Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Occupational Therapist to join our Suffolk Forensic Community Mental Health Team. The successful candidate will be joining a highly motivated multidisciplinary team to support service users who are under forensic mental health services. We support service users aged 18+ and support them on their transition from inpatient forensic services to the community.

The team is based at Cedar House at the Old St Clements Hospital site in Ipswich and as a community post, all staff members are required to travel around the county on a daily basis to meet the needs of the service.

If you have experience of working with people who live with mental health difficulties we would love to hear from you. Applications will only be accepted from candidates who have completed their preceptorship.

Main duties of the job
The Forensic Community Mental Health Team provide support to our service users helping them with the transition to living life in the community. As a team we aim to get people out of hospital sooner, gain stability in the community and prevent the need for further readmissions to hospital.

The post holder will undertake the planning and delivery of direct patient care with appropriate supervision, ensuring continuity of practice and working within a multi-disciplinary and multiagency environment.

• To work flexibly across the week according to service user needs and priorities.
• Working times from 08:00 - 20:00 with need for some hours on weekends according to service user need.
• Support and advice to other health care professionals.
• Daily independent travel across the County.
• To support aspects of service development.
• Maintaining positive relations with external agencies including MAPPA, MOJ and Police services.
• Provide an appropriate learning environment for relevant University students.

The post holder must be able to travel independently across the county and be required to engage with the wider multi-disciplinary team. Trust wide mandatory and statutory training is also required for the role. The successful candidates must have experience as an Occupational Therapist and knowledge of Occupational Therapy input into risk assessment and risk management. The role involves supporting service users with complex mental health needs and a forensic/offending history.

About us
Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.

Details
Date posted: 26 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year gross per annum pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 246-GYW8350352

Job responsibilities
The successful post holder will be supported with regular supervision, a yearly appraisal and CPD opportunities including in-house training, peer support sessions, and ongoing learning opportunities.

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, Apply through our website.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Essential: Diploma / Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Essential: HCPC registration

Experience

• Essential: Post registration experience in mental health.
• Desirable: Supervising students / staff.

Skills

• Essential: Ability to deliver OT assessment / treatment with designated client group.
• Essential: Ability to work under pressure, manage own caseload and prioritise.

Other

• Essential: Ability to travel independently.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
Address: Cedar House, St Clements Hospital, Foxhall Road, Ipswich, IP3 8XL, United Kingdom

For questions about the job, contact:
Lead Occupational Therapist, Conor Lynch, conor.lynch@nsft.nhs.uk, 01603786782

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust's privacy notice.