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North London NHS Foundation Trust

Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 16 January 2026

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Job summary

The vacancy is for an experienced or newly qualified Occupational Therapist to join the mental health and psychological therapies team at HMP Brixton. This is a new role as part of NHS England's re-role of prison mental health provision. The post holder will provide therapeutic input for the main prison population, with a primary role in the new inpatient unit (IPU) which is currently in development.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to perform advanced Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention with prisoners presenting with complex psychological and neurodevelopmental conditions and presentations.

As part of the role, you will take on key responsibilities in the new inpatient unit at HMP Brixton. This unit is currently being developed and, on completion, will cater for prisoners who are experiencing acute episodes of psychological distress. As part of the multidisciplinary team you will be expected to have an active role in service development in the unit, shaping the Occupational Therapy provisions and pathways for patients. You will have direct support and supervision from the Band 6 OT, as well as line management from the lead OT and Therapies lead. You will also work across the wider HMP Brixton site with prisoners who would benefit from occupational therapy input as part of the team's wider mental health and neurodevelopmental pathways.

You will be responsible for managing your own caseload and work collaboratively within a diverse multidisciplinary team. You may be expected to supervise assistants and Occupational Therapy students on placement, and provide specialised advice to other health care professionals across the prison.

About us

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:

  1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
  2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all
  3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
  4. We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology.

Why NLFT?

  • We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.
  • We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
  • NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme
  • Excellent internal staff network

In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.

Details

Date posted

08 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£37,259 to £45,356 a year Per annum including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

455-NLFT-0510

Job locations

HMP Brixton

Jebb Avenue, Brixton Hill

London

SW2 5XF


Job description

Job responsibilities

To work as an autonomous practitioner, to assess and treat own caseload of patients, including those with complex presentations. Decisions will be underpinned by specialist knowledge gained from study of evidence-based treatments and from previous experience.

To quickly and accurately screen, establish priority for patient referrals for Occupational Therapy intervention some of which maybe complex and require a multi-disciplinary approach.

To take on key service development responsibilities in establishing provision and pathways in a new inpatient unit.

To carry out an assessment of patients, including those with complex presentations. Draw on a wide range of information sources and use clinical reasoning skills to determine an accurate diagnosis. To identify an appropriate Occupational Therapy care plan from treatment options available.

To formulate and deliver occupational therapy treatment programmes for a complex population (prisoners) who experience marginalisation and may be experiencing episodes of acute distress.

To provide general support for prisoners of the Neurodevelopmental Pathway, providing or participating in assessments for conditions such as Autism, Learning Disability, and ADHD, and making key decisions in diagnostic discussions and treatment plans.

To develop comprehensive discharge plans in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team members.

To make recommendations to support a patient's discharge including care support and rehabilitation opportunities.

Undertake referrals to internal and external services when deemed appropriate/of benefit to the support or progression of the patient. e.g. community rehabilitation, social services, voluntary agencies.

This is not an exhaustive list, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To work as an autonomous practitioner, to assess and treat own caseload of patients, including those with complex presentations. Decisions will be underpinned by specialist knowledge gained from study of evidence-based treatments and from previous experience.

To quickly and accurately screen, establish priority for patient referrals for Occupational Therapy intervention some of which maybe complex and require a multi-disciplinary approach.

To take on key service development responsibilities in establishing provision and pathways in a new inpatient unit.

To carry out an assessment of patients, including those with complex presentations. Draw on a wide range of information sources and use clinical reasoning skills to determine an accurate diagnosis. To identify an appropriate Occupational Therapy care plan from treatment options available.

To formulate and deliver occupational therapy treatment programmes for a complex population (prisoners) who experience marginalisation and may be experiencing episodes of acute distress.

To provide general support for prisoners of the Neurodevelopmental Pathway, providing or participating in assessments for conditions such as Autism, Learning Disability, and ADHD, and making key decisions in diagnostic discussions and treatment plans.

To develop comprehensive discharge plans in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team members.

To make recommendations to support a patient's discharge including care support and rehabilitation opportunities.

Undertake referrals to internal and external services when deemed appropriate/of benefit to the support or progression of the patient. e.g. community rehabilitation, social services, voluntary agencies.

This is not an exhaustive list, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • PgDip, BSc or MSc OT and current Health Professions Council Occupational Therapy registration (2) OR student with near completion of OT qualification (1)

Desirable

  • Additional courses or training relevant to specific service area

Experience

Essential

  • OT placement or postgraduate clinical experience in mental health/forensic settings
  • Understanding of, and direct reference to, work in forensic settings

Desirable

  • Experience of working with people in the criminal justice system
  • Experience working with people with ND needs (e.g. Autism, ADHD, learning disability)

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to apply and develop core OT skills
  • Good written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

  • Experience contributing to service development
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • PgDip, BSc or MSc OT and current Health Professions Council Occupational Therapy registration (2) OR student with near completion of OT qualification (1)

Desirable

  • Additional courses or training relevant to specific service area

Experience

Essential

  • OT placement or postgraduate clinical experience in mental health/forensic settings
  • Understanding of, and direct reference to, work in forensic settings

Desirable

  • Experience of working with people in the criminal justice system
  • Experience working with people with ND needs (e.g. Autism, ADHD, learning disability)

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to apply and develop core OT skills
  • Good written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

  • Experience contributing to service development

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

North London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Brixton

Jebb Avenue, Brixton Hill

London

SW2 5XF


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

North London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Brixton

Jebb Avenue, Brixton Hill

London

SW2 5XF


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Occupational Therapist

Jessica Oglethorpe

jessica.oglethorpe2@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

08 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£37,259 to £45,356 a year Per annum including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

455-NLFT-0510

Job locations

HMP Brixton

Jebb Avenue, Brixton Hill

London

SW2 5XF


Supporting documents

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