Job summary
It is a perfect time for those finishing their university courses or those who want a change to apply for our popular Band 5 occupational therapy rotation at the South London and Maudsley. Our current Band 5s has just rotated, and we have a number of vacancies we are recruiting to as people have left or got senior posts in the organisation. We have variety of practice settings for you to build your skill set in mental health. The Trust covers most of Southeast London and the Band 5 roles range from inpatient to community to specialist services.
We offer a regular development and preceptorship programmes to support you in your role as a mental health occupational therapist. It provides a supportive and extensive networking system for all our band 5s. We have an excellent track record of staff starting off on the rotation and growing their careers in the Trust moving on to a variety of senior roles in the organisation.
We have great professional development programmes for OTs and our Band 5s take advantage of a range of these opportunities to build their skill and competence in mental health practice. We work closely with service user and cares not only in clinical settings but as they help us develop our services. See the attached film
SLaM Service User Involvement film 2025 v7
vimeo.com
It's a great place to work! Come and join us!
Main duties of the job
The post holder will oversee and provide occupational therapy assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation to a designated group of people accessing the local team the Band 5 is working in, to promote well-being, recovery and social inclusion. To achieve this, the post holder will hold and integrate both the occupational therapy specific and generic elements of their job, whilst complying with the College of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
The rotation covers settings from inpatient acute care, forensic, community and specialist settings such as eating disorders and perinatal services.
About us
The South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust provides comprehensive, complex mental health services both locally and nationally. The Trust has approximately 4,000 staff and a budget in excess of £330 million. It is part of Kings Health Partners, the Academic Health Sciences Centre, and (AHSC) we have established with Kings College London, Kings College Hospital and Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trusts.
Directorates are structures which bring together clinical services, education and training and academic activities within a series of single managerial units.
The occupational therapy workforce and associated Allied Health Professions workforce consists of approximately 200 staff based in all the Trust Directorates.
The Band 5 rotation consists of more than 30 posts in a mix of locally based and national specialist units with each rotation period being one year in length.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To undertake occupational therapy assessments for a designated caseload, assessing health and well-being from an occupational perspective. To contribute to assessing and completing risk assessments within the multi-disciplinary team to support a persons recovery. To hold an up to date knowledge of a range of occupational therapy standardised assessments, the models on which they are based and how to carry these out. To develop a working knowledge and use of sensory assessments and interventions in practice. To identify occupationally focused goals taking into consideration the mental, physical, spiritual, psychological and social needs of the service user and that it is sensitive to age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexuality and disability.
- In collaboration with the service user, to plan and implement individual or group therapeutic interventions using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals which support their recovery. To use outcome measures that give clear evidence that occupational therapy has made a difference to peoples occupations and ultimately support social inclusion and promote recovery. To hold an up to date knowledge of safeguarding principles and know how to respond to any safeguarding concern related to the service. To display an understanding of the potential for distress and trauma caused by, and social and personal consequences of mental illness for the service user, their families, carers and support networks.
- To interact with service users, families, carers and support networks in an empathetic fashion and demonstrate a clear understanding of the effects of disability in the areas of productivity, leisure and activities of daily living. To apply a high level of understanding of the effect of disability and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the service users social and physical environment. To assess and prescribe small aids and equipment and recommend adaptations to maximise independence for service users in home and community environments, where appropriate. To analyse, grade and adapt individual and group activities to meet the occupational performance and participation, environmental and vocational needs of service users.
- To routinely implement occupationally focused pathways that clearly identify what service users can expect from their occupational therapy interventions whilst working collaboratively with individuals to ensure treatment is targeted to their specific needs. To ensure all occupational therapy equipment and materials are maintained and stored responsibly and advise on resources needed to carry out group and individual treatments including financial.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To undertake occupational therapy assessments for a designated caseload, assessing health and well-being from an occupational perspective. To contribute to assessing and completing risk assessments within the multi-disciplinary team to support a persons recovery. To hold an up to date knowledge of a range of occupational therapy standardised assessments, the models on which they are based and how to carry these out. To develop a working knowledge and use of sensory assessments and interventions in practice. To identify occupationally focused goals taking into consideration the mental, physical, spiritual, psychological and social needs of the service user and that it is sensitive to age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexuality and disability.
