East London NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 12 October 2025

Job summary

Are you interested in working in a dynamic Inpatient Mental Health setting with a well-established OT Service and MDT? If so, we have the post for you! We are looking for an experienced Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join our Acute Inpatient team.

Main duties of the job

We are a dynamic and forward thinking team that actively encourages and supports professional and service development. The role would involve coordinating and implementing group based programs with the support of an occupational therapy assistant, delivering specialist one-to-one assessment and interventions drawn from the Model of Human Occupation, and liaising as needed with recovery services to ensure clients can access educational and self-help groups to support well-being and self-management of their mental health on discharge.

Regular managerial and professional supervision will be provided. We actively encourage personalised training opportunities through the appraisal process as well as offering monthly opportunities to participate in service-wide CPD events and banded development programs.

As a qualified member of staff you will hold leadership responsibilities including undertaking supervision of junior staff and contributing to local developments of the Occupational Therapy Service. We would require you to have the ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team, and to have good workload management skills and a compassionate approach to patients.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Details

Date posted

26 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-LUT7467956

Job locations

Working Age Inpatient Services

Luton and Central Bedfordshire Mental Health Unit

Calnwood Road,

LU40BF


Job description

Job responsibilities

For further details please see the Job Description and person specification document attached on the vacancy.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further details please see the Job Description and person specification document attached on the vacancy.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

  • Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy
  • State Registration
  • Fieldwork Educator Training

Desirable

  • Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Experience

Essential

  • Post qualifying experience in Mental Health
  • Ability to initiate and follow through projects
  • Assertive in clinical and managerial situations
  • Experience of clinically supervising OT staff and students
  • Excellent demonstrable written verbal and presentation skills

Desirable

  • Experience in participating in research and or auditing.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Carry out culturally sensitive Occupational Therapy Assessment with good treatment process skills
  • Good Interpersonal skills
  • Effective time and project management skills
  • Evaluate clinical work using formal and informal methods
  • Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multi- disciplinary team.
  • Ability to present information in a clear, concise manner.
  • Psychiatric conditions and treatment available including a range of treatment techniques
  • Able to deliver theory driven, occupation focused practice.
  • Needs and concerns of clients with mental health problems, broad knowledge base in professional clinical issues related to mental health OT.
  • Good organisational skills
  • Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

  • Model of Human Occupation and its practical application in the clinical field
  • Health and safety issues at work
  • Skills in devising and implementing strategies to improve and monitor quality
  • Computer /Word Processing skills
  • Standardised assessment skills
  • Awareness of current legislation affecting Mental Health Services.
  • Understanding of the Mental Health Act

Other

Essential

  • Ability to take responsibility and demonstrate reliability
  • Evidence of containing professional development
  • Demonstrate appropriate use of initiative
  • Able to demonstrate a strong professional identity
  • Awareness of level of professional competence
  • Self-Motivated

Desirable

  • A full UK Driving licence and access to a vehicle that can be used for work purposes
  • Membership of a COT specialist section.
Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

  • Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy
  • State Registration
  • Fieldwork Educator Training

Desirable

  • Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Experience

Essential

  • Post qualifying experience in Mental Health
  • Ability to initiate and follow through projects
  • Assertive in clinical and managerial situations
  • Experience of clinically supervising OT staff and students
  • Excellent demonstrable written verbal and presentation skills

Desirable

  • Experience in participating in research and or auditing.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Carry out culturally sensitive Occupational Therapy Assessment with good treatment process skills
  • Good Interpersonal skills
  • Effective time and project management skills
  • Evaluate clinical work using formal and informal methods
  • Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multi- disciplinary team.
  • Ability to present information in a clear, concise manner.
  • Psychiatric conditions and treatment available including a range of treatment techniques
  • Able to deliver theory driven, occupation focused practice.
  • Needs and concerns of clients with mental health problems, broad knowledge base in professional clinical issues related to mental health OT.
  • Good organisational skills
  • Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

  • Model of Human Occupation and its practical application in the clinical field
  • Health and safety issues at work
  • Skills in devising and implementing strategies to improve and monitor quality
  • Computer /Word Processing skills
  • Standardised assessment skills
  • Awareness of current legislation affecting Mental Health Services.
  • Understanding of the Mental Health Act

Other

Essential

  • Ability to take responsibility and demonstrate reliability
  • Evidence of containing professional development
  • Demonstrate appropriate use of initiative
  • Able to demonstrate a strong professional identity
  • Awareness of level of professional competence
  • Self-Motivated

Desirable

  • A full UK Driving licence and access to a vehicle that can be used for work purposes
  • Membership of a COT specialist section.

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

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Working Age Inpatient Services

Luton and Central Bedfordshire Mental Health Unit

Calnwood Road,

LU40BF


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Working Age Inpatient Services

Luton and Central Bedfordshire Mental Health Unit

Calnwood Road,

LU40BF


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head Occupational Therapist

John Heams

j.heams@nhs.net

07557593131

Details

Date posted

26 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-LUT7467956

Job locations

Working Age Inpatient Services

Luton and Central Bedfordshire Mental Health Unit

Calnwood Road,

LU40BF


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

East London NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)