Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 06 February 2026

Job summary

A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and innovative Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist (OT) to join the Rehabilitation Services within HPFT

The successful candidate will work as an influential and integral member of a diverse multi-disciplinary specialist rehabilitation team working to support adults with Serious Mental Illness ( Psychosis) within community units.

You will be forward thinking and able to demonstrate clinical knowledge in the area of adult mental health rehabilitation based on current evidence. You will autonomously undertake specialist assessments and interventions with individuals with barriers that may be affecting their Occupational Performance.

You receive regular clinical supervision and support from the Consultant Occupational Therapist and other B7 peers. You will be actively encouraged to participate in continuing professional development activities.

Main duties of the job

The post will be based at one of the 3 community rehabilitation units across Hertfordshire with the expectation of some travel between units as needed.

The role of the Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist will involve oversight, delivery and coordination of occupation focused therapy for individuals who are admitted to HPFT's Rehabilitation Units There will be opportunity to influence and continue to shape the Occupational Therapy service in response to the changing needs of service users and in line with national drivers.

The post holder will lead a team of Occupational therapy staff, providing leadership to qualified Occupational Therapists, Assistant Therapy Practitioners, and will be a key member of the wider multi-disciplinary team and senior leadership group.

The Teams have achieved AIMS accreditation and recently under gone a significant improvement project.

The role will involve developing and strengthening links with local, regional and national services, to advance the evidence base for OT and deepen understanding of its value in the area of Rehabilitation.

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

Our family of over 4000 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!

Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

Date posted

23 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

367-LD&F-10008

Job locations

Hampden House

Elmside Walk, Bedford Road, Hitchin SG5 1HB

Hitchin

SG51HB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Relationships:

To work with service users and carers

To work with Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy team members both within the service and the wider Trust network

To work Interdisciplinary with Multi-Disciplinary Team members

To work and liaise with other statutory and non-statutory service providers involved in service user care and Treatment.

To maintain links with wider regional and national professional groups and networks.

To work with team and divisional managers.

To liaise with corporate departments.

Duties and Responsibilities:

To manage a caseload of clients with highly complex Occupational Therapy needs, using evidence based/client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings and on home visits.

To provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal.

To lead in the planning, development and evaluation of Occupational Therapy services, holding responsibility for defined projects where appropriate.

To regularly supervise Occupational Therapy students on practice placement, following attendance at an approved Practise Educators course.

To support and act as a mentor to staff enrolled on the Occupational Therapy apprenticeship.

To proactively engage in supervision both 1:1 and peer.

To apply in depth knowledge of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and other standardised assessment approaches relevant to the clinical setting.

Following specialist assessment, to undertake case formulation in order to highlight occupational strengths and limitations and to inform the intervention plan moving forward.

To work collaboratively with service users to identify OT goals as part of the overall recovery plan.

To provide interventions in the manner that is consistent with Trust standards and values.

To routinely provide detailed feedback to the MDT regarding observed occupational performance throughout contact, which inform ongoing assessment and therapeutic intervention.

To provide highly specialist support and education to service users and carers regarding aspects of occupational therapy e.g. equipment fitting, rehabilitation programmes, sensory issues, management of symptoms through activity.

To maintain clinical records using the electronic patient record system.

To liaise with carers and other professionals as relevant.

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.

To attend mandatory training.

To comply with the RCOT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and national and Trust policies

To review and reflect on your own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.

To maintain a professional portfolio for CPD, recording learning outcomes through participation in internal/external development opportunities.

To actively participate in the Trust Occupational Therapy Continued Professional Development and training programmes and opportunities, both as a learner and a facilitator.

To actively promote Occupational Therapy through the sharing of clinical expertise and experience through presenting of posters, writing of articles for professional publications, attendance at special interest groups, conferences etc.

Be responsible for recruitment and retention of staff.

To work flexibly in line with the needs of the service, including evenings and weekends if required.

Clinical Responsibility

To lead on identifying individuals Occupational Therapy goals and work with colleagues to support them to work towards these.

To provide highly specialist Occupational Therapy advice, intervention and support given to service users and their carers.

To provide timely updates and feedback to the clinical team regarding the service users wellbeing and occupational performance.

To provide detailed specialist occupational therapy reports when required, within designated clinical area.

To seek out and use latest evidence-based practice to engage service users in meaningful and appropriate activities, to promote independence, recovery and well-being and demonstrating effectiveness of Occupational Therapy within these outcomes.

To have a senior oversight of the occupational needs of the specific service user group and develop services accordingly.

To demonstrate and apply a highly specialist level of understanding of the effect of disability and recommend adaptations to the clients physical and social environment.

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

To undertake risk assessments within clinical area as guided by local/Trust policies.

To report incidents, safeguarding concerns, complaints and compliments.

To work effectively as a senior member of a team in providing a highly specialised occupational therapy service to the designated area.

To actively participate in /lead safety huddles and de-brief sessions as appropriate.

To support with purchasing of equipment and ensuring training needs around their use is identified to relevant persons and sought accordingly.

Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility

To review and reflect on personal practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistently reliable attendance.

To oversee the Occupational Therapy rota; managing leave and sickness.

To oversee risk assessments and well-being plans for staff within the Occupational Therapy team.

To lead the day-to-day delivery of Occupational Therapy services within your area of practice including delegation of tasks to staff.

To demonstrate leadership skills through the management of designated projects.

To lead in the coordination of induction, training and education of students and other staff in this setting as appropriate.

To be responsible for ensuring the supervision of Occupational Therapy staff as appropriate.

To deputise for the Band 8a OT or senior equivalent as required.

To work effectively as a senior member of the wider LD Assessment and Treatment Unit team.