities for everyone across our wide variety of services including medical, clinical, support and corporate services.

Why work for us?

  • Positive 2022 NHS Staff Survey results, scoring highly in compassionate culture & leadership, and staff wellbeing support
  • Variety of working environments across the community, in patients' homes, within our community hospitals and bases across the county
  • Supportive flexible working patterns such as: part time, flexi time, annualised hours, and flexi retirement options
  • Excellent training and development opportunities
  • Research opportunities
  • Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove and Brighton
  • Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
  • Level 3 accredited Disability Confident Leader, committed to creating inclusive workplaces
  • Veteran Aware Trust, achieving accreditation from Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA)
  • Located in stunning Sussex, with easy access to the South Downs and the coast
  • Access to a wide range of benefits and discounts for NHS staff

Details

Date posted

09 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year Per-annum pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

150-KB1376-CC-C

Job locations

Hayworthe Villa

Market Place

Haywards Heath

RH16 1DB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information is available in the attached job description and person specification.

If you would like to discuss this role or find out more, you can contact our Team Lead, Debbie Pirkis, debbie.pirkis@nhs.net

Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information is available in the attached job description and person specification.

If you would like to discuss this role or find out more, you can contact our Team Lead, Debbie Pirkis, debbie.pirkis@nhs.net

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional qualification in in Occupational Therapy
  • Current registration with the Health Professions Council as an Occupational Therapist
  • Evidence of ongoing education

Desirable

  • Fieldwork supervisors or mentorship course

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 2 years postgraduate experience as an Occupational Therapist
  • Experience of working in a range of clinical specialties
  • Prescription of daily living equipment

Desirable

  • Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in hospital and community settings
  • Supervision of other staff

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Broad range of occupational therapy skills gained through post-registration experience
  • Ability to manage complex situations
  • Ability to use initiative
  • Good communicator
  • Good time management

Desirable

  • Ability to delegate clinical work
  • Use of electronic records

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Valid driving licence
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional qualification in in Occupational Therapy
  • Current registration with the Health Professions Council as an Occupational Therapist
  • Evidence of ongoing education

Desirable

  • Fieldwork supervisors or mentorship course

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 2 years postgraduate experience as an Occupational Therapist
  • Experience of working in a range of clinical specialties
  • Prescription of daily living equipment

Desirable

  • Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in hospital and community settings
  • Supervision of other staff

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Broad range of occupational therapy skills gained through post-registration experience
  • Ability to manage complex situations
  • Ability to use initiative
  • Good communicator
  • Good time management

Desirable

  • Ability to delegate clinical work
  • Use of electronic records

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Valid driving licence

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 the 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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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 the 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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hayworthe Villa

Market Place

Haywards Heath

RH16 1DB


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hayworthe Villa

Market Place

Haywards Heath

RH16 1DB


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Team Lead Community Therapy Team North

Debbie Pirkis

debbie.pirkis@nhs.net

07484403616

Details

Date posted

09 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year Per-annum pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

150-KB1376-CC-C

Job locations

Hayworthe Villa

Market Place

Haywards Heath

RH16 1DB


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