Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 07 September 2025

Job summary

The Lewes Neighbourhood Mental Health Team is based in Newhaven and provides a specialist multi-disciplinary service for adults with severe mental illness. The service sits in the beautiful landscape of the South Downs National Park and is only a few miles from Eastbourne and the cosmopolitan city of Brighton.

We are looking an energetic and innovative Lead Occupational Therapist to join the team and be part of our Neighbourhood Leadership team.

Main duties of the job

As an experienced practitioner in the mental health field, you will be our clinical Lead for Occupational Therapy, providing professional supervision and leadership to our OT team and joining our clinical leadership team to ensure that our service improvements always include an occupational perspective. This will entail the implementation of evidence based OT assessment tools and interventions, including the development of group programme and furthering initiatives around peer and vocational support.

As the Lead OT, you will hold a small, capped, caseload of complex cases where your level of expertise is required and be able to consult on and joint work other cases to provide specialist input. Increasingly the role will involve providing consultation to primary care and third sector providers and building effective partnerships within the wider network.

About us

As a mental health trust, Sussex Partnership places a huge focus on the wellbeing of our staff, as well as ensuring our reward packages reflect the immensely important work they do.

As an OT in our team we can offer you:

  • Access to numerous wellbeing and support programmes, run by our internal wellbeing team
  • Excellent supervision programmes, with ongoing opportunities for training and development
  • Flexible working patterns
  • Access to a host of discount schemes (including gyms, shopping, restaurants and cars)
  • A position within a trust rated as 'Outstanding' for caring and 'Good' overall by the CQC
  • Generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays)

Details

Date posted

22 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-AE-21190

Job locations

Hill Rise

Church Hill

Newhaven

BN9 9HH


Job description

Job responsibilities

The main scope of this post it to provide specialist occupational therapy interventions for referred clients; to promote and develop the role of Occupational Therapy within the clinical area and to act as lead specialist in team. This will entail;

  • managing a caseload of complex clients, using evidence based, client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
  • providing specialist clinical advice and input for clients with complex problems and needs.
  • Ensuring occupational therapy contribution to the provision of quality clinical care and performance standards
  • Participating in the planning, development and evaluation of occupational therapy and local services within a designated team, holding responsibility for defined projects.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The main scope of this post it to provide specialist occupational therapy interventions for referred clients; to promote and develop the role of Occupational Therapy within the clinical area and to act as lead specialist in team. This will entail;

  • managing a caseload of complex clients, using evidence based, client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
  • providing specialist clinical advice and input for clients with complex problems and needs.
  • Ensuring occupational therapy contribution to the provision of quality clinical care and performance standards
  • Participating in the planning, development and evaluation of occupational therapy and local services within a designated team, holding responsibility for defined projects.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree/Diploma in occupational therapy
  • Evidence of post qualification study
  • Registration with the HPC as an occupational therapist
  • Practice Education training
  • Training in the use of standardised occupational therapy assessment tools

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Extensive experience as a qualified occupational therapist in mental health
  • Broad experience of working with clients with a range of mental health problems
  • Experience of both group and individual work
  • Experience of multidisciplinary working
  • Experience of supervising staff and students
  • Experience as a Care Coordinator
  • Experience in a clinical area related to the post
  • Leadership experience
  • Experience in applying a range of assessment tools and a comprehensive knowledge of occupational therapy clinical approaches used in mental health
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree/Diploma in occupational therapy
  • Evidence of post qualification study
  • Registration with the HPC as an occupational therapist
  • Practice Education training
  • Training in the use of standardised occupational therapy assessment tools

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Extensive experience as a qualified occupational therapist in mental health
  • Broad experience of working with clients with a range of mental health problems
  • Experience of both group and individual work
  • Experience of multidisciplinary working
  • Experience of supervising staff and students
  • Experience as a Care Coordinator
  • Experience in a clinical area related to the post
  • Leadership experience
  • Experience in applying a range of assessment tools and a comprehensive knowledge of occupational therapy clinical approaches used in mental health

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

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hill Rise

Church Hill

Newhaven

BN9 9HH


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hill Rise

Church Hill

Newhaven

BN9 9HH


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Service Manager

Simon Hellyer

simon.hellyer@nhs.net

07471034300

Details

Date posted

22 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-AE-21190

Job locations

Hill Rise

Church Hill

Newhaven

BN9 9HH


Supporting documents

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