Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapy
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 351-SPS1424-MF
- Employer
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Water Meadow View
- Town
- Preston
- Salary
- £37,338 - £44,962 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Specialist Occupational Therapist
Band 6
Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism and community based services for the populations we serve.
As an integrated mental health, learning disability and community Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including:
• Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, forensic services including low and medium secure care.
• Specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Community physical health and well-being services for children and adults.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health and general nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers.
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust supports flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, home/remote working, and flexi-time.
For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.
Please note that further communication from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCft to contact them.
Job overview
Water Meadow View is a new mental health inpatient unit for adults who have learning disabilities, which is due to open in late winter 2025 on our site in Whittingham, Preston. As we prepare to open this unit, we have an exciting opportunity for an Specialist Occupational Therapist to join us and support the Multi-Disciplinary Team to deliver outstanding person centred care.
One of the Trust's aims is to deliver the best possible care to our patients, and this new inpatient unit will do just that. Water Meadow View will offer clinical excellence, support, and safety, with patient-centred care at its heart.
The post holder will be responsible for providing a high standard of specialist Occupational Therapy input into a learning disability inpatient service, working as an autonomous practitioner.
The post holder will be responsible for gathering information, assessing, providing interventions and evaluating effectiveness with both individuals and in group settings, drawing from relevant evidence bases, frames of reference and models for practice, demonstrating advanced clinical reasoning skills relating to the effects of learning disability on occupational performance. Their interventions will focus on enabling people to engage in their chosen occupations whilst helping to break down barriers to participation.
Main duties of the job
The post holder represents a senior clinical resource with specific knowledge of learning disabilities with whom other team members can consult with to help occupational formulation. They will work with the person, their family members, carers/support teams and any other professionals involved in the person's support.
This senior position requires achieving an appropriate balance between the provision of specialist occupational therapy and taking on shared roles that contribute to the efficient functioning of the team.
The post holder will have responsibilities for mentoring and supervising junior occupational therapy staff, where required, as well as providing regular fieldwork opportunities for occupational therapy students, and contribute to the learning of other team members or students from other disciplines.
The post holder will act as an empowered senior clinician in the team, holding responsibility for their own caseload and working efficiently within the inpatient service and wider across the learning disability community services supporting an effective transition for service users back into their community.
When you join us, you’ll be making a positive impact on the lives of people with a learning disability by delivering person centred, compassionate care, in a purpose built, co-produced environment, with opportunities to for you to learn and develop throughout your career.
Working for our organisation
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.
The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.
For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- HCPC Registration Degree / Diploma in Occupational Therapy
- Evidence of CPD in relevant areas
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Experience and ability to work effectively within an MDT
- Detailed knowledge of how a learning disability impacts on occupational performance and how occupational therapy theory informs practice within learning disability services
- Knowledge of current best practice in learning disability services and awareness of relevant government directives and legislation
- Evidence of clinical topic training / staff presentations
- Evidence of supervision of assistant staff / students
Experience
Essential criteria
- Treatment of a broad range of conditions
- Learning disability experience.
- Demonstrable evidence of improving and developing service /practice
- Evidence of leading and implementing clinical change
- Multi-disciplinary/multi-agency collaborative working.
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
- Justine Eaton
- Job title
- Principal Occupational Therapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
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