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Job summary

Main area
Occupational Therapist
Grade
Band 5
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
222-EAL-077
Employer
West London NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
St Bernard’s Hospital
Town
Southall
Salary
£35,763 - £43,466 Per Annum Inclusive of Allowances
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
27/02/2026 23:59

Employer heading

West London NHS Trust logo

Occupational Therapist

Band 5

West London NHS Trust  provides a full range of mental health, community  and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.

We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.

Job overview

If you are looking for a rare and exciting opportunity of a promoted post or consolidation of current skills, and have a particular interest in Forensic services then this is the position for you. 

The Forensic Services based at St Bernard’s Hospital on the Ealing site in London are comprised of a number of specialist areas including Women’s and Men’s services at both low and medium security. The post holder will join an already established Occupational Therapy service and will be based in the Low Secure and Community directorate. 

We have a wider Occupational Therapy service comprising of occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, activity coordinators and Recovery Support workers. 

You will be supervised and supported by a Clinical Lead OT to deliver an occupational therapy program within the Forensic services.

As a newly qualified Occupational Therapist, at a band 5, you will be a member of the OT and Rehab team with a caseload of service users and part of a Multidisciplinary team. 

You will liaise with OT’s in other areas of the service as service users move in and around the service and then out into the community.

You will need to be aware of the local community and its resources in order to fully support and integrate our service users into their local boroughs.

Main duties of the job

You will carry a clinical caseload and have responsibilities to provide a range of individual and group activities that develop service user’ skills and function in line with recovery principles and practice.

These include social skills, self-catering, transitions, life skills, cyber safety, and leisure management and vocational interventions. 

The post also offers an opportunity to develop clinical skills in assessment, case formulations and goal settings. We currently use the Vona Du Toit Model of Creative Ability. We would ensure that you receive the relevant training and support when you join the team.

We have clear clinical models and pathways for service users moving from our acute wards into rehabilitation and through into the community with occupational performance skills being central to the readiness for transition through each stage of a service user recovery.

You will be instrumental in ensuring service users are referred into the available work roles and gain the qualifications that they need to develop their skills and CV’s and move into external work and educational options.

As an Occupational Therapy Service we have a strong commitment to CPD within the trust and provide a range of opportunities for staff with the expectation that learning is shared and clinical excellence is achieved. Our AHP colleagues work very closely with us and joint work and learning is integral within the trust.

Working for our organisation

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and   Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m. 

The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • BSc (Hons) Or MSc Occupational Therapy
  • HCPC Registration

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Application of core OT skills and OT process
  • Multidisciplinary team working
  • Experience of working in mental health
Desirable criteria
  • Work experience in a Health or Social Care setting
  • Involvement in research and clinical audit
  • Studies in Forensic Care
  • Placement in a Forensic setting

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • An understanding of the Forensic Setting How Mental Illness presents in people
  • Research methodology
  • Core skills of OT process
  • Models of practice
  • Clinical and environmental risk
  • Equality and diversity
  • Understanding of team dynamics
  • Awareness of professional identity and the need to work within appropriate boundaries
  • Principles of clinical governance
Desirable criteria
  • Relevant current legislation, including NSF, CPA, risk assessment and risk management
  • Group work theory and practice
  • VdT Model of Creative Ability (VdT MoCA)

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Organisational ability
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to build rapport with service users, carers and colleagues
  • Evidence of ability in OT assessment, treatment planning, intervention and evaluation
  • Problem solving skills
  • Ability to work independently and under supervision as part of a team
  • Clear & effective decision-making
  • Group work skills
  • Computer literacy
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to prepare and present papers at study days and conferences
  • Ability to apply (research) evidence-based practice
  • Use of standardised assessment tools and outcome measures
  • Contribution to service development and the training of others
  • Supervisory skills
  • Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance

Other Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Ability to reflect, identify and take responsibility for continuing professional development (CPD)
  • Understand the need for and actively participates in own supervision and constructive use of feedback
  • High levels of initiative, innovation and self-motivation
  • Commitment to client-centred, non-discriminatory practice
Desirable criteria
  • Willingness to work flexible hours if required
  • Membership of a Special Interest Group e.g. RCOT SS Mental Health
  • Willingness to participate in rotation schemes where relevant
  • Able to demonstrate a strong professional identity

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Fair Train work experience quality standard - gold standardNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleJob share policyInvestors in PeopleDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeArmed Forces Covenant

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Becky Lodge
Job title
Head of Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation
Email address
[email protected]
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