Senior Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 13 May 2026
We have an opportunity for a Band 6 Community Occupational Therapist to join the Older People's Community Mental Health Team.
This post is ideal for an OT with a passion for working with older people and for someone who enjoys collaboration and team working. We are looking forward to welcoming a practitioner with a positive outlook and experience with older people, resourcefulness and experience for the role.
The work is important and rewarding, with a focus on rehabilitation, recovery and empowerment, helping people to achieve the best possible outcomes and well‑being through collaboration, and family/carer involvement. Using occupation as the foundation for your work and as a basis for bringing value and purpose to people's lives, you will contribute to the delivery of assessments, individualised interventions and therapy/care planning as part of an effective and supportive integrated multi‑disciplinary team.
The friendly teams include nursing, psychological therapies, medical staff and support staff and you will have the opportunity to develop and enhance the OT service in the settings and within wider service pathways. Post holders will be supported by regular supervision and ongoing CPD opportunities.
Main duties of the job
You will use a person‑centred, compassionate and evidence‑based approach to working with people who often have complex mental health, cognitive and physical health needs. You will work with clients, carers and care implementing the Occupational Therapy process, planning and implementing client‑centred interventions to achieve occupational and other therapeutic goals.
You will apply skills in a range of occupational therapy and other approaches pertinent to the client group and setting, including psychosocial and psychological approaches. Assessment methods include the use of specialist Mental Health and Occupational Therapy assessments, approaches and tools to support occupational formulation and MDT care planning. The post constitutes of the delivery of Occupational Therapy alongside some Lead Professional/ Key Clinician duties where appropriate. The Allied Health Professionals and occupational therapy network within the organisation is supportive, providing opportunities for collaboration and participation in development of practice and services and to build your own knowledge base and experience. The trust also encourages staff to be involved in wider integrated professional workstreams and development opportunities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Occupational Therapy Registered with the HCPC
* Evidence of relevant post registration training and CPD Practice educator qualification (or willingness to work towards)
* Postgraduate qualification or specialist training in: Mental health, Older people's services, Dementia care
* Approved Practice Educator status
* Leadership or management training
Experience
* Significant post‑qualification experience as an Occupational Therapist
* Therapist Experience working with complex cases and multidisciplinary teams
* Experience supervising, mentoring, or supporting junior staff or students
* Experience in assessment, treatment planning, and outcome evaluation
* Significant experience working with older adults, including those with functional mental illness (e.g. depression, anxiety, psychosis) Cognitive impairment and/or dementia
* Experience of community based mental health services
* Experience of complex assessments, formulation, and intervention planning
* Experience of risk assessment and management, including safeguarding
* Experience of multidisciplinary team (MDT) working
* Experience of care coordination, case management, or equivalent role
* Experience of working in a community based service
* Experience of developing services
* Experience working in a specialist older adults mental health team
* Experience of service development, audit, or quality improvement
* Experience of providing formal clinical supervision
* Experience of group work and therapeutic programmes
* Experience working with carers and voluntary sector agencies Education/ training/ presentation skills
* Member of relevant RCOT
* Specialist Sections Knowledge of audit and research methodologies
Knowledge
* Strong understanding of occupational therapy models and their application in mental health
* Ability to assess: Occupational performance Functional ability Cognitive and sensory needs Environmental and social factors Knowledge of: Mental Health Act Mental Capacity Act Safeguarding legislation Care Act (where relevant)
* Knowledge of: Neurocognitive disorders and functional mental illness in later life Trauma‑informed care Positive risk‑taking approaches
Skills
* Skills in delivering evidence‑based OT interventions for older people
* Ability to work autonomously and manage a complex caseload
* Competence and confidence in occupational therapy assessment and treatment of people with a range of mental health problems
* Ability to manage a caseload without day to day supervision
* Ability to create and maintain effective working relationships across professional/ organisational boundaries
* Ability to identify unmet service needs and to effectively develop services to meet those needs in close liaison with relevant agencies
* Good organisational skills
* Good written and verbal communication skills
* Evidence of CPD relevant to grade and specialism
* Cognitive assessments
* Environmental risk assessment and adaptation
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.
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHSFT
£39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum, pro rata
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