Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 27 July 2025

Job summary

Are you a passionate Occupational Therapist ready to take the next step in your career? Are you looking for a varied, rewarding role in a supportive community-based team? We have exciting opportunities to join our Community Therapy Teams in Crawley, Horsham and Haywards Heath, working as part of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) - the largest provider of community healthcare in Sussex.

Whether you're looking to grow your clinical skills or are already working at Band 6 level, we welcome applications from forward-thinking Occupational Therapists who are committed to providing high-quality, person-centred care.

Main duties of the job

As a Band 6 Occupational Therapist, you will work autonomously and as part of a friendly and highly skilled interdisciplinary team to manage a diverse caseload of patients with a range of conditions in their own homes and community settings.

Using evidence-based clinical reasoning, you will assess and treat patients, developing individualised and innovative therapy programmes that support independence, function, and quality of life. Your practice will be grounded in compassion, cultural awareness, and respect for individual needs.

You will also play an active role in service development, audit, and education -- contributing to quality improvement, supporting junior staff (Bands 2-5), and supervising Occupational Therapy students. As part of our commitment to career progression, you'll have access to structured development pathways and competency frameworks to enhance your professional growth.

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

16 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year Per-annum pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

150-KB1376-CC-E

Job locations

Hayworthe Villa

Market Place

Haywards Heath

RH16 1DB


Job description

Job responsibilities

What Were Looking For

HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist with relevant post-qualification experience.

Strong assessment and clinical reasoning skills across a range of conditions.

A commitment to patient-centred care and team-based working.

Experience in supporting students or junior staff is desirable.

Passion for learning and contributing to service innovation.

________________________________________

Why Join Us in Haywards Heath, Horsham, or Crawley?

Haywards Heath:

Set in beautiful Mid Sussex, Haywards Heath is a well-connected town with fast rail links to London and Brighton, making it a fantastic place to live and work. Youll enjoy easy access to the South Downs National Park, scenic countryside, excellent schools, and a welcoming community.

Horsham:

Horsham is well connected to major cities like London and Brighton via road and rail, making commuting relatively easy. The town, known for its friendly atmosphere and strong sense of community, offers a good quality of life with access to parks, leisure facilities and a vibrant town centre. Horsham is surrounded by beautiful countryside with historical charm.

Crawley:

Crawley offers a vibrant, diverse environment with great transport links, including Gatwick Airport just minutes away. With strong infrastructure, cultural activities, and green spaces, it's ideal for both professional and personal growth.

Ready to Make a Difference?

We welcome you to join a team that values your ideas, encourages collaboration, and supports your journey. Whether you're based in Crawley, Horsham, or Haywards Heath, this is your opportunity to grow your skills, expand your professional network, and have a genuine impact on peoples lives.

Apply today to become a part of our forward-thinking team at SCFT.

For informal enquiries or to discuss location preferences, please contact Debbie Pirkis, Operational Team Lead.

Job description

Job responsibilities

What Were Looking For

HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist with relevant post-qualification experience.

Strong assessment and clinical reasoning skills across a range of conditions.

A commitment to patient-centred care and team-based working.

Experience in supporting students or junior staff is desirable.

Passion for learning and contributing to service innovation.

________________________________________

Why Join Us in Haywards Heath, Horsham, or Crawley?

Haywards Heath:

Set in beautiful Mid Sussex, Haywards Heath is a well-connected town with fast rail links to London and Brighton, making it a fantastic place to live and work. Youll enjoy easy access to the South Downs National Park, scenic countryside, excellent schools, and a welcoming community.

Horsham:

Horsham is well connected to major cities like London and Brighton via road and rail, making commuting relatively easy. The town, known for its friendly atmosphere and strong sense of community, offers a good quality of life with access to parks, leisure facilities and a vibrant town centre. Horsham is surrounded by beautiful countryside with historical charm.

Crawley:

Crawley offers a vibrant, diverse environment with great transport links, including Gatwick Airport just minutes away. With strong infrastructure, cultural activities, and green spaces, it's ideal for both professional and personal growth.

Ready to Make a Difference?

We welcome you to join a team that values your ideas, encourages collaboration, and supports your journey. Whether you're based in Crawley, Horsham, or Haywards Heath, this is your opportunity to grow your skills, expand your professional network, and have a genuine impact on peoples lives.

Apply today to become a part of our forward-thinking team at SCFT.

For informal enquiries or to discuss location preferences, please contact Debbie Pirkis, Operational Team Lead.

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

16 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year Per-annum pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

150-KB1376-CC-E

Job locations

Hayworthe Villa

Market Place

Haywards Heath

RH16 1DB


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