Job summary
- Main area
- Learning Disabilities
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- 11 months (Fixed term)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 267-LD8183906
- Employer
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Slade House
- Town
- Oxford
- Salary
- £32,073 - £39,043 per annum | pro-rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 27/08/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Occupational Therapist (FTC)
Band 5
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We are a responsive and innovative Foundation Trust that places our values of Caring, Safe and Excellent at the heart of everything we do. We take great pride in our staff and believe that investing in you is key to us achieving our vision of outstanding care delivered by outstanding people.
We work with a wide range of partner organisations to deliver care and support to people in their own homes and from a number of hospitals and community bases. We focus on delivering care as close to home as possible for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
We actively support anti-racism, equality, diversity, and inclusion so, if you’re excited about this job opportunity and you meet our Trust values, but feel unsure about applying, then please get in touch and we will be happy to have a conversation with you.
We are also committed to increasing diversity in the workforce, that is why we actively encourage applications from those groups of people who are currently under-represented, which include amongst others: people with disabilities; men from all socio-economic backgrounds; people from diverse ethnic backgrounds; and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Good luck and we hope to hear from you.
Job overview
Are you an Occupational Therapist with a passion for problem-solving, data analysis, and making a real difference?
Join our Intensive Support Team in Oxford, where you'll support children and adults with learning disabilities and complex behavioural needs across Oxfordshire. Using your OT expertise alongside Positive Behaviour Support and behavioural approaches, you'll help uncover the reasons behind behaviour, influence support plans, and improve outcomes for the people we work with.
This varied role combines community visits, assessments, data analysis, and intervention work, giving you the opportunity to develop your skills in OT, PBS, and Applied Behaviour Analysis while managing your own diary within team core hours.
If you're enthusiastic about learning, collaboration, and delivering meaningful person-centred support, we'd love to hear from you.
Applicants must have a full valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle for work. Adjustments can be considered in line with the Equality Act 2010 where required.
Please note: This role is offered on a fixed-term basis for 11 months to cover maternity leave (from September 2026). The post is also available as a secondment opportunity.
Main duties of the job
- To work with adults and children with a learning disability whose health need relates to the effect of their learning disability upon their occupational performance, enabling the client in the areas of self-maintenance, productivity and leisure.
- To manage own clinical caseload of clients with complex needs, to include mental illness, complex physical needs, challenging behaviour, learning disability and autism within the remit of the Intensive Support Team.
- To formulate, implement, evaluate and adapt individual client centred interventions.
- To ensure all assessments and interventions link effectively with client centred plans e.g. health action plan, person centred plan, multidisciplinary team plan, behaviour plan and care management.
- To collect, collate and analyse data/ information regarding the effectiveness of behaviour support plans and occupational therapy interventions, measure progress and ensure effectiveness of the intervention, and provide written reports as appropriate.
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the “candidate guide to making an application” and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.
As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)
• Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To work with adults and children with a learning disability whose health need relates to the effect of their learning disability upon their occupational performance, enabling the client in the areas of self-maintenance, productivity and leisure.
- To manage own clinical caseload of clients with complex needs, to include mental illness, complex physical needs, challenging behaviour, learning disability and autism within the remit of the Intensive Support Team.
- To formulate, implement, evaluate and adapt individual client centred interventions.
- To ensure all assessments and interventions link effectively with client centered plans e.g. health action plan, person centered plan, multidisciplinary team plan, behaviour plan and care management.
- To collect, collate and analyse data/ information regarding the effectiveness of behaviour support plans and occupational therapy interventions, measure progress and ensure effectiveness of the intervention, and provide written reports as appropriate.
- To have competent written, organisational, IT and administrative skills and gather and present information to promote the service and multi-disciplinary working for the benefit of individuals on the caseload, while adhering to the specified time frame.
- To work holistically as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team involved with each individual. To provide awareness, advice, teaching, and training to other members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team regarding occupational therapy, to enable them to carry out required programmes.
We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the “supporting statement” element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.
The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview, and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their application. We kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of their experience and must take care to ensure the use of AI tools does not generate an application that does not accurately reflect their knowledge, skills and values.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge and an understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities and autism, who challenge services and can have complex health needs
- Knowledge of OT models, underpinned by theory and practical experience, including application of OT standardised assessment
- Demonstrates knowledge of range of OT assessment tools & therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support and Functional Analysis, and experience in their application
- Knowledge and application of standardised behavioural assessments
- Knowledge of learning disability guidelines in current practice
- Presentation and training skills
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Occupational Therapy Degree qualification or equivalent
- Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Desirable criteria
- Post-qualifying courses relating to challenging behaviour and learning disability
- Sensory Integration qualification
- Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience and knowledge of working with people who exhibit challenging behaviour
- Experience of working with individuals with a learning disability
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues
- Experience in the development, assessment, application, and evaluation of Positive Behaviour Support plans, OT interventions
- Experience of organising own workload
Desirable criteria
- Experience within a community learning disability health setting
- Experience supporting junior staff e.g. support workers
- Analysing professional and ethical issues to find resolution
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Ability to work collaboratively with people with a learning disability and complex health needs, and the wider multidisciplinary team
- Excellent organizational skills - ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
- High level communication skills (written and verbal), including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be emotive
Desirable criteria
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectivel
- Ability to tolerate emotionally demanding/challenging situations, and to seek support appropriately
- Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Intensive Support Team
- Job title
- Intensive Support Team Inbox
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01865 901 419
- Additional information
At Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust we want to employ people not just with experience, but with the aptitude and motivation to succeed and whose values resonate with our own.
Therefore, if you don’t meet all the requirements of the role and are unsure about applying but are excited about the opportunity, please do get in touch. We will be happy to discuss the requirements in more detail ahead of making a written application.
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