Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 27 July 2025

Job summary

We are offering an exciting opportunity for a creative, enthusiastic, and autonomous Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join the Haldon Eating Disorders Unit at Wonford House, Exeter.

This specialist adult service supports individuals with eating disorders through evidence-based, occupation-focused interventions aimed at enhancing engagement in meaningful activities to promote health, wellbeing, and community integration.

The Occupational Therapist will play a key role in specialist assessment and intervention, particularly around the occupation of food and social eating, and in supporting individuals to overcome barriers to participation through reasonable adjustments and adaptive strategies. The successful applicant will have experience working with adults with complex needs, and be confident in managing a specialist caseload, applying outcome measures, and contributing to multidisciplinary care. An interest or experience in sensory processing assessment and intervention is desirable.

The post also includes providing clinical supervision and support to junior staff, students, and apprentices, as well as contributing to leadership, service development, and research within the Occupational Therapy team and the wider Haldon Eating Disorders Service.

We welcome applicants with transferable skills and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Main duties of the job

Deliver specialist OT assessments and interventions targeting meaningful occupation, especially relating to food, eating, and social participation.

Promote health, well-being, and community reintegration through occupation-focused approaches on an individual and/or group basis.

Contribute to the multi-disciplinary team by offering specialist advice, be involved clinical discussions and collaborative working within disciplines.

Provide leadership and supervision to junior staff, students, and apprentices.

Participate in service development, research, and refinement of the clinical model.

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Details

Date posted

11 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0493

Job locations

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF


Job description

Job responsibilities

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.

The post holder will be a curious, compassionate, experienced, and committed Occupational Therapist who demonstrates courageous and critical thinking within their professional scope. They will be responsible for delivering specialist, safe, and evidence-based occupational therapy assessments, formulation, interventions, and evaluations, with a strong focus on meaningful occupationparticularly relating to food, eating, and social participation for adults with eating disorders. Through occupation-focused approaches delivered individually and in groups, they will promote health, well-being, and community reintegration. Working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team, the post holder will provide expert occupational therapy advice, contribute to clinical discussions, and support holistic, person-centred care aligned with best practice guidelines. They will support clients and their families to develop sustainable routines and roles, enabling recovery and preventing relapse. Additionally, the post holder will provide leadership and supervision to junior staff, students, and apprentices, and actively contribute to service development, research, and ongoing refinement of the clinical model to ensure innovative, effective, and responsive care tailored to the needs of adults living with eating disorders.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.

The post holder will be a curious, compassionate, experienced, and committed Occupational Therapist who demonstrates courageous and critical thinking within their professional scope. They will be responsible for delivering specialist, safe, and evidence-based occupational therapy assessments, formulation, interventions, and evaluations, with a strong focus on meaningful occupationparticularly relating to food, eating, and social participation for adults with eating disorders. Through occupation-focused approaches delivered individually and in groups, they will promote health, well-being, and community reintegration. Working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team, the post holder will provide expert occupational therapy advice, contribute to clinical discussions, and support holistic, person-centred care aligned with best practice guidelines. They will support clients and their families to develop sustainable routines and roles, enabling recovery and preventing relapse. Additionally, the post holder will provide leadership and supervision to junior staff, students, and apprentices, and actively contribute to service development, research, and ongoing refinement of the clinical model to ensure innovative, effective, and responsive care tailored to the needs of adults living with eating disorders.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • BSc/ MSc/ Diploma in Occupational Therapy
  • Registration with Health Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Commitment to undertake continuing professional development (CPD)

Experience

Essential

  • Sound theoretical understanding of OT practice and recovery principles within Mental Health settings.
  • Ability to transfer core OT skills from different settings to an ED setting.
  • Knowledge of mental health legislation and relevant NICE guidelines/ national policies.
  • Understanding of role of OT in the multidisciplinary team.
  • Understanding of team dynamics.
  • Sound Risk Assessment skills.
  • Experience of multidisciplinary teamwork.
  • Experience of planning, implementing and evaluating groups.

Desirable

  • Understanding of Eating Disorders and Therapeutic boundaries.
  • Experience of working with individuals with Eating Disorders.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • BSc/ MSc/ Diploma in Occupational Therapy
  • Registration with Health Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Commitment to undertake continuing professional development (CPD)

Experience

Essential

  • Sound theoretical understanding of OT practice and recovery principles within Mental Health settings.
  • Ability to transfer core OT skills from different settings to an ED setting.
  • Knowledge of mental health legislation and relevant NICE guidelines/ national policies.
  • Understanding of role of OT in the multidisciplinary team.
  • Understanding of team dynamics.
  • Sound Risk Assessment skills.
  • Experience of multidisciplinary teamwork.
  • Experience of planning, implementing and evaluating groups.

Desirable

  • Understanding of Eating Disorders and Therapeutic boundaries.
  • Experience of working with individuals with Eating Disorders.

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

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Advanced Specialist Occupational Therapist

Kristel Sebastian

kristel.sebastian1@nhs.net

01392208263

Details

Date posted

11 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0493

Job locations

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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