Specialist Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 19 November 2025
Do you want to be part of an innovative and exciting service that supports children and young people with acute mental health problems in their homes? If so, then a role in the Closer2Home service may be the job for you! We are looking for an experienced Occupational Therapist to join our team to provide assessment and intervention to young people in Dorset.
The Closer2Home team works to deliver a specialist service to help young people remain at home who otherwise would have been admitted to an inpatient hospital. The service operates 365 days a year from 8am‑8pm, working intensively with young people in their homes to prevent admission.
Main duties of the job
Working as a team, you and your colleagues are responsible for designing and delivering time‑limited programmes of intensive home treatment to young people with a range of needs, who would otherwise have been admitted to hospital. The team works collaboratively with community CAMHS, children’s services, colleagues involved in ‘transforming care’, bed and case managers and local inpatient units, using an interagency approach to provide the best care for the young people.
The applicant will be expected to provide clinical leadership to their local Closer2Home team. Each team has been modelled to have an optimal number and skill mix of staff to effectively address the needs of the young people the service will support.
About us
At Dorset HealthCare we’re on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined‑up healthcare services. We’re a dynamic, forward‑looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.
We do things differently here – it’s one of the reasons the CQC rated us ‘outstanding’ in 2019. It’s also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference.
Our 7,000‑strong workforce is at the heart of what we do, and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We’re all about building a workplace for the future, believe in equal opportunities and celebrate diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.
Working with us you’ll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don’t know. And you’ll be working towards our vision.
Job responsibilities
For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.
As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net.
This is a fixed‑term role and for those with current NHS service, the role will be offered on a secondment basis only. Please obtain permission to be released on a secondment before submitting an application.
Applications from candidates that require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position.
Person Specification
Knowledge/Experience
* Experience of both group and individual work
* Extensive experience as a qualified Occupational Therapist at band 6 level or equivalent
* Experience in applying a range of assessment tools and a comprehensive knowledge of clinical approaches
* Experience of supervising staff and students
* Broad experience of working with clients with a range of mental health problems
* CAMHS experience
Skills
* Able to communicate complex information to service users, carers and colleagues
* Lead others in the development of knowledge, ideas and work practices including policies and strategies
Qualifications
* Degree in Occupational Therapy
* Evidence of relevant post‑qualification study – therapeutic interventions (CBT, DBT, ASI)
* Registration with your relevant OT professional body
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.
Salary
£47,810 to £54,710 a year p.a., pro rata for part time
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