Job summary
Are you a passionate and experienced Occupational Therapist looking for a clinical specialist role?
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist at Wathwood Hospital, a medium secure mental health unit based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, part time, 30 hours per week.
We are seeking to recruit a dynamic Occupational Therapist with proven clinical skills, knowledge and experience to provide clinical leadership to an established team of OTs, OT Assistants and Technical Instructors at Wathwood Hospital. You will join our occupational therapy and education team and work with our fantastic multi-disciplinary teams within the hospital to aid recovery and further the patient experience.
The role combines clinical leadership alongside working clinically within the multi-disciplinary team. The post holder will lead and contribute to service innovation, hold a small patient caseload, champion high-quality occupational therapy interventions, and professionally supervise OT staff and students.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, compassionate and motivated leader with excellent communication skills to make a difference to the lives of the patients.
Informal visits and enquires are encouraged. Please contact Emma Parr, occupational therapy professional lead on 01709 870822 or Emma.Parr@nottshc.nhs.uk
Interviews for this vacancy will be held on 3rd December 2025.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will clinically lead the occupational therapy service at Wathwood Hospital with support from the occupational therapy professional lead. You will ensure the provision of an evidence-based, recovery focused service. You will have responsibility for delivery and coordination of OT interventions. As clinical lead, you will provide professional leadership, support and supervision to staff and students as well as having responsibility for service development initiatives.
This role requires a high level of clinical and professional expertise, so patients at Wathwood Hospital benefit from a pro-active, specialist, efficient and effective occupational therapy service.
You will have responsibility for delivering specialist assessment, formulation and intervention, which requires advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking and reflection. This includes holding a caseload and sharing your expertise through training and team collaboration.
The post holder will lead on strategic developments within the service to contribute to the development of the team and the quality of the care provided. The post holder will work as part of the wider MDT providing a high quality, effective, accessible, person-centred services.
You will deputise for the occupational therapy professional lead as required and share specific management tasks.
Regular clinical and managerial supervision and professional support are offered along with opportunities for professional development.
About us
#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.
We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.
We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.
The health and wellbeing of colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.
The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role.
Applicants must have a degree/diploma in occupational therapy, registration with the HCPC and significant experience working as a senior therapist in mental health. Usual working hours are Monday to Friday, but applicants must be able to work flexibly to accommodate the needs of the service.
Person specification
Qualifications/Registration
Essential
Recognised OT Degree/diplomaHCPC Registered
Training
Essential
Portfolio of relevant post qualification CPD highly including specialist knowledge of professional interventions and evaluations.Leadership trainingClinical educator
Desirable
Post-graduate training specific to client groupRelevant Masters modules or completed programme
Experience
Essential
Significant experience working as a senior therapist in mental healthWorking experience of assessing and managing a complex caseload within mental healthExperience of effective multi-disciplinary/agency working and established interpersonal and negotiation skillsKnowledge of Risk Assessment and ability to ensure effective risk management strategies within specialism.Experience of designing and delivering different learning and development opportunities for staff teams.Experience in developing evaluation / audit tools and resources as part of profession/multi-professional teamExperience of leading the clinical and professional development of others including students
Desirable
Experience of research, audit, service evaluation and/or quality improvement projects - setting up, evaluating, reporting and applicationExperience of collaboration across teams, services, and other stakeholders outside of the Trust
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
Highly specialist applied clinical knowledge including applied knowledge of risk assessment within field of clinical practiceKnowledge of National Policy and guidance and impact on local practice.Excellent written and oral communication skills for a variety of audiences, and in situationsExtensive experience of supporting other staff and studentsLeadership skillsIT skills - to support clinical and service needs and developmentsExcellent clinical reasoning skills
Desirable
Highly specialist knowledge of how mental and physical health contribute to risk assessment and support management. Contributed to regional and national clinical projects and/or strategic workExperience of managing a project or service initiative.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role.
Applicants must have a degree/diploma in occupational therapy, registration with the HCPC and significant experience working as a senior therapist in mental health. Usual working hours are Monday to Friday, but applicants must be able to work flexibly to accommodate the needs of the service.
