South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust
Specialist Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 15 September 2025
Are you passionate about providing high quality, therapeutic care to your patients, can lead by example, are able to prioritise, deliver great quality patient care and are a great communicator then we want to hear from you.
This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled Occupational Therapist with experience working in a learning disability setting. This is a fixed term contract of up to 12 months at 37.5 hours per week, the post will cover the Kirklees area of South West Yorkshire Foundation Partnership NHS Trust. We are based in Dewsbury and being a car driver is essential.
You would have a broad range of experience and ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, cope with a varied caseload and to think creatively on their feet. Learning disability experience is highly desirable but not essential.
You should have excellent communication skills to enable you to work in partnership with people with learning disabilities, their families and carers and to support them to live successfully in the community. You should be able to demonstrate high quality Occupational Therapy assessment and treatment for the individual.
As part of managing a diverse caseload, experience and qualifications in treating sensory processing disorder are required to help deliver high quality care and to continue the development of a specialist SI pathway.
For more info contact: Neil Leppard on 01924 316714
Main duties of the job
You will work alongside therapists, nurses, medics and admin staff and be responsible for triaging and prioritising OT referrals, completing evidence-based assessments and interventions to address key occupational areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.
Support service user, family and carer and interpret the assessment results to plan and implement a client centred occupational therapy treatment programme on an individual and/or group basis using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals.
The post will involve patient-facing visits in the community and responsibility for your own caseload of patients.
You will provide specialist occupational therapy advice and guidance to other professionals. Sensory Integration experience and qualifications are essential.
You will ensure therapeutic interventions are of a high professional standard, informed by evidence-based practice and involve the service user and carer in all aspects of the care programme.
You will be able to respond flexibly and creatively to challenges and participate in appropriate clinical team meetings, referral meetings, case conferences, care programme approach meetings and any other as required by clinical need and as directed.
You will receive and provide clinical supervision to other occupational therapy staff/ support staff and students. Also triaging new OT referrals.
All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients.
About us
We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.
Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.
We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.
Being a foundation Trust means we're accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we're run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.
Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.
We do reserve the right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.
Job responsibilities
* Undertake specific standardised and non-standardised assessments to formulate effective treatment plans in conjunction with the service user, family and carer
* To interpret the assessment results in order to plan and implement a client centred occupational therapy treatment programme on an individual and/or group basis using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals.
* To ensure therapeutic interventions are of a high professional standard, informed by evidence based practice and involve the service user and carer in all aspects of the care programme.
* To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the effect of disability providing training and advice on lifestyle changes/adaptations to the clients social and physical environments.
* To act as the care programme co-ordinator as required and to offer carers an assessment and care plan where appropriate.
* To contribute to a co-ordinated team approach throughout the assessment and in meeting the service users needs including developing and maintaining close working relationships with all relevant services, and agencies within the voluntary sector.
* To regularly evaluate the effectiveness of group and individual occupational therapy interventions by undertaking specific audits and using outcome measures such as standardised / other relevant assessments and service user satisfaction questionnaires.
* To continue treatment interventions where necessary to assist in the transition of skills from an inpatient setting to living independently within the community.
* To work effectively within the multi-agency team ensuring that both written and verbal communication is clearly maintained to ensure a seamless service.
* To be responsible for the maintenance of appropriate clinical records concerned with service user treatment, in accordance with risk management documentation guidelines.
* To arrange/attend appropriate clinical team meetings, referral meetings, case conferences, care programme approach meetings and any other as required by clinical need and as directed by the Line/Service Manager.
* To provide accurate and timely reports, statistical data through the electronic recordings system and other information as required.
* To participate in monthly clinical and managerial supervision and to provide clinical supervision to other occupational therapy staff/ support staff.
* To assist the team leader with the operational management of the service on a day-to-day basis
* To ensure that all significant events, relevant clinical issues and difficulties which may arise are communicated with the relevant Line Manager/Service Manager
* To direct and delegate work to other team members such as; therapy assistants and care support workers giving due consideration to their skills and abilities to carry these duties out effectively
* To carry out appraisal and development reviews with occupational therapy staff and to contribute to the reviews of other staff as appropriate
* To assist the team leader in effectively managing staff leave and sickness/absence to ensure adequate cover for the service on a day-to-day basis
* To participate in the recruitment and retention of staff including implementing induction programmes
* To contribute to the development and implementation of the annual service improvement plan and annual audit programme
* To participate in and contribute to service modernisation, including operational planning, implementation of policy, service development and leading on delegated projects
* To work in collaboration with the occupational therapy professional lead in the development of professional practice and the implementation of policy
* To contribute to staff / student training and development within the field of occupational therapy and to contribute to the training of the multi-professional team
* To promote awareness and understanding of the role of occupational therapy within the multi-disciplinary team and other agencies
* To provide a quality/effective service through the active participation and implementation of clinical governance which includes; clinical supervision (including reflection, critical appraisal and peer support) continuing professional development, participation in regular audit activity
* To initiate practice development, evaluation, audit and research activities relevant to occupational therapy encouraging and developing evidence based practice disseminating findings/recommending changes where applicable
* To use networks locally, regionally and nationally to share information, research and good practice
* To be directly involved in clinical training placements for occupational therapy students as required within the area of work and qualifications allow.
* To develop and maintain links with Higher Education Institutes which provide occupational therapy training e.g., York, Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield
* To contribute to the wider debate of occupational therapy issues in response to the national and regional consultations by the College of Occupational Therapists (COT) or British Association of Occupational Therapy (BAOT).
* To be responsible for ensuring protected time for keeping knowledge and skills up-to-date by undertaking continuous professional development as required to meet the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) regulations
* To apply specialist skills and knowledge in order to establish professional competence and fitness to practice as a senior occupational therapist adhering to the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (COT) and the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics (HCPC).
* To understand and demonstrate a working knowledge of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care which directly impacts on occupational therapy practice
* To act as a source of clinical expertise to other team members demonstrating clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflection and analysis
* To actively participate in the evaluation and future development of the occupational therapy service using appropriate audit tools, care pathways and appraisal of current evidence based practice
* At the time of advertising, this role does meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. We look forward to receiving your application.
* We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. We strongly discourage this and will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.
Person Specification
Experience
* Documented evidence of continuing professional development
* Supervision of staff and / or students
* Experience of a range of mental health/learning disabilities settings
Training
* Practice Education/Practice Assessor Preparation Certificate (or to achieve within 12 months)
* To be willing to undertake post graduate training to further skills, knowledge and expertise
* Post graduate training relevant to mental health such as psychosocial interventions, cognitive behavioural / counselling skills / standardised assessment
Special Knowledge and Skills
* Specialist knowledge and application of Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions relevant to mental health
* Extensive clinical practice skills including individual and group work
* Understanding of occupational therapy outcome measures
* Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities
* Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues
* Supervisory / appraisal skills
* Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
* Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information
* Ability to build effective working relationships
* Detailed knowledge of mental health/learning disabilities legislation and current practice including policy drivers
* Detailed knowledge of clinical governance and its application
Personal Attributes
* Values contribution of others
* Ability to motivate self and others
* Organisational skills
* Effective communication skills, verbal and written
* Willingness to work flexibly
* A Current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability)
Physical Attributes
* Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).
Qualifications
* Diploma/degree in Occupational Therapy
* Health Care Professions Council registration
* Leadership / first line management certificate
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.
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust
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