Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (shifts across 8am - 8pm and some weekends)
- Job ref
- 383-OPC-7651-26
- Employer
- Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Snowdrop Ward
- Town
- Chesterfield
- Salary
- £39,959 - £48,117 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 03/09/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Occupational Therapist
NHS AfC: Band 6
Want to make a real difference and have a truly rewarding career? Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of ‘making a positive difference in people's lives’.
We’ve been rated ‘good’ overall by the CQC, with some outstanding services. The CQC commented at our most recent inspection on how our colleagues “treated patients with compassion and kindness” and “felt positive and proud about working for the trust.
We are passionate about making equality, diversity and inclusion part of our DNA. We take pride in our “People First Culture” which creates a workplace where everyone feels a genuine sense of belonging, difference is celebrated, and people are comfortable to bring their whole selves to work. We value the richness that comes from having colleagues that are fully representative of the local community. We welcome people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, protected characteristics, and with all backgrounds and experiences.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join our friendly and supportive team, working within our older adult Dementia ward at Walton Hospital.
Snowdrop Ward is a 18 bedded assessment and treatment unit for older adults with an acute organic illness who require a period of assessment within an acute mental health setting.
As a Senior Occupational Therapist, you will:
- Provide strong clinical leadership, working closely with the MDT and other stakeholder in delivering high quality, person-centred care.
- Champion evidence-based practice to enhance service quality and responsiveness.
- Support the Ward Manager in developing operational and clinical mechanisms, including deputising in absence of the service lead.
- Collaborate with ward-based therapy staff, ensuring effective oversight of OT provision and assessments.
Main duties of the job
- Maintain a strong clinical presence by delivering individual interventions and overseeing the full range of therapeutic activities within the team.
- Demonstrate expertise in organic mental health care and share this knowledge effectively, promoting independence and person centred care.
- Proactively manage your own caseload, prioritising tasks efficiently to meet competing demands.
- Assess complex service user needs using professional judgement and evidence-based approaches, ensuring accountability for clinical decisions.
- Ensure every service user has a current, collaboratively developed Occupational Therapy plan tailored to their individual needs.
- Apply leadership principles adapting strategies to meet changing service requirements.
- Work closely with ward-based therapy team to ensure the delivery of high-quality, needs-led Occupational Therapy services.
- Contribute to clinical development through mentoring, coaching, and supporting student education and fieldwork placement
Working for our organisation
Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of ‘making a positive difference in people's lives’.
CQC rated us as 'GOOD’ overall, commenting on how our colleagues “treated patients with compassion and kindness” and “felt positive and proud about working for the trust.”
Benefits include:
-
Commitment to flexible working where this is possible
-
27 days annual leave/year plus bank holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years & 33 days after 10 years’ service
-
Yearly appraisal and commitment to ongoing training
-
Generous NHS pension scheme
-
Good maternity, paternity and adoption benefits
-
Health service discounts and online benefits
-
Incremental pay progression
-
Free confidential employee assistance programme 24/7
-
Access to our LGBT+ network, BAME Network and Christian Network
-
Health and wellbeing opportunities
-
Structured learning and development opportunities
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please review the job description and person specification. To apply, please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB - this link will take you to the TRAC recruitment site. You will need to register if you do not have an account.
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
- Degree or diploma in OT
- Evidence of ongoing, CPD, Reflection, Team Leadership skills and Evidence based practice
Desirable criteria
- Field work educators qualification
Skills and Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate 2 years post registration experience and expertise of mental health
- Evidence of specialised Occupational Therapy Assessments
- Analytical skills involving skilled interpretation, comparison and reasoned judgement in complex situations
- Supervision of Junior staff
- Evidence of leadership skills
- Evidence of risk assessment and management
- Evidence of application of theoretical models of practice.
- Evidence of working in an organic / dementia care setting and complex cases
- Evidence of group work experience
Desirable criteria
- Demonstrate knowledge of research techniques and experience of clinical audit
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dawn Bradley
- Job title
- Ward Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01246 515547
- Additional information
Amanda Mitchell (Clinical Lead OT)
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