Job summary
- Main area
- Older People Services
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 294-MHCA-7845266-JB-B
- Employer
- South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Livingston House
- Town
- Teddington
- Salary
- £44,485 - £52,521 per annum inclusive of outer London HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Occupational Therapist
Band 6
South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We provide a full range of local mental health services to the Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth London boroughs, as well as specialist forensic mental health services, including specialised services such as national deaf adults and CAMHS inpatients and OCD.
We are committed to providing high quality integrated health and social care for local people with mental health problems in South West London and more specialist mental health services for people throughout the UK. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ however we aim to be ‘outstanding’.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values; being consistent, compassionate, collaborative, respectful and open is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is "making life better together".
When you join us, you’ll be part of something special – an innovative and rapidly growing organisation that is helping to redefine the Mental Health, education and social care landscape in the UK.
As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
Previous applicants need not apply.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a band 6 occupational therapist to work full time in the Richmond Community Older Peoples Service across the Memory Assessment Service and the Recovery Support Team. This is an opportunity to be part of a dynamic multi-disciplinary team that assesses all referrals for old age adults with mental health needs and resident in the borough of Richmond.
We are looking for a self-motivated and flexible occupational therapist, with mental health experience and excellent interpersonal skills, to join our well-established multidisciplinary team, which is committed to providing the highest quality of service to older people in Richmond.
You will work to provide a high-quality occupational therapy service for your clients and carers, both within the Memory Assessment Service and the Recovery Support Team, targeting and prioritising people with severe mental health problems, people with mild-moderate dementia.
Staff are encouraged and facilitated in their personal and continuing professional development: there is a well-established Older People OT Forum aimed at supporting evidence-based practice and providing peer support.
We encourage applicants who are keen to develop their skills in assessment, monitoring and caseload management and who enjoy working autonomously but with the support of the team. You will work with a Recovery Model and be fully involved in MDT discussions.
Main duties of the job
You will work to provide a high-quality occupational therapy service for your clients and carers, both within the Memory Assessment Service and the Recovery Support Team, targeting and prioritising people with severe mental health problems, people with mild-moderate dementia.
The postholder will work closely with the team of doctors and be able to act autonomously to identify and raise concerns including urgent/emergency situations and escalating to the Team Manager or Consultant as appropriate.
They will assess clients with complex needs, and use evidence based/client centred principles to plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
Demonstrate the skills to professionally communicate complex information to users and carers regarding bio-psychosocial problems in an empathetic and supportive way.
To liaise with professionals/ agencies and ensure the patient receives continuity of care/ service through clear and timely communication with all involved in their care.
To support with the team’s duty triage system, screening referrals and doing urgent assessments to assist in information gathering in accordance with the team’s needs and to record these on the patient records.
To attend MDT meetings as required for service.
Working for our organisation
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ - we aspire to be ‘outstanding’.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• To apply a high level of understanding of the effects of disability on occupational performance and provide training and advice on lifestyles changes and adaptations to the client’s social and physical environment.
• To consider both physical and mental health needs as part of the occupational therapy assessment.
• To identify any significant risk factors in line with local policies, with support from senior staff
• To contribute to and work within clinical pathways and protocols.
• To identify occupational therapy goals as part of the overall care plan, using specialist mental health and occupational therapy assessments, including MOHO tools.
• To promote social inclusion and physical and mental well-being using evidence based practice. This is underpinned by the principles of hope and recovery, health promotion and relapse prevention.
• To plan and implement specialist individual and/or group interventions collaboratively, to enable service users to achieve valued goals and satisfactory occupational performance outcome.
• To independently manage a clinical caseload of service user with complex mental health needs.
• To exercise clinical professional judgement in complex clinical cases and difficult clinical situation, referring to senior staff when necessary.
• To promote equality of outcome for service users that reflect their mental health needs and those of ethnicity, gender, culture physical health and age.
• To evaluate effectiveness of therapy interventions and quality of clinical decisions in conjunction with service users/carers, other professionals etc.
• To establish and maintain effective communication networks with users and carers, team members, occupational therapy colleagues and other agencies.
• To communicate with people in a manner consistent with their culture, background and preferred ways of communicating.
• To work as a member of the inter-professional team, attending meetings and contributing to decisions with regard to the care and treatment of service users.
• To work in partnership with PCT, LA, voluntary and other relevant agencies to promote a seamless service.
• To educate service users and carers on occupational therapy interventions, for example, the use of equipment.
• To promote awareness of the role of occupational therapy within the team, negotiating priorities where appropriate.
Person specification
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
- Registration to practice in the UK
- Evidence of post registration training relevant to mental health practice
Desirable criteria
- Practice placement educators course within one year of appointment
- Apple registration
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of carrying a caseload in a mental health setting
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
- Experience of maintaining a written record of continual professional development
- Experience of individual and groupwork
- Experience of participating in a service development project
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a range of mental health settings
- Experience of supervising junior staff
Knowledge and Skills - Communication
Essential criteria
- Developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed & maintained with service users who have multiple & complex needs
- Proficient standard of written communication skills
- Ability to promote & maintain the profile of OT within an MDT & the wider organisation
Knowledge and Skills - Quality
Essential criteria
- Applied knowledge of current national legislation, policies & guidelines relevant to clinical area
- Good personal management skills in order to manage a clinical caseload & varied workload
- Ability to work effectively within a team and understanding of the importance of collaborative working in the delivery of good quality services
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
- Beatrice Akyeampong
- Job title
- Team Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
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