South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Occupational Therapist (Avalon Ward)

The closing date is 17 September 2025

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for a dynamic, forward-looking Band 6 occupational therapist to join our Adult Eating Disorders Inpatient ward working alongside and occupational therapy apprentice. You will have experience in mental health and occupational therapy and whilst desirable, eating disorder experience is not necessary as full support will be given to develop expertise in this area. This is a great opportunity for as existing Band 6 looking to widen their skills or a Band 5 OT looking to progress their career.

You will be part of a wider occupational therapy team within the eating disorder service and provide specialist assessments and plan and implement treatment for people with severe eating disorders which will include eating with clients on the unit and the community.

Main duties of the job

To manage a caseload of clients with complex psychological and physical needs, using evidence based/client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.

To provide outcome-oriented group and individual occupation-focused interventions including community work.

To provide safe, effective, quality OT interventions that ensure positive client experience.

To provide generic keywork or hold a link worker role for a specified number of clients.

To provide carer interventions.

To work within other parts of the service as required.

To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of OT services within the eating disorders service, leading on delegated projects.

To act as the designated 'Disability Champion' leading the multi-disciplinary team in Disability Equality matters within your area and other areas as required.

To contribute to the maintenance and development of the Trust OT Service

To support OT students on practice placement.

To promote recovery and social inclusion.

To take responsibility for managing clinical risk and single-handedly implementing OT treatment

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

About our locations:

Springfield University Hospital, Tooting

Our largest, 19-ward site is in Springfield Village, created following our £150m investment into two new world class mental health facilities. A 32-acre public park, shops and cafes are coming soon. Close to shops, cafes and Tooting Bec on the Northern Line plus Earlsfield and Tooting rail stations and bus routes.

Details

Date posted

03 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£46,419 to £55,046 a year per annum inclusive of Inner London HCAs

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

294-CAMHS-7454857-FZ

Job locations

Springfield Hospital

Tooting

SW17 7DJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To apply a high level of understanding of the effects of disability on occupational performance and provide training and advice on lifestyles changes and adaptations to the clients social and physical environment.
  • To promote equality of outcome for service users that reflect their mental health needs and those of ethnicity, gender, culture physical health and age.
  • To promote social inclusion and physical and mental well-being using evidence-based practice. This is underpinned by the principles of hope and recovery, health promotion and relapse prevention.
  • To independently manage a clinical caseload of service users with complex mental health needs, taking on the role of keyworker and/or vocational lead where relevant.
  • To identify occupational therapy goals as part of the overall care plan, using specialist mental health and occupational therapy assessments, including Model of Human Occupation tools.
  • To exercise clinical professional judgement in complex clinical cases and difficult clinical situation, referring to senior staff when necessary.
  • To consider both physical and mental health needs as part of the occupational therapy assessment.
  • To plan and implement specialist individual and/or group interventions collaboratively, to enable service users to achieve valued goals and satisfactory occupational performance outcome. To use psychological interventions in conjunctions to occupation-focussed interventions (e.g. CBT, DBT, MBT etc)
  • To identify any significant risk factors in line with local policies, with support from senior staff.
  • To contribute to and work within clinical pathways and protocols.
  • To evaluate effectiveness of therapy interventions and quality of clinical decisions in conjunction with service users/carers, other professionals etc.
  • To fully adhere to defined OT care pathways or protocols

To work flexible hours according to the requirements

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To apply a high level of understanding of the effects of disability on occupational performance and provide training and advice on lifestyles changes and adaptations to the clients social and physical environment.
  • To promote equality of outcome for service users that reflect their mental health needs and those of ethnicity, gender, culture physical health and age.
  • To promote social inclusion and physical and mental well-being using evidence-based practice. This is underpinned by the principles of hope and recovery, health promotion and relapse prevention.
  • To independently manage a clinical caseload of service users with complex mental health needs, taking on the role of keyworker and/or vocational lead where relevant.
  • To identify occupational therapy goals as part of the overall care plan, using specialist mental health and occupational therapy assessments, including Model of Human Occupation tools.
  • To exercise clinical professional judgement in complex clinical cases and difficult clinical situation, referring to senior staff when necessary.
  • To consider both physical and mental health needs as part of the occupational therapy assessment.
  • To plan and implement specialist individual and/or group interventions collaboratively, to enable service users to achieve valued goals and satisfactory occupational performance outcome. To use psychological interventions in conjunctions to occupation-focussed interventions (e.g. CBT, DBT, MBT etc)
  • To identify any significant risk factors in line with local policies, with support from senior staff.
  • To contribute to and work within clinical pathways and protocols.
  • To evaluate effectiveness of therapy interventions and quality of clinical decisions in conjunction with service users/carers, other professionals etc.
  • To fully adhere to defined OT care pathways or protocols

To work flexible hours according to the requirements

Person Specification

Education, Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
  • Registration to practice in the UK
  • Evidence of post registration training relevant to mental health practice

Desirable

  • Practice placement educators course within one year of appointment
  • Training in the theory and application of the model of human occupation
  • Training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
  • Training in Dialectic Behaviour Therapy
  • Training in Mentalisation Based Treatment
  • Training in other psychological interventions

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of carrying a caseload in a mental health setting
  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
  • Demonstrable post qualification experience in mental health
  • Experience of individual and groupwork
  • Experience of writing specialist occupational therapy reports

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a range of mental health settings
  • Experience of working in eating disorders service
  • Experience of supervising junior staff
  • Successful completion of preceptorship
  • Experience of being a practice placement educator
  • Experience of using mental health services as a service user, or carer, relative, friend of a service user.
  • Experience of participating in a service development project
  • Experience working with severely psychologically disturbed clients
Person Specification

Education, Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
  • Registration to practice in the UK
  • Evidence of post registration training relevant to mental health practice

Desirable

  • Practice placement educators course within one year of appointment
  • Training in the theory and application of the model of human occupation
  • Training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
  • Training in Dialectic Behaviour Therapy
  • Training in Mentalisation Based Treatment
  • Training in other psychological interventions

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of carrying a caseload in a mental health setting
  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
  • Demonstrable post qualification experience in mental health
  • Experience of individual and groupwork
  • Experience of writing specialist occupational therapy reports

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a range of mental health settings
  • Experience of working in eating disorders service
  • Experience of supervising junior staff
  • Successful completion of preceptorship
  • Experience of being a practice placement educator
  • Experience of using mental health services as a service user, or carer, relative, friend of a service user.
  • Experience of participating in a service development project
  • Experience working with severely psychologically disturbed clients

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

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

Springfield Hospital

Tooting

SW17 7DJ


Employer's website

https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

Springfield Hospital

Tooting

SW17 7DJ


Employer's website

https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Ward Manager

Abby Jelley

Abby.Jelley@swlstg.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

03 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£46,419 to £55,046 a year per annum inclusive of Inner London HCAs

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

294-CAMHS-7454857-FZ

Job locations

Springfield Hospital

Tooting

SW17 7DJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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