Occupational Therapist Older Adult CMHT
Band 6 OT Older adult CMHT 2025
The Kensington and Chelsea Older Adult Community Mental Health Team is a dynamic service that supports people with functional mental health needs and/or a primary diagnosis of dementia to manage their mental and physical health and promote recovery. The service is co‑located and works closely with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea social service to provide a holistic service to service users and carers.
We are a cohesive and proactive team of professionals who work together to deliver the best care for our service users and carers. The team consists of medical staff, nursing, occupational therapists, social workers, administrators, support workers, clinical psychologists and arts psychotherapists.
We are currently recruiting a Band 6 Occupational Therapist/lead professional to join the service. We are seeking an enthusiastic, flexible and motivated team player with a degree or diploma in Occupational Therapy, HCPC Registration and experience working in mental health settings. You will be joining the teams at an exciting time of transformation with the opportunity to develop your role.
If you are an OT who strives for excellence and wants to develop to your full potential, then we would welcome your application.
Main duties of the job
* Provide a variety of assessments to assess a range of activities of daily living.
* Support clients with their health and wellbeing goals and provide recovery focused interventions which may include graded programmes to build confidence and independence, recommendations for environmental adaptations, equipment/aids.
* Prepare occupational therapy reports to advise on service user safety and abilities to inform future care and accommodation decisions.
* Carry out initial mental health assessments and provide occasional cover to screen incoming referrals.
* Work autonomously managing own diary; most service users are seen in their own homes.
* Support services users to benefit from a wide range of community opportunities in the borough and facilitate discharges and transfers.
* Development of group work and creative role establishment.
* Excellent communication skills and effective teamwork to build partnerships with other organisations in the borough.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
* Provide the multidisciplinary team with an occupational therapy service and expertise; this will include individual and group work, assessment, intervention and evaluation in accordance with the College of OT Code of Ethics.
* Manage a caseload of service users with complex, severe and enduring mental health needs; using evidence based and recovery principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment.
* Provide specialist occupational therapy interventions for individuals who have identified occupational performance needs within the team, ensuring that all interventions amplify their self‑management skills. Act as named worker for a caseload of service users.
* Integrate evidence‑based practice and skilful use of assessments & interventions with personal recovery principles to improve the service users’ quality of life and to support them to do the things they want to do and live the life they want to lead.
* Apply a high level of understanding of the effects of mental illness and physical conditions; provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the service user’s social and physical environment, including undertaking assessments and making recommendations regarding equipment/aids and adaptations.
* Contribute to service development of local & Trust wide OT services.
* Provide leadership for junior / unqualified staff through supervision and appraisal as required. Act as practice educator to students on practice placement.
Person specification
Education And Qualifications
* Essential criteria: Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy; Health Professionals Council (HPC) registered Occupational Therapist.
* Desirable criteria: Post qualification training in relevant mental health therapeutic skills; Completion of practice educator training.
Previous Experience
* Essential criteria: Post qualification experience working in mental health settings as an Occupational Therapist; Experience of working with service users presenting with a wide range of complex mental health conditions; Experience of delivering healthy lifestyle interventions; Experience in assessment and interventions related to physical healthcare needs; Experience of using a range of standardised OT assessments; Experience of working in a multi‑disciplinary team; Experience of working in a multi‑cultural environment; Experience of drafting group protocols and setting up / facilitating groups / group programme; Experience in completing Risk Assessment Tools.
* Desirable criteria: Experience of care coordination/working as a named worker; Experience of working in a mental health community team; Personal experience of using mental health services; Experience in audit / research projects; Supervision of OT students/non‑qualified staff; Experience of partnership working in promoting socially inclusive opportunities for patients.
Skills, Knowledge, Abilities
* Essential criteria: Clear concept of Occupational Therapy and models of practice; Good communication skills written, verbal, listening and use of IT systems; Ability to work autonomously, as well as part of an MDT; Individual/group work skills; Ability to prioritise workload and use initiative; Timely reporting and record keeping; Treat service users with respect and dignity, adopting a culturally sensitive approach; Build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy; Determine impact of mental and physical conditions on service user’s functional ability, undertake assessment/make recommendations regarding equipment/aids and adaptations; Good understanding of risk assessment and risk management; Good awareness of safeguarding principles.
* Desirable criteria: Research and development at graduate level; Knowledge of the theory underpinning the Model of Human Occupation; Completion of OT medication management training.
Personal Characteristics
* Essential criteria: High level of personal motivation; Ability to work in a team setting i.e. collaborating/facilitating/directing and understanding diversity; Good organisational skills and ability to delegate effectively; Encourage patient participation and ensure a high delivery of customer service; Manage conflict constructively; Demonstrate a willingness to develop knowledge and skills.
Seniority level
* Mid-Senior level
Employment type
* Full‑time
Job function
* Health Care Provider
* Hospitals and Health Care
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