Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Senior Occupational Therapist at Wathwood Hospital, a medium secure mental health unit based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. We are seeking to recruit a senior occupational therapist to join our occupational therapy and education team and work with our fantastic multi-disciplinary teams within the hospital to provide assessment, risk management, care and treatment to aid recovery and further the patient journey.
Wathwood Hospital is a purpose-built, 78 bed adult, male, medium secure hospital. Located in its own grounds and surrounded by open countryside and woods, it caters for those aged between 18 and 65 who require assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties in a secure environment.
The post holder will manage a clinical caseload as well as facilitating evidence-based interventions. You will be occupational therapy lead to a given ward and have oversight and supervision of junior staff within the occupational therapy team.
This is a full-time position, but part-time applicants are welcome to apply.
Informal visits and enquires are encouraged. Please contact Emma Parr, occupational therapy professional lead 01709 870822 Emma.Parr@nottshc.nhs.uk
Interviews for this vacancy will be held on 26th February 2026.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a compassionate, enthusiastic, and highly motivated individual to work in a challenging but rewarding role, to make a difference to the lives of our patients.
As a senior therapist you will be expected to manage a clinical caseload as well as provide group and individual interventions. The hospital has excellent facilities for patients and provides a wide range of leisure, sport, craft, vocational and educational opportunities.
You willhave responsibility for being the occupational therapy lead for a given ward. This will involve providing clinical leadership for a band 5 OT and other therapy staff working on the ward and overseeing the ward therapy programme. You will also have opportunity to develop and build skills in group therapy, working alongside psychological therapy and nursing colleagues.
You will be expected to supervise other occupational therapy staff and students on clinical placements. You will also have opportunities to lead on service development initiatives.
Day to day you will be supported by an occupational therapy professional lead and a clinical lead occupational therapist. Regular clinical supervision and professional support are offered along with opportunities for professional development. We want to help our staff reach their full potential and are committed to providing the support, skills and development needed to success.
About us
#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.
We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.
We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.
The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.
The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role.
Applicants must have a degree/diploma in occupational therapy and registration with the HCPC.
To develop and provide effective programmes of specialist occupational therapy and contribute to the overall occupational therapy service development. The role involves deputising for senior staff as required.
Significant experience and skill in occupational therapy assessment, treatment planning and evaluation within a mental health setting is essential.
Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, along with a commitment to providing the highest standard of care.
You must be able to work flexibly to accommodate the needs of the service.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role.
Applicants must have a degree/diploma in occupational therapy and registration with the HCPC.
To develop and provide effective programmes of specialist occupational therapy and contribute to the overall occupational therapy service development. The role involves deputising for senior staff as required.
Significant experience and skill in occupational therapy assessment, treatment planning and evaluation within a mental health setting is essential.
Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, along with a commitment to providing the highest standard of care.
You must be able to work flexibly to accommodate the needs of the service.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Person Specification
Contractual
Essential
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, including occasional evenings and weekends on a rotational basis
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent
- Current Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration
- Additional Postgraduate qualifications to Diploma or equivalent level as relevant to the post
- Fieldwork Educators qualification and APPLE accredited/prepared to undertake training as necessary
Desirable
- Clinical leadership qualification
- Supervision and appraisal training
- Additional training as relevant to the post
- Accredited training in standardised OT assessments and outcome measures
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in occupational therapy assessment, treatment planning, delivery and evaluation in a mental health setting with minimal supervision
- Significant experience of planning and facilitating a variety of individual and group occupational therapy interventions in a variety of environments
- Experience of supervising OT students as well as qualified and unqualified staff
- Experience of maintaining high quality written records and producing reports
Desirable
- Experience of working in a secure setting, e.g. prison, young offenders institution or forensic unit
- Experience of research and/or clinical audit
- Experience of service development and/or leading on clinical initiatives
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and application of occupational therapy evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
- Detailed knowledge of treatment models and approaches used in mental health and personality disorder services
- Knowledge of patient focused approaches and user/carer involvement initiatives
- Knowledge of health and safety and clinical risk issues relating to forensic practice
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation
- Knowledge of Wathwood Hospital and its purpose
Skills
Essential
- Ability to motivate patients and staff
- Ability to work independently and prioritise own workload
- Good communication, negotiation and liaison skills (both oral and written)
- Ability to function effectively within a multi-professional team and develop cohesive working relationships
- Ability to maintain clear professional boundaries when working with a challenging patient group
- Skilled in applying evidence to practice
Desirable
- Presentation and training skills
- Other skills relevant to the post
Values and Behaviours
Essential
- All colleagues are expected to demonstrate at interview that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
- All staff should be able to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as identified within the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy and associated Equality, Diversity and Human Rights legislation
Person Specification
Contractual
Essential
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, including occasional evenings and weekends on a rotational basis
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent
- Current Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration
- Additional Postgraduate qualifications to Diploma or equivalent level as relevant to the post
- Fieldwork Educators qualification and APPLE accredited/prepared to undertake training as necessary
Desirable
- Clinical leadership qualification
- Supervision and appraisal training
- Additional training as relevant to the post
- Accredited training in standardised OT assessments and outcome measures
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in occupational therapy assessment, treatment planning, delivery and evaluation in a mental health setting with minimal supervision
- Significant experience of planning and facilitating a variety of individual and group occupational therapy interventions in a variety of environments
- Experience of supervising OT students as well as qualified and unqualified staff
- Experience of maintaining high quality written records and producing reports
Desirable
- Experience of working in a secure setting, e.g. prison, young offenders institution or forensic unit
- Experience of research and/or clinical audit
- Experience of service development and/or leading on clinical initiatives
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and application of occupational therapy evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
- Detailed knowledge of treatment models and approaches used in mental health and personality disorder services
- Knowledge of patient focused approaches and user/carer involvement initiatives
- Knowledge of health and safety and clinical risk issues relating to forensic practice
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation
- Knowledge of Wathwood Hospital and its purpose
Skills
Essential
- Ability to motivate patients and staff
- Ability to work independently and prioritise own workload
- Good communication, negotiation and liaison skills (both oral and written)
- Ability to function effectively within a multi-professional team and develop cohesive working relationships
- Ability to maintain clear professional boundaries when working with a challenging patient group
- Skilled in applying evidence to practice
Desirable
- Presentation and training skills
- Other skills relevant to the post
Values and Behaviours
Essential
- All colleagues are expected to demonstrate at interview that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
- All staff should be able to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as identified within the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy and associated Equality, Diversity and Human Rights legislation
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.
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.
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).