- In collaboration with the service user, to plan and implement individual or group therapeutic interventions using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals which support their recovery. To use outcome measures that give clear evidence that occupational therapy has made a difference to peoples occupations and ultimately support social inclusion and promote recovery. To hold an up to date knowledge of safeguarding principles and know how to respond to any safeguarding concern related to the service. To display an understanding of the potential for distress and trauma caused by, and social and personal consequences of mental illness for the service user, their families, carers and support networks.
- To interact with service users, families, carers and support networks in an empathetic fashion and demonstrate a clear understanding of the effects of disability in the areas of productivity, leisure and activities of daily living. To apply a high level of understanding of the effect of disability and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the service users social and physical environment. To assess and prescribe small aids and equipment and recommend adaptations to maximise independence for service users in home and community environments, where appropriate. To analyse, grade and adapt individual and group activities to meet the occupational performance and participation, environmental and vocational needs of service users.
- To routinely implement occupationally focused pathways that clearly identify what service users can expect from their occupational therapy interventions whilst working collaboratively with individuals to ensure treatment is targeted to their specific needs. To ensure all occupational therapy equipment and materials are maintained and stored responsibly and advise on resources needed to carry out group and individual treatments including financial.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- Registered Occupational Therapist
- HCPC Registered Occupational Therapist
Desirable
- Membership of occupational therapy professional body and special interest group
Experience
Essential
- Previous mental health practice placement experience
- Experience of occupational therapy assessment and models on which these are based
- Experience of delivering group interventions
- Experience of delivering individual interventions
Desirable
- Experience of inner city, multicultural environments
- Experience of working with service users with complex or challenging behaviours
- Experience of working with mental health service users in other contexts
Knowledge
Essential
- Good understanding of mental health conditions and treatment models and approaches. Demonstrate understanding of the purpose and value of clinical, professional and managerial supervision
- Basic knowledge of legislation and current drivers relevant to mental health. Demonstrate commitment to evidence base practice
- Basic knowledge of the principles of CPA (Care Programme Approach). Understanding of Occupational Therapy Professional Code of Conduct
- Basic knowledge and understanding of risk assessment and management principles
- Demonstrate understanding of the importance of service user involvement and client centred practice
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the concepts of recovery and social inclusion
- Training and presentation skills
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Good communication skills, both verbal and written, IT literate
- Ability to reflect on and appraise own performance
- Ability to organise own workload and manage time effectively
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team
Other
Essential
- Willingness to develop and advance own learning and understanding of mental health and occupational therapy, and to contribute to research, clinical effectiveness measures and audit
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- Registered Occupational Therapist
- HCPC Registered Occupational Therapist
Desirable
- Membership of occupational therapy professional body and special interest group
Experience
Essential
- Previous mental health practice placement experience
- Experience of occupational therapy assessment and models on which these are based
- Experience of delivering group interventions
- Experience of delivering individual interventions
Desirable
- Experience of inner city, multicultural environments
- Experience of working with service users with complex or challenging behaviours
- Experience of working with mental health service users in other contexts
Knowledge
Essential
- Good understanding of mental health conditions and treatment models and approaches. Demonstrate understanding of the purpose and value of clinical, professional and managerial supervision
- Basic knowledge of legislation and current drivers relevant to mental health. Demonstrate commitment to evidence base practice
- Basic knowledge of the principles of CPA (Care Programme Approach). Understanding of Occupational Therapy Professional Code of Conduct
- Basic knowledge and understanding of risk assessment and management principles
- Demonstrate understanding of the importance of service user involvement and client centred practice
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the concepts of recovery and social inclusion
- Training and presentation skills
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Good communication skills, both verbal and written, IT literate
- Ability to reflect on and appraise own performance
- Ability to organise own workload and manage time effectively
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team
Other
Essential
- Willingness to develop and advance own learning and understanding of mental health and occupational therapy, and to contribute to research, clinical effectiveness measures and audit
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).
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.
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
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address
OT/Care Coordinator in the Southwark Assertive Outreach Team - Maudsley Hospital
Denmark Hill
London
SE5 8AZ
Employer's website
https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)