Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapist
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 222-SF-745
- Employer
- West London NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Bernard’s Hospital
- Town
- Southall
- Salary
- £36,943 - £44,900 Per Annum Inclusive of Allowances
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/07/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Occupational Therapist - Band 5
Band 5
West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.
We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.
Job overview
If you are looking for a rare and exciting opportunity to develop your career and have a genuine interest in Forensic Services, this could be the perfect role for you.
Based at St Bernard’s Hospital in Ealing, our Forensic Services provide a dynamic environment across men’s and women’s low and medium secure pathways. You will join a well-established and highly regarded Occupational Therapy team, supporting service users on meaningful recovery journeys.
You will be part of a supportive multidisciplinary team, including Occupational Therapists, Assistants, Activity Coordinators, and Recovery Support Workers, all committed to delivering high-quality, recovery-focused care. You will receive structured supervision and professional development support from a Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist.
As a Band 5 Occupational Therapist, you will manage your own caseload and contribute to assessment, care planning, and therapeutic interventions within a collaborative team environment.
This role offers the opportunity to work across the wider service, supporting individuals as they progress through care pathways and transition into the community. You will also gain valuable knowledge of local resources to help promote independence and successful reintegration.
This is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills and be part of a passionate team making a real difference in forensic mental health care.
Main duties of the job
You will manage a varied and rewarding clinical caseload, delivering a range of individual and group interventions to support service users in developing skills for independence and recovery. Interventions include social skills, self-care, life skills, transitions, cyber safety, leisure, and vocational development, all within a recovery-focused framework.
The role provides excellent opportunities to develop core clinical skills, including assessment, case formulation, and goal setting. We use the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability (VdTMoCA), and full training and supervision will be provided.
You will work within clear clinical pathways, supporting service users as they progress from acute care through rehabilitation and into the community, with occupational performance central to each stage of recovery.
You will also support access to vocational and educational opportunities, helping service users build confidence, skills, and future employment prospects.
We are committed to continuous professional development (CPD) and offer a wide range of learning opportunities. You will work closely with a wider network of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), benefiting from collaborative working and shared learning across the Trust.
Working for our organisation
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- BSc (Hons) Or MSc Occupational Therapy
- HCPC Registration
Experience
Essential criteria
- Application of core OT skills and OT process
- Multidisciplinary team working
- Experience of working in mental health
Desirable criteria
- Work experience in a Health or Social Care setting
- Involvement in research and clinical audit
- Studies in Forensic Care
- Placement in a Forensic setting
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- An understanding of the Forensic Setting How Mental Illness presents in people
- Research methodology
- Core skills of OT process
- Models of practice
- Clinical and environmental risk
- Equality and diversity
- Understanding of team dynamics
- Awareness of professional identity and the need to work within appropriate boundaries
- Principles of clinical governance
Desirable criteria
- Relevant current legislation, including NSF, CPA, risk assessment and risk management
- Group work theory and practice
- VdT Model of Creative Ability (VdT MoCA)
Skills
Essential criteria
- Organisational ability
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to build rapport with service users, carers and colleagues
- Evidence of ability in OT assessment, treatment planning, intervention and evaluation
- Problem solving skills
- Ability to work independently and under supervision as part of a team
- Clear & effective decision-making
- Group work skills
- Computer literacy
Desirable criteria
- Ability to prepare and present papers at study days and conferences
- Ability to apply (research) evidence-based practice
- Use of standardised assessment tools and outcome measures
- Contribution to service development and the training of others
- Supervisory skills
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
- Ability to reflect, identify and take responsibility for continuing professional development (CPD)
- Understand the need for and actively participates in own supervision and constructive use of feedback
- High levels of initiative, innovation and self-motivation
- Commitment to client-centred, non-discriminatory practice
Desirable criteria
- Willingness to work flexible hours if required
- Membership of a Special Interest Group e.g. RCOT SS Mental Health
- Willingness to participate in rotation schemes where relevant
- Able to demonstrate a strong professional identity
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
- Tania Kumaresan
- Job title
- Deputy Head of AHP
- Email address
- [email protected]
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