Person specification
Qualifications/Registration
Essential
Recognised OT Degree/diplomaHCPC Registered
Training
Essential
Portfolio of relevant post qualification CPD highly including specialist knowledge of professional interventions and evaluations.Leadership trainingClinical educator
Desirable
Post-graduate training specific to client groupRelevant Masters modules or completed programme
Experience
Essential
Significant experience working as a senior therapist in mental healthWorking experience of assessing and managing a complex caseload within mental healthExperience of effective multi-disciplinary/agency working and established interpersonal and negotiation skillsKnowledge of Risk Assessment and ability to ensure effective risk management strategies within specialism.Experience of designing and delivering different learning and development opportunities for staff teams.Experience in developing evaluation / audit tools and resources as part of profession/multi-professional teamExperience of leading the clinical and professional development of others including students
Desirable
Experience of research, audit, service evaluation and/or quality improvement projects - setting up, evaluating, reporting and applicationExperience of collaboration across teams, services, and other stakeholders outside of the Trust
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
Highly specialist applied clinical knowledge including applied knowledge of risk assessment within field of clinical practiceKnowledge of National Policy and guidance and impact on local practice.Excellent written and oral communication skills for a variety of audiences, and in situationsExtensive experience of supporting other staff and studentsLeadership skillsIT skills - to support clinical and service needs and developmentsExcellent clinical reasoning skills
Desirable
Highly specialist knowledge of how mental and physical health contribute to risk assessment and support management. Contributed to regional and national clinical projects and/or strategic workExperience of managing a project or service initiative.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Person Specification
Contractual requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel between sites
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised OT Degree/diploma
- Professional body Registered
- HCPC Registered
Training
Essential
- Portfolio of relevant post qualification CPD highly including specialist knowledge of professional interventions and evaluations.
- Leadership training
- Clinical educator
Desirable
- Post-graduate training specific to client group
- Relevant Masters modules or completed programme
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience working as a senior therapist in mental health
- Working experience of assessing and managing a complex caseload within forensic mental health
- Knowledge of Risk Assessment and ability to ensure effective risk management strategies within specialism.
- Experience of effective multi-disciplinary/agency working and established interpersonal and negotiation skills
- Experience of designing and delivering different learning and development opportunities for staff teams.
- Experience in developing evaluation / audit tools and resources as part of profession/multi-professional team
- Experience of leading the clinical and professional development of others including students
Desirable
- Experience of leading / managing project work.
- Experience of research, audit, service evaluation and/or quality improvement projects - setting up, evaluating, reporting and application
- Identifies clinical risks and carries out MDT/ Trust Risk assessments and formulation for individuals, groups or services highlighting needs
- Experience of collaboration across teams, services, and other stakeholders outside of the Trust
Knowledge
Essential
- Highly specialist applied clinical knowledge
- Applied knowledge of risk assessment within field of clinical practice
- Knowledge of National Policy and guidance and impact on local practice.
- Applied leadership knowledge.
Desirable
- Highly specialist knowledge of how mental and physical health contribute to risk assessment and support management.
- Contributed to regional and national clinical projects and/or strategic work
Skills
Essential
- Empathetic and psychologically minded
- Excellent written and oral communication skills for a variety of audiences, and in situations
- Well organised and able to prioritise a high turnover caseload
- Excellent clinical reasoning skills
- Leadership skills
- Extensive experience of supporting other staff and students
- Motivated and a motivator
- Autonomous and able to work without direct supervision
- Team builder and team member
- Reflective practitioner
- Ability to manage own wellbeing with access to supervision to sustain this.
- IT skills - to support clinical and service needs and developments
Desirable
- Experience of managing a project or service initiative.
Person Specification
Contractual requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel between sites
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised OT Degree/diploma
- Professional body Registered
- HCPC Registered
Training
Essential
- Portfolio of relevant post qualification CPD highly including specialist knowledge of professional interventions and evaluations.
- Leadership training
- Clinical educator
Desirable
- Post-graduate training specific to client group
- Relevant Masters modules or completed programme
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience working as a senior therapist in mental health
- Working experience of assessing and managing a complex caseload within forensic mental health
- Knowledge of Risk Assessment and ability to ensure effective risk management strategies within specialism.
- Experience of effective multi-disciplinary/agency working and established interpersonal and negotiation skills
- Experience of designing and delivering different learning and development opportunities for staff teams.
- Experience in developing evaluation / audit tools and resources as part of profession/multi-professional team
- Experience of leading the clinical and professional development of others including students
Desirable
- Experience of leading / managing project work.
- Experience of research, audit, service evaluation and/or quality improvement projects - setting up, evaluating, reporting and application
- Identifies clinical risks and carries out MDT/ Trust Risk assessments and formulation for individuals, groups or services highlighting needs
- Experience of collaboration across teams, services, and other stakeholders outside of the Trust
Knowledge
Essential
- Highly specialist applied clinical knowledge
- Applied knowledge of risk assessment within field of clinical practice
- Knowledge of National Policy and guidance and impact on local practice.
- Applied leadership knowledge.
Desirable
- Highly specialist knowledge of how mental and physical health contribute to risk assessment and support management.
- Contributed to regional and national clinical projects and/or strategic work
Skills
Essential
- Empathetic and psychologically minded
- Excellent written and oral communication skills for a variety of audiences, and in situations
- Well organised and able to prioritise a high turnover caseload
- Excellent clinical reasoning skills
- Leadership skills
- Extensive experience of supporting other staff and students
- Motivated and a motivator
- Autonomous and able to work without direct supervision
- Team builder and team member
- Reflective practitioner
- Ability to manage own wellbeing with access to supervision to sustain this.
- IT skills - to support clinical and service needs and developments
Desirable
- Experience of managing a project or service initiative.
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.
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.
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).
