South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Activity Practitioner

The closing date is 22 October 2025

Job summary

To participate as a member of the ward team, working closely with the occupational therapist in the provision of a programme of therapeutic and recreational activities to support the rehabilitation and recovery of service users experiencing mental illness. The programme will be developed and implemented with the supervision of a registered occupational therapist in liaison with service users and the ward team.

Due to very high application rate we may close this application in 2 days.

Main duties of the job

To provide a flexible programme of recreational, vocational and educational activities within the service in collaboration with the MDT, volunteers and sessional workers.

To provide support and engage service users in therapeutic activities to promote recovery, independence and well-being

To support the development of a balanced therapeutic ward-based programme for service users at different stages of recovery.

To contribute to the collaborative care planning process, monitoring service users' progress, taking into account service users' goals and aspirations.

To work independently, facilitating group or individual work, planned with a registered OT.

To form professional relationships with service users and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.

To instruct and guide individuals and groups of service users in therapeutic activity use

To report effectively to the team on service user performance and progress

To provide relevant information, written and oral, for documents relating to service user progress

To establish working relationships with outside agencies to facilitate service user engagement in community-based vocational and educational services to support discharge and communityengagement

To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with Professional and Trust Standards.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

Details

Date posted

08 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£32,199 to £34,876 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7465697

Job locations

Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

Beckenham

BR3 3BX


Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Good level of education (Functional English)
  • Evidence of Continued Professional/personal development

Desirable

  • NVQ level 3/4 Health and Social Care related / City and Guilds
  • Creative Qualification eg. Arts / photography

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of working in Health/ Social care setting
  • Experience of working both independently and in a team
  • Experience of providing group and 1;1 interventions

Desirable

  • Experience of facilitating therapeutic groups in a health /social care setting
  • Lived experience of mental health / caring for someone with mental health issues

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Understanding of the needs and difficulties of mental health service users
  • Ability to teach practical skills to service users
  • Good personal organisational skills
  • Good verbal and written communication skills (inc computer literate)
  • Ability to maintain focus and remain calm when under pressure

Other

Essential

  • Willingness to participate in supervision and commitment to lifelong learning
  • Willingness to undertake some evening and weekend work
  • Willingness to work with workplace learners/ students
  • Ability to work independently of direct supervision

Desirable

  • Knowledge of applying health and safety and risk awareness procedures and policies
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Good level of education (Functional English)
  • Evidence of Continued Professional/personal development

Desirable

  • NVQ level 3/4 Health and Social Care related / City and Guilds
  • Creative Qualification eg. Arts / photography

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of working in Health/ Social care setting
  • Experience of working both independently and in a team
  • Experience of providing group and 1;1 interventions

Desirable

  • Experience of facilitating therapeutic groups in a health /social care setting
  • Lived experience of mental health / caring for someone with mental health issues

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Understanding of the needs and difficulties of mental health service users
  • Ability to teach practical skills to service users
  • Good personal organisational skills
  • Good verbal and written communication skills (inc computer literate)
  • Ability to maintain focus and remain calm when under pressure

Other

Essential

  • Willingness to participate in supervision and commitment to lifelong learning
  • Willingness to undertake some evening and weekend work
  • Willingness to work with workplace learners/ students
  • Ability to work independently of direct supervision

Desirable

  • Knowledge of applying health and safety and risk awareness procedures and policies

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).

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).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

Beckenham

BR3 3BX


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

Beckenham

BR3 3BX


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Band 7 Clinical Specialist OT Inpatients

Anna Adams

anna.adams@slam.nhs.uk

07921454621

Details

Date posted

08 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£32,199 to £34,876 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7465697

Job locations

Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

Beckenham

BR3 3BX


Supporting documents

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