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Job summary

Main area
Occupational Therapist
Grade
Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 32 hours per week
Job ref
364-B-187
Employer
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
First Floor, Castle Maltings
Town
Stansted
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
12/07/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Band 7 Occupational Therapy Lead

Band 7

Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk. 

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive. 

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years. 

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.  

Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

The Band 7 Occupational Therapy Lead for Neighbourhood Health plays a pivotal role in delivering high-quality, person-centred care across community services. This role focuses on collaborative partnership working with primary care, social care, voluntary organisations, and community groups to address the wider determinants of health, including housing, social isolation, and access to meaningful activities.

A strong emphasis is placed on early intervention and prevention to support individuals in maintaining independence, reducing hospital admissions, and enhancing overall wellbeing. Through a population health approach, the OT Lead ensures services are tailored to the specific needs of local communities, addressing health inequalities and promoting personalised, strengths-based care that empowers individuals and communities.

The post holder is responsible for the effective day-to-day leadership and management of therapy staff and assistant practitioners, ensuring the delivery of safe and effective services. They will provide senior clinical leadership, offering expert advice and support while demonstrating advanced clinical judgement, risk assessment, and decision-making skills.

The role requires flexibility, including working across West Essex localities to meet service needs

Main duties of the job

The Band 7 Occupational Therapy Lead role, promoting neighbourhood health involves working collaboratively across community services to support individuals to live well within their local environments. This includes developing strong partnerships with primary care, social care, voluntary sectors and community organisations to address wider determinants of health such as housing, social isolation and access to meaningful activities. A key focus is on early intervention and prevention, enabling people to maintain independence, reduce hospital admissions and improve overall wellbeing. By using a population health approach, the OT Lead ensures services are responsive to the specific needs of the local community, addressing health inequalities and supporting personalised, strengths-based care that empowers individuals and communities to thrive.

To be responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality person-centred services, day to day management and leadership of therapy and assistant practitioners. To provide senior clinical advice, leadership and support ensuring the needs of the service are met by exercising and demonstrating high levels of clinical judgement, critical risk assessment and advanced decision making skills.Flexible working is required, as at times you will be expected to work across sites in our other West Essex localities depending on service needs.

Working for our organisation

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you. 

  • Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
  • Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
  • If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.

Benefits

  • 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
  • Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
  • Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
  • £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
  • Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs

  • Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • To act as a senior decision maker to guide and support staff with complex patient cases.
  • To assess, plan, implement and evaluate specialist treatment and care and/or rehabilitation programs to people, promoting independence and autonomy; working within a multidisciplinary team.
  • Provide expert clinical holistic assessment and evidence based pro-active and reactive health care interventions to support patients and their carers to achieve maximum health welling and independence
  • To participate in duty clinician cover, triage and MDT/allocation meetings where clinically appropriate.
  • To act at all times as an advocate for service users, carers and relatives.
  • To be responsible for standards of care within the service area; to evaluate clinical care and develop actions with relevant line managers where required.
  • To have overall responsibility for caseload management through continual monitoring and data collection.
  • To maintain a professional portfolio and demonstrate that practice is up to date and evidence based through regular management and clinical supervision/mentorship.
  • Day to day management and leadership of therapy and at time nursing practitioners and other staff in the multi-disciplinary team. To provide senior clinical advice, leadership and support ensuring the needs of the service are met by exercising and demonstrating high levels of clinical judgement, critical risk assessment and advanced decision making skills.
  • To delegate day to day clinical duties appropriately to other team members.
  • To inspire and demonstrate leadership qualities through excellent communication skills, delivery of specialist advice, working with others, demonstration of personal qualities and continuous service improvement.
  • Act as a role model, provide professional leadership to the team and promote the Trust values.
  • Actively participate in identifying training needs of self and others and participate in appropriate training programmes.

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant post-registration experience in a community or integrated care setting
  • Demonstrable experience of managing complex cases and risk
  • Experience of supervising, mentoring, or leading staff
  • Experience of service development or quality improvement
  • Experience of working within multidisciplinary teams across health and social care
Desirable criteria
  • Experience working within neighbourhood or population health models

Knowledge and skills

Essential criteria
  • Advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making skills
  • Knowledge of current NHS policies, community care frameworks, and integrated working
  • Ability to lead, motivate, and support teams
Desirable criteria
  • strong organisational and time management skills

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist
Desirable criteria
  • Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)

Other

Essential criteria
  • Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (if required for community visits)
  • Ability to work flexibly across sites to meet service needs

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Essex Family Friendly Employers

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Louise Knight
Job title
ICT Therapy Lead
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07876508538
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