Occupational Therapy Support Worker
Closing date: 31 March 2026
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a new specialist inpatient service for people with a learning disability across West Yorkshire and Barnsley.
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have partnered to deliver care from two sites: the Horizon Centre in Wakefield and a new Assessment and Treatment Unit (ATU) at Lynfield Mount Hospital in Bradford.
Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust will provide governance and assurance to ensure the service meets the needs of people in Leeds. Our ambition is to develop a West Yorkshire Centre of Excellence, delivering high‑quality care through strong collaboration. We want this to be a supportive and rewarding place to work – and we need you.
We are recruiting an Occupational Therapy Support Worker who is compassionate, motivated, and committed to making a real difference. You will support the delivery of specialist care close to home for people across the region.
We are committed to inclusivity, diversity, and continuous improvement. Flexible working, job share, and part-time opportunities are available where possible, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.
Join a friendly team that values work‑life balance and celebrates success. We'd love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
* Support registered Occupational Therapists to deliver high‑quality, person‑centred interventions for adults with learning disabilities in an inpatient setting.
* Assist service users to develop daily living skills, including personal care, cooking, cleaning, leisure, and community engagement, to promote independence and wellbeing.
* Deliver individual and group intervention programmes in line with agreed goals and care plans.
* Use positive behaviour support approaches to encourage participation and manage challenging behaviour safely and respectfully.
* Complete delegated observations and activity‑based assessments, feeding back outcomes to the Occupational Therapist.
* Prepare, adapt, and maintain activity materials and therapeutic environments.
* Promote engagement in meaningful occupation, supporting choice, inclusion, and structured routines.
* Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential clinical records in line with Trust policies.
* Communicate effectively with service users, families, carers, and the multidisciplinary team.
* Contribute to service audits, data collection, and evaluation of therapeutic interventions.
* Adhere to health and safety, infection control, and safeguarding procedures at all times.
Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Shortlisting date: W/C 1 April
Interview date: TBC
Qualifications
Essential
* GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths.
* NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care (or equivalent).
Desirable
* Evidence of further academic achievement relevant to working with people with learning disability and challenging behaviour.
Training
Essential
* Basic IT skills for recording and reporting information.
* Willing and able to undertake all Trust mandatory training requirements.
* Willingness to undergo job development and training.
Desirable
* Positive Behavioural Support.
Experience
Essential
* Experience working with adults with learning disabilities, autism, or complex behavioural/mental health needs.
* Experience of running activities/implementing activities programmes with the same or a similar client group.
Desirable
* Experience working in an inpatient or residential care environment.
Skills
Essential
* Effective written communication skills with the ability to write/document service user progress notes, complete appropriate forms, etc.
* Good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to adapt communication methods.
* Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
Knowledge
Essential
* Awareness of sensory integration, cognitive approaches, or positive behaviour support.
* Understanding of the role of occupational therapy in learning disability services.
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Najurally Centre – Lynfield Mount Hospital
Gate 1 Heights lane
Bradford
BD9 6DP
Employer's website
https://www.bdct.nhs.uk/current-vacancies/ (Opens in a new tab)
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