Job summary
The closing date is 19 August 2026

Due to career progression, a band 5 to 6 Occupational Therapy development opportunity has arisen within the Hertfordshire Specialist Learning Disability Service. In this rare opportunity, we are looking for an enthusiastic, creative and highly motivated OT to join our dedicated, specialist and forward-thinking MDT where you will be working collaboratively to improve the lives, independence and wellbeing of people with a learning disability.

In this rewarding role, you'll use your core OT skills to promote participation and independence in activities of daily living, while building and sharing expertise in specialist areas including Sensory Integration, Positive Behaviour Support and trauma-informed approaches.

You'll be welcomed into a highly skilled, dedicated and inventive Occupational Therapy service. We'll support you with supervision and ongoing learning, and you'll have opportunities to contribute to service development and quality improvement.

We are a nurturing, supportive and forward-thinking team with strong peer networks. As a Band 5 you will be supported to gain the relevant competencies to progress to a band 6, you'll be encouraged to use your experience, share knowledge across the MDT and help shape high-quality occupational therapy provision.

This is a community post, access to a vehicle is essential.

If you'd like to find out more, we welcome informal conversations and questions from anyone interested in applying.

Main duties of the job

• To provide high quality, comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention for specified service user group with complex need
• To work in an interdisciplinary way to assess service user's needs, devise care plans and evaluate outcomes and to carry a caseload as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Provide clinical advice and support for service users that present with behaviour that challenges and require support with their mental health.
• Work directly with service users, carers, colleagues and other service providers.
• Deliver training and education to other professionals/carers/family.
• To continue to develop Occupational Therapy provision within the service and drive innovation with support from the Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist and Professional Lead Occupational Therapist.
• To complete the preceptorship as appropriate and complete the associated competencies.

About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

Our family of over 4000 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!

Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

Then please read on...

Details
Date posted: 03 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £33,677 to £50,387 a year per annum, pro rata (Inclusive of 5% HCAS)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 367-LD&F-101496
Job locations: The Marlowes Health and Wellbeing Centre, 39 - 41 The Marlowes, Hemel Hemstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1LD, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• To provide a high-quality Occupational Therapy Service and consultation to people within the Hertfordshire Specialist Learning Disability Services.
• To manage a caseload, using evidence based/client principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings .
• To provide specialist Occupational Therapy advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to a clients formulation, diagnosis and case management plan.
• To plan and implement individual and/or group interventions using selected and graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals.
• To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• To ensure that clients are consulted and involved in decision about their care.ion an
• To maintain clinical records.
• To develop skills and knowledge _._
• To provide an effective supervision framework for Occupational Therapy staff, and provide regular supervision to allocated OT staff as per Trust policy.

Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS EDUCATION TRAINING
Essential

• BSc/MSc/PG Dip Occupational Therapy
• HCPC registration
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office and associated packages.
• Evidence of relevant post grad training.
• Completion of preceptorship for Band 5 OT's

Desirable

• Membership of RCOT
• Practice Placement qualification
• AMPS/SI training/MOHO
• Broad base of clinical experience

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Essential

• Post registration experience in relevant clinical setting
• Applied experience of providing both individual and group work interventions.
• Specialist knowledge and experience of using the Model of Human Occupation assessment tools, or others appropriate to area.
• Experience of other specialist Occupational Therapy assessment tools, e.g. AMPS, Pool Activity Levels
• Documented evidence of continuing professional development
• Applied knowledge of Recovery principles and how these relate to OT
• Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or learning disability in a variety of health and social care settings

Desirable

• Previous experience of having worked in a similar setting at Band 5 level
• Experience in research or audit
• Previous experience of having worked at Band 6 level
• Experience in providing advice, support and clinical supervision to junior staff and/or students

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential

• Strong communication skills, written and verbal and the ability to persuade and negotiate with peers and senior colleagues
• Proven track record of working within a multidisciplinary team and an understanding of team dynamics
• Knowledge and application of key policy, health legislation and guidelines which impact on OT and mental health/LD practice.
• Ability to provide and receive sensitive and difficult information regarding service users care and social situation
• Knowledge of and effective use of appropriate professional relationships and boundaries
• High level of ability to grade and adapt practical skills
• Evidence of delivery of training and professional development sessions

ANALYTICAL SKILLS
Essential

• Ability to apply broad knowledge of current best practice in OT and mental health
• A high level of problem solving/clinical judgement skills and the ability to analyse professional and ethical issues
• Ability to respond and adjust appropriately to the changing needs of service users
• Highly developed Observational skills
• Highly developed ability to evaluate group interventions and outcomes
• Highly developed case formulation skills to guide own OT intervention plan and those of others

Desirable

• Specialist knowledge and experience of using the Model of Human Occupation Assessment tools and or equivalent in area
• Experience of audits/evaluations of interventions and direct involvement of implementation of any subsequent changes to practice

Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address: The Marlowes Health and Wellbeing Centre, 39 - 41 The Marlowes, Hemel Hemstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1LD, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Professional Lead for LD Occupational Therapy, Amanda Drake
Email: amanda.drake1@nhs.net
Telephone: 07813348421