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 three 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
This a band 5 position with developmental offer for progression to a Band 6 within 12 months. The post holder would develop and meet set/agreed competencies to be eligible for promotion to a band 6 at the end of the 12 months.
The post holder will work within the Rehabilitation and Frailty Team (RAFT) as part of the wider Integrated Care Team.
We are looking for a Band 5 occupational therapist (OT) in this exciting new developmental role to join RAFT in Essex. You'll be working towards becoming a band 6 OT within 12-18 months. Working Monday to Friday – with expectation to cover occasional bank holidays and weekends. The team cover a wide area of Essex including Thurrock, Brentwood, Basildon, Billericay, Wickford, and is a great place to live and work - a thriving community with an abundance of amenities and good transport links. There are several bases across the geographical areas, and NELFT also support agile working where appropriate. You can find out more about the area and the services that we provide to local residents on our career’s website –
At NELFT, we can accommodate a flexible working arrangement to suit your personal circumstances.
Main duties of the job
1. Undertake comprehensive, holistic assessments of individuals, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative, analytical & clinical reasoning skills, and formulate a treatment plan
2. Undertake functional assessments for patients, by using investigative and analytical skills for those with acute/complex/rehabilitation or palliative care needs, patients with multiple pathology and complex social care needs.
3. Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionals and the voluntary sector, to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
4. Support collaboration of Frailty Virtual ward services across Mid and South Essex, which may include working across boundaries within the three localities.
5. Communicate effectively with individuals and their carers to maximise rehabilitation and treatment potential, and to aid motivation and understanding throughout the treatment process.
6. Empower/enable patients and carers to maximise potential for self-care
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.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £1,303 and a maximum payment of £2,198 per annum, pro rata for part time
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See attached job description for full details of main responsibilities.
7. Undertake comprehensive, holistic assessments of individuals, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative, analytical & clinical reasoning skills, and formulate a treatment plan
8. Undertake functional assessments for patients, by using investigative and analytical skills for those with acute/complex/rehabilitation or palliative care needs, patients with multiple pathology and complex social care needs.
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 to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.
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 for non-registered roles. This ensures fairness and consistency within our organisation, as some of our sites fall under outer, fringe and none
Use of AI
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Person specification
Essential
Essential criteria
9. Occupational; Therapist qualified
Essential
Essential criteria
10. HCPC Registered
Essential
Essential criteria
11. Community Experience
Essesential
Essential criteria
12. UK residents only
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:
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.