Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
Are you passionate about enabling children to participate in all areas of life as best they can? Do you want to develop your specialist skills within paediatrics? Then we would love to hear from you!
We are looking for candidates with good organisational and time management skills who are keen to learn and develop their expertise in Children’s Occupational therapy.
The posts are suitable for either a Band 5 Occupational Therapist with relevant experience and ready for promotion or a Band 6 looking for a new challenge.
We have an exciting opportunity for 2 enthusiastic and committed Occupational Therapists to join our growing team in Children’s Community Occupational Therapy in Redbridge, London. We would be delighted to consider applicants who are keen to be part of our journey as we continue to provide and develop our services for children and young people.
Main duties of the job
You will have opportunity to experience and develop skills in different areas within the service and will be working in a variety of settings including clinic, schools, nurseries, and family homes.
One post has been newly created with SEND investment and will be based around provision of identified need for EHCPs.
The other B6 role is a vacancy currently covered by agency and involves supporting the OT team in delivering required input across a variety of caseloads.
The Children’s Occupational Therapy Team are based in a purpose-built centre, co-located with many other health and local authority children’s services in Redbridge. Therapists have access to clinical space as well as close working relations with the multi-disciplinary teams.. The successful applicant will work closely with colleagues in Health, Education and Social Services. Specialist opportunities exist to work within the Child Development Team and delivering parent/carer training.
There is a well-established appraisal system and a commitment to support staff to develop leadership and clinical skills, through regular supervision and internal and external training opportunities.
Applicants will need to evidence that they have a Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy; good knowledge of current best practice in Occupational Therapy and post registration experience in Children’s Services.
Working for our organisation
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 to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
High-Cost Area Supplement
This post also attracts payment for High-Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,714 and a maximum payment of £5,941) pro rata for part time staff.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.
References
Please ensure that the references are from your most recent employer and one of these must be your direct Line Manager or Supervisor. You must provide professional email addresses for all referees as we will contact them as soon as an offer has been made. All applications made through NHS Jobs account will be processed by TRAC System. Please note that some emails may go to your spam/junk mailbox so make sure you check this regularly.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI
during the recruitment process.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable
to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility
under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic
salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not
included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust
If you like the sound of working with NELFT, don’t waste a moment and apply now!
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
2. HCPC Registration
Experience
Essential criteria
3. Experience Working as a band 5 Occupational Therapist (minimum 18 months)
Desirable criteria
4. Membership of specialist interest group
Knowledge
Essential criteria
5. Demonstration of knowledge of standards of practice, evidence and best practice guidelines in relation to OT
6. Able to demonstrate a good understanding of role of OT in rehabilitation as well as the role of other professionals in MDT
Skills
Essential criteria
7. IT Skills
8. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
9. Skills in problem solving, using initiative and working flexibily
10. Able to demonstrate clinical and professional development.
Desirable criteria
11. The ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
12. To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
13. Flexible approach to work.
14. Excellent time management skills including an ability to prioritise workload
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
15. A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
16. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
17. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
18. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.