Specialist Occupational Therapist Band 6 Maternity cover
The closing date is 17 May 2026
A fixed‑term, Band 6 maternity cover opportunity has arisen within the Hertfordshire Specialist Learning Disability Service. We are looking for an enthusiastic, creative and highly motivated Occupational Therapist to join our dedicated, specialist and forward‑thinking multi‑disciplinary team and work collaboratively to improve the lives, independence and wellbeing of people with a learning disability.
In this rewarding role you will use your core OT skills to promote participation and independence in activities of daily living, while building and sharing expertise in specialist areas including sensory integration, positive behaviour support, trauma‑informed approaches and equipment provision.
You will be welcomed into a highly skilled, dedicated and inventive Occupational Therapy service. We will support you with supervision and ongoing learning, and you will have opportunities to contribute to service development and quality improvement.
As a Band 6 you will be encouraged to use your experience, share knowledge across the MDT and help shape high‑quality occupational therapy provision.
As this is a community post, access to a vehicle is essential.
Main duties of the role
* Provide high‑quality, comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention for the specified service user group with complex needs.
* Work in an interdisciplinary way to assess service users’ needs, devise care plans and evaluate outcomes as a member of a multi‑disciplinary team.
* Provide clinical advice and support for service users who present with behaviour that challenges and require support with their mental health.
* Work directly with service users, carers, colleagues and other service providers.
* Deliver training and education to other professionals, carers and families.
* Continue to develop Occupational Therapy provision within the service and drive innovation with support from the Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist and Professional Lead Occupational Therapist.
Job responsibilities
* Provide a high‑quality Occupational Therapy service and consultation to people within the Hertfordshire Specialist Learning Disability Services.
* Manage a caseload, using evidence‑based principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings.
* Provide specialist Occupational Therapy advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to a client’s formulation, diagnosis and case management plan.
* Plan and implement individual and/or group interventions using selected and graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals.
* Monitor, evaluate and modify treatment to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
* Ensure that clients are consulted and involved in decisions about their care.
* Maintain clinical records.
* Develop skills and knowledge.
* Provide an effective supervision framework for Occupational Therapy staff, and provide regular supervision to allocated OT staff as per Trust policy.
Person Specification
Qualifications, Education and Training
* BSc/MSc/PG Dip Occupational Therapy
* HCPC registration
* Proficient use of Microsoft Office and associated packages
* Evidence of relevant postgraduate training
* Completion of preceptorship for Band 5 OT’s
* Membership of RCOT
* AMPS/SI training/MOHO
* Broad base of clinical experience
Previous Experience
* Post‑registration experience in a relevant clinical setting
* Applied experience of providing both individual and group work interventions
* Specialist knowledge and experience of Model of Human Occupation assessment tools, or other appropriate tools
* Experience of other specialist Occupational Therapy assessment tools (e.g. AMPS, Pool Activity Levels)
* Documented evidence of continuing professional development
* Applied knowledge of recovery principles and how these relate to OT
* Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or learning disability in a variety of health and social care settings
* Previous experience of having worked in a similar setting at Band 5 level
* Experience in research or audit
* Previous experience of having worked at Band 6 level
* Experience in providing advice, support and clinical supervision to junior staff and/or students
Communication Skills
* Strong communication skills, written and verbal, and the ability to persuade and negotiate with peers and senior colleagues
* Proven track record of working within a multi‑disciplinary team and an understanding of team dynamics
* Knowledge of and application of key policy, health legislation and guidelines which impact on OT and mental health/learning disability practice
* Ability to provide and receive sensitive and difficult information regarding service users’ care and social situation
* Knowledge of and effective use of appropriate professional relationships and boundaries
* High level of ability to grade and adapt practical skills
* Evidence of delivery of training and professional development sessions
Analytical Skills
* Ability to apply broad knowledge of current best practice in OT and mental health
* High level of problem‑solving / clinical judgement skills and the ability to analyse professional and ethical issues
* Ability to respond and adjust appropriately to the changing needs of service users
* Highly developed observational skills
* Highly developed ability to evaluate group interventions and outcomes
* Highly developed case formulation skills to guide own OT intervention plan and those of others
* Specialist knowledge and experience of using the Model of Human Occupation assessment tools or equivalent
* Experience of audits/evaluations of interventions and direct involvement in implementation of any subsequent changes to practice
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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Additional Information
Location: The Marlowes Health and Wellbeing Centre
Salary: £41,957 to £50,387 a year (pro rata, inclusive of 5% HCAS)
Contract: Fixed term (12 months)
Working pattern: Full‑time
Reference number: 367‑LDF‑101243
Trust
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT)
HPFT is a mental health trust with an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission and aims to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.
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