Lead Occupational Therapist

Job summary
Join the Shaftesbury Forensic Inpatient Service at Springfield University Hospital as a Specialist Occupational Therapist and play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality care within a modern medium and low secure setting. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary team supporting men and women detained under the Mental Health Act who present with complex mental health needs and risks. Occupational therapy is central to recovery.

The service has a strong culture of continuous professional development, with robust supervision and excellent training opportunities. There is a clear commitment to growing and developing staff at all levels. You will also benefit from working alongside specialist expertise, including a dedicated sensory practitioner within the team. This role offers the opportunity to shape practice, promote inclusion and recovery, and contribute to a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous quality improvement within a supportive and forward-thinking forensic service.

Main duties of the job
You will independently manage a complex caseload and apply advanced clinical reasoning to deliver evidence-based, person-centred interventions informed by the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and the Recovery Approach. You will support service users to develop meaningful skills, enhance independence, and progress towards community reintegration. Alongside your clinical responsibilities, you will provide leadership through supervision, staff development, and service improvement initiatives. You will also act as a specialist resource in complex situations and influence care planning and clinical pathways.

The service has a strong culture of continuous professional development, with robust supervision and excellent training opportunities. There is a clear commitment to growing and developing staff at all levels. You will also benefit from working alongside specialist expertise, including a dedicated sensory practitioner within the team. This role offers the opportunity to shape practice, promote inclusion and recovery, and contribute to a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous quality improvement within a supportive and forward-thinking forensic service

About us
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.

Unless expressly stated in the job advert the role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.

Job responsibilities

• To provide a specialist Occupational Therapy service to service users within medium and low secure services, delivering interventions informed by the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and the Recovery Approach, and acting as a specialist resource within the team.
• To independently manage a complex caseload, applying advanced clinical reasoning in situations of complexity and uncertainty to assess, plan, implement and evaluate evidence-based, person-centred interventions.
• To provide clinical leadership within the team, offering supervision, guidance and support to occupational therapy staff and support workers, and taking responsibility for maintaining high standards of practice in collaboration with the OT leadership team.
• To take a lead role in delegated areas of clinical practice and service development, contributing to the design, implementation and evaluation of service improvements and supporting the development of staff across the team.
• To work collaboratively with the OT leadership and multidisciplinary team, influencing care planning, contributing to clinical pathways and promoting continuous quality improvement across the service.
• To provide formal and informal supervision, supporting staff development, clinical decision-making and reflective practice, and promoting a culture of learning and professional accountability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in job applications
If you have used AI to support the preparation of your application, please briefly indicate how it was used within your supporting statement or application form.

Please remember, your application is your opportunity to tell us about your skills, experience and motivation for the role. We encourage applicants to complete their application and supporting statement in their own words wherever possible. We recognise that AI tools can be helpful in supporting accessibility, and for improving spelling, grammar and structure.

Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content can become generic and fail to accurately reflect an applicant's individual experience. Applications that clearly demonstrate your own voice, reflections and experiences are often the most effective and help us better understand your suitability for the role.

Please be aware that information provided in your application and supporting statement may be explored further during the selection process. It is important that all applications accurately represent your own knowledge, skills and experience.

Person Specification

Training and Qualifications
Essential

• Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
• Registration to practice in the UK
• Evidence of post registration training relevant to mental health practice
• Training in the theory and application of the model of human occupation within the first 4 months of appointment

Desirable

• Practice placement educators course within one year of appointment
• Leadership and/or management training

Experience
Essential

• Experience of carrying a caseload of service users with complex and diverse needs in a mental health setting.
• Experience of working in an inter-professional team.
• Experience of working within a multi-agency environment.
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural context
• Experience of supervising junior staff
• Experience of maintaining a written record of continual professional development

Desirable

• Experience of working in a range of mental health settings
• Experience of working as an occupational therapist in a forensic mental health in-patient setting.
• Experience of MDT project management

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Highly developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed & maintained with service users who have multiple & complex needs
• Ability to communicate effectively in complex and sensitive situations including conflict and distress
• Ability to influence and challenge decision-making within a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to provide specialist occupational therapy advice and consultancy to colleagues and external agencies
• Ability to work autonomously, set priorities and manage complexity

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 (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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