Please note that this position is offered on a part‑time basis of 30 hours per week.
This is an exciting opportunity for an Occupational Therapy leader to support the ongoing design and development of our adult mental health services. The successful candidate will manage a small team of Occupational Therapy staff working across both our community and acute services.
The successful candidate will be passionate about service development as they will be joining a relatively new therapy team within Navigo. They will lead alongside the Allied Health Professional Lead the development of the service, supporting the Occupational Therapy team to integrate into new ways of working.
Please note the earliest start date for this position is 03rd August 2026.
Main duties of the job
This role will have both managerial and clinical responsibilities. The successful candidate will act as a clinical specialist working across both community and acute settings.
This role will also provide support to Occupational Therapy students and apprentices.
Job responsibilities
* Autonomously manage and deliver an effective, evidence‑based occupational therapy (OT) service to people living with mental health conditions, in order to maximise their independence and improve the safe management of their mental health difficulties.
* Work alongside the Allied Health Professional Lead (AHP) and therapy team leads to explore the development of the service, including setting up pathways for care that can be evaluated on a regular basis.
* Be responsible for the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of OT care plans using a person‑centred approach for service users in the community.
* Lead and develop the junior OT staff within the Community Mental Health Service using the career development framework and 4 pillars of practice; additionally support the development of Occupational Therapy apprentices across Navigo.
* Educate, advise and recommend appropriate person‑centred activity programmes that will enhance service users' quality of life and participation in meaningful activities.
* Be involved in liaising and effectively communicating with all relevant parties, including GPs and Care Agencies, as a member of a multi‑disciplinary team.
* Promote innovative and creative ways of working with service users/carers with complex needs.
* Effectively manage the resources available to achieve the best possible care and outcomes for service users.
* Create a stimulating and productive working and learning environment for themselves, colleagues and students.
* Utilise highly developed communication skills to conduct assessments of service users and communicate complex information related to their mental health needs to service users, carers, relatives and other professionals.
* Effectively communicate complex and/or sensitive information where there are barriers to understanding, such as working with service users who may be hostile or highly emotional, who have complex needs and may be vulnerable.
* Maintain and develop effective communications and working relationships within the team and with external agencies to contribute to decisions regarding service user care programmes when there may be differences of opinion and complex dynamics.
* Promote and implement creative ways of working with service users.
* Instigate, develop and maintain a relationship with the service user and/or carer to facilitate the accurate assessment and delivery of care.
* Manage highly confidential information in respect of members of the public in accordance with local and national policy.
* Act as an identified lead professional where the main intervention is Occupational Therapy.
* Promote and develop the OT role through regular participation in meetings, presentations and feedback of OT clinical activities.
* Undertake OT assessments with service users using standardised and non‑standardised OT assessment tools, to identify and address occupational performance and skill deficits.
* Assess and review service users' clinical risk management plan using the service's current risk assessment and OT risk assessment tools.
* Collaborate with service users/carers to identify OT goals as part of the overall care plan.
* Plan and implement individual and/or group interventions, in collaboration with the service user, using graded activity and person‑centred principles to achieve therapeutic goals.
* Identify the needs of carers and refer for a carers assessment when appropriate and work collaboratively with other professionals/agencies to develop support and educational activities for carers.
* Participate in clinical governance activities.
* Participate in the evaluation and development of the service by contributing to planning, evaluation and audit of practice, clinical pathways and protocols within the area.
* Be involved in the development of policies, procedures and developments that relate to the immediate work setting where required; this may involve critically exploring new ways of working.
* Propose improvements and changes to own work area and critically explore new ways of working where required.
* Use equipment and resources in a careful and responsible manner; respect the resources within the restraints of the team budget; monitor the use of resources within the team and identify improvements to efficiency and effectiveness.
* Participate in regular supervision with the Community Therapy Team Lead, provide clinical supervision for junior colleagues including Occupational Therapy Apprentices, undertake the Practice Placement Educators course to become an accredited Practice Placement Educator, act as a mentor for students and assist other members of the team in supervising and teaching their students, assist in induction of new staff, participate in PDR and identify own developmental needs, and, where required, participate in PDR with junior colleagues.
* Accurately document episodes and information relating to care in patient notes, using agreed methods of documentation in accordance with Navigo policies, professional guidelines and data protection legislation; record personally generated information as required by the team or service; provide oral/written clinical reports as required.
* Participate in surveys or audits or research in relation to own work, as required by the team or service; be aware of up‑to‑date relevant published research, benchmarking and innovative practice in other areas and ensure own practice is evidence‑based.
* Deliver care for service users and carers, working within professional codes of practice, organisational policies, local protocols and national legislation; have the ability to work independently, with supervision where required, to resolve complex professional problems.
Person Specification
Skills & Attributes
* Able to demonstrate knowledge and some experience of using a range of Occupational Therapy assessment tools.
* Skills in assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of individual care plans and group interventions.
* Ability to produce concise and clearly written reports.
* Good communication, organisational and administration skills.
* Good interpersonal skills.
* Time management.
* Able to demonstrate ability to use evidence‑based practice in own clinical practice.
* Good self‑management skills within cases where there may be complexity.
* Clinical evaluation skills.
* Competency in assessing for small aids to daily living.
* Innovation and creativity skills.
* Motivational skills.
* Initiative and problem‑solving skills where there may be complexity.
* Knowledge of a range of approaches used in mental health practice.
Additional Criteria
* Ability to demonstrate maintenance of CPD and ongoing learning.
* Able to communicate effectively with a range of people in a form that is appropriate to them and the situation.
* Evidence of ability to meet changes in service needs.
* Evidence of ability to chair meetings/discussions and make constructive comments.
* Evidence of an interest and enthusiasm for working with this client group.
* Ability to transport self to a variety of locations to meet the needs of service users.
* Full, clear driving licence and use of a car.
Qualifications
* Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
* Professional registration with Health and Care Professions Council.
* Post‑registration education in mental health practice relevant to the practice area.
Experience
* 3 years post‑registration experience (with a minimum of 2 years in a mental health setting).
* Experience of managing staff and supporting students.
* Knowledge of a range of theories and models underpinning Occupational Therapy clinical practice.
* Experience of working in a multi‑disciplinary team.
* Competent caseload management.
* Experience of working in a team setting and liaising with other agencies.
* Experience in understanding of current practice in mental health, risk assessment and management and use of relevant legislation such as Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and Safeguarding of adults and children.
* Knowledge of safe working practices.
* Experience of managing junior staff and students, where there may have been performance issues.
* Experience of service development and implementation.
* Experience of presenting at professional forums.
* Experience of audit and service user involvement.
* Experience of taking part in recruitment and selection processes.
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.
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