Occupational Therapy Assistant

Job summary

If you are looking for a rare and exciting support staff post and a new challenge, and have a particular interest in women's services then this is the position for you.

The Trust is seeking a part time Occupational Therapy assistant to join the team at the Women's Secure Service to lead the first NWL-wide, female-only Level 2 High Support Rehabilitation service at Melrose ward.

This vacancy has arisen due to new investment from NWL Integrated Care Board because of a growing need for placements for female patients with complex care needs, who are increasingly being placed in independent sector placements- which is socially dislocating and comes at a significant cost to the NHS.

This post is 3 days a week within The Orchard, St Bernards Hospital, Ealing- a unit which provides high-quality care for women who have mental illness, or a personality disorder and who need care in a low or medium secure setting.

We have a wider Occupational Therapy service comprising of occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, activity coordinators and Recovery Support workers.

You will be supervised and supported by an Occupational Therapist to deliver an occupational therapy led program within the Forensic services.

We have a service wide requirement to deliver a range of off ward group programmes that develop service user' skills and function in line with recovery principles and practice.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will join an already established Occupational Therapy service which spans the services mentioned above. In this role you will be working directly with specialist Occupational Therapy practitioners who work predominately with in-patients to provide a cross ward Occupational Therapy and Vocational programme with good links into the community.

We have a service wide requirement to deliver a range of off ward group programmes that develop service user' skills and function in line with recovery principles and practice. These include social skills, transitions, life skills, goal setting, self-catering and leisure management a lot of these skills are developed within our vocational programme.

Occupational Therapists lead in the development and provision of vocational pathways for our service users that are within the secure perimeter and lead out into the community with storing links Vocational Service in West Ealing, also within the trust.

Our links with education and physical activity services on the St Bernard's site are also essential so that service users can gain the qualifications that they need to develop their skills and CV's further.

As an Occupational Therapy Assistant your role will be to implement assessment goals and provide interventions with service users directed by the Occupational Therapists within the service.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.