Occupational Therapist Band 5-6 Development Post

Overview

Go back NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Occupational Therapist Band 5-6 Development Post

The closing date is 12 February 2026

As a Band 5-6 development Mental Health Occupational Therapist, you will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide high-quality occupational therapy assessments and interventions for adults with mental health conditions. You will assess clients' functional abilities and needs, develop, and deliver evidence-based interventions to promote recovery, independence, and wellbeing, and work collaboratively with clients, carers, and other professionals to achieve shared goals.

• Provide occupational therapy assessments, interventions, and outcome measures for clients with mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, psychosis, and personality disorders.
• Use evidence-based interventions and positive risk management approaches to improve clients' occupational performance and promote their recovery, independence, and wellbeing.
• Work collaboratively with clients, carers, other professionals, and partner agencies to develop individualised care plans that address clients' needs, goals, and preferences.
• Empower service users and their carers to develop relapse prevention and crisis plans, maximising their ability to resolve crisis and prevent hospitalisation.
• Support safe and effective discharge from inpatient and Home Treatment Team services by providing regular reviews and follow-up.
• Facilitate and lead therapeutic groups in collaboration with other Occupational Therapists in the team, including psychoeducation, life skills training, and vocational rehabilitation.
• Provide clinical supervision and mentorship to Occupational Therapy students and support staff.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of clients' assessments, interventions, and progress, in accordance with professional standards and service policies.
• Adhere to ethical and professional standards and promote the values and principles of the Occupational Therapy profession.

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

These three values help us tostrive to provide the best care by the best people.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

Starting with Us

NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes.

The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).

High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,192 to a maximum of £2,011 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Clinical Skills

• Assessment
  :
  The ability to perform thorough assessments of clients' mental health and functional abilities, using a range of standardised and non-standardised assessments. This includes assessing clients' strengths, challenges, and goals, as well as their occupational performance in daily living, work, and leisure activities.

• Intervention planning
  :
  The ability to develop individualised intervention plans that are evidence-based, client-centred, and holistic. This includes setting goals with clients and identifying appropriate interventions to achieve these goals.

• Intervention delivery
  :
  The ability to deliver interventions in a manner that is effective, safe, and engaging for clients. This includes using appropriate therapeutic techniques and strategies, adapting interventions to meet clients' changing needs, and providing appropriate support and encouragement to promote clients' engagement and progress.

• Therapeutic relationship building
  :
  The ability to build positive and therapeutic relationships with clients and their families, carers, and other professionals. This includes demonstrating empathy, active listening, and respect for clients' values and preferences, and promoting clients' recovery, autonomy, and choice.

• Clinical reasoning and problem-solving
  :
  The ability to use clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to identify and address barriers to clients' recovery and independence. This includes analysing clients' needs, goals, and challenges, as well as their strengths and resources, and identifying appropriate…