South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust – Specialist Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 08 May 2026
Hello, I'm Melissa, the LD pathway team manager in Barnsley CAMHS. We are excited to be developing our service. We are offering an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic senior Occupational Therapist who is passionate about working with young people with Learning disabilities and their families/carers to join our developing team. Barnsley CAMHS are beginning a new chapter in service delivery for children and young people with LD after successfully securing additional funding to expand our team. This is a new service specification so there is opportunity for the successful applicant to be involved in leading the implementation and development of this new provision.
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.
All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to have their up-to-date flu vaccination to protect staff and patients.
We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to reflect our communities.
We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.
Main duties of the job
You will work within the CAMHS Learning Disability Team as part of a multidisciplinary team which includes LD nurses, psychiatrist, Clinical Psychologist, Assistant Psychologist and admin colleagues. The team will work with children and young people with LD and their families/carers to support behaviour and mental health needs.
The role will involve the following:
* Assessing a wide range of motor, perceptual, sensory and functional difficulties.
* Planning appropriate therapy interventions.
* Delivering individual therapy as required.
* Providing advice, training and therapy programmes to parents/other professionals.
* Evaluating treatment outcomes.
Ideally candidates will have extensive knowledge and experience of delivering services within a positive behavioural framework, sensory integration, rights-based approaches, service user consultation and engagement and experience of providing adapted therapies as necessary.
You will be confident working autonomously and have abilities to problem solve. You will also have support from the wider OT network within SWYT.
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.
Beinga 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.
Job responsibilities
JOB SUMMARY
Tobe responsible for the day to day co‑ordination and management of occupational therapy within the designated clinical area, undertaking a complex, multi‑functional role, combining managerial, clinical and professional duties and responsibilities.
To have an identified clinical role for highly complex cases within their designated service.
To provide advice and support to other therapy staff and members of the multi‑disciplinary team within the service.
To facilitate collaborative working across occupational therapy, maximizing on the skills of the therapists, therapy assistants and other staff.
In the capacity as a representative of the therapy services to liaise with the consultants and other medical, therapy and nursing staff, social services, voluntary agencies and the private sector.
This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The postholder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as directed.
The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the postholder when necessary and in line with the service developments.
KEY RESULT AREAS:
Clinical
To comply with the College of Occupational Therapists and Health Care Professions Council code of ethics and professional conduct and to adhere to national and local policies and procedures.
To work in a specialised autonomous capacity accepting referrals for patients/service users referred to your clinical area. Giving advice and support to other members of the multi‑disciplinary team.
To be professionally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work, including management of patients with complex needs.
To plan and prioritise own patient caseload (where appropriate), with highly complex needs, using highly specialist occupational therapy skills. Assess and analyse occupational performance to identify problem areas in order to plan and carry out goal orientated intervention programmes with the patients. Balancing risk, safety and patient choice in order to promote maximum independence.
Use excellent communication and negotiation skills to establish a therapeutic relationship in complex and sometimes highly complex cases, taking into account the views and wishes of service users, carers and families. Monitor, evaluate and modify treatment in order to measure progress and ensure patient safety, thus maximising effectiveness of occupational therapy intervention.
To work with patients/families to aid their acceptance, understanding and management of their condition/disability. To provide the necessary support required in a sometimes hostile/antagonistic or highly emotional atmosphere.
To use highly advanced clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment skills which implement evidence based practice.
To possess the necessary skills to implement time management and prioritise own caseload whilst assisting and supporting all therapy staff and members of the MDT, across your own and other clinical areas.
To carry out risk assessments and make recommendations to reduce risk to meet the needs of service users, staff, and the wider service/organisation.
To have and maintain a current working knowledge of the safe use of a range of equipment relevant to the service area. Assemble and fit equipment in patients' own homes and assess their safe use.
To actively encourage the provision of placements for student occupational therapists and support team members with students training and appraisal.
To be involved and committed to occupational therapy audit, evidence based practice and clinical research where appropriate, in order to promote best possible practice in the relevant clinical area.
In the capacity as a representative of occupational therapy services to liaise and communicate effectively with consultants, senior managers, professional lead, other medical, therapy and nursing staff, social services, voluntary and private agencies.
To be responsible for risk assessment in your own delegated area, ensuring a safe working environment for all staff, patients and members of the general public.
To undertake own continuous professional development, participate in regular clinical and managerial supervision, to organise peer reviews and maintain up to date knowledge of local and national guidance relevant to the area of speciality through research and work within clinical interest groups. To ensure occupational therapy team members take responsibility for their own CPD.
To ensure effective delivery of clinical support and supervision to all Occupational Therapy staff within the service.
Organisational/Managerial
To be responsible for the day to day co‑ordination and organisation of the OT staff within the service.
To ensure that the service delivery within the team is of a high standard and that all staff are actively involved in all aspects of clinical governance.
Actively influence service changes and development, including the setting up and monitoring of practice standards and when appropriate taking a lead in implementing them.
To deal with complaints, disciplinaries and grievances (where appropriate at the request of the Senior line manager). Advise professional and senior managers of serious complaints that may elevate.
To implement an induction programme for new staff.
Develop collaborative working practices between therapy and other agencies, ensuring optimum use of resources and the promotion of multi‑disciplinary working. To review and rationalise services to meet the changing needs of service delivery including flexible working times and transformation projects.
To promote links with other therapy areas within the BDU and the wider Trust.
Identify unmet needs and gaps in service provision and highlight these to the professional lead.
Undertake recruitment and selection duties within the field of Occupational therapy.
To take the lead in co‑ordination of annual leave/study leave for OT staff whilst ensuring continued provision of services to all areas.
Managing Resources
To have responsibility for delegated budgets.
To be responsible for managing the effective use of therapy resources.
For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.
Person Specification
Personal Attributes
* Ability to risk assess and deal with health and safety matters for own and others work area and caseloads.
* Ability to work autonomously.
* Ability to travel around the Trust as appropriate to role.
* Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service possibly including evenings and weekend working.
Qualifications
* Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy.
* Practice Education/Practice Assessor Preparation Certificate (or to achieve within 12 months).
* MSC/Diploma in relevant area.
Training
* Evidence of continuing professional development and post graduate training in relevant area.
* Have demonstrable competence to work at Masters or Advanced Level.
* Management or leadership training.
* Audit training.
Experience
* Extensive appropriate post‑registration experience relevant to clinical area.
* Experience in supervising and managing staff.
Special Knowledge/Skills
* Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
* Excellent leadership skills.
* Excellent teaching skills.
* Ability to demonstrate highly specialised clinical reasoning and treatment skills.
* Excellent team working skills.
* Proven experience of time management.
* Knowledge of local and national guidance relevant to clinical area.
* Basic IT skills.
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).
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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