Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 333-G-CA-1587
- Employer
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Lavender Walk Inpatient Unit
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £37,259 - £45,356 Per annum incl. HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 18/09/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 24/09/2025
Employer heading
Occupational Therapist Development Role
NHS AfC: Band 5
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic team on a Band 5 to 6 Development Occupational Therapy role within the Occupational Therapy Team on Lavender Walk Adolescent Unit.
Lavender Walk is a 12 bed General Adolescent Unit (GAU) that cares for young people between the ages of 13-18 years old, with complex mental health needs and emotional difficulties. We are a busy and friendly service which welcomes new skills and new ideas. It is part of Central & North West London (CNWL) Foundation Mental Health Trust and is located within the South Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Centre (1 Nightingale Place, London, SW10 9NG). There are good transport links and a variety of local shops and amenities.
The Lavender Walk team is made up of two Consultant Psychiatrists (one of whom is the Clinical Lead), Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Therapies Lead), Matron (Clinical Unit Manager), Ward Manager, Qualified Nurses, Nurse Associates, Health Care Assistants, Speciality Doctors, Junior Doctors, Clinical Psychologists, Systemic Family Psychotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Activity Co-ordinators, Speech and Language Therapist, Dietician, Social Workers and Teaching staff. We also regularly have students and trainees from the above professional disciplines on placement with the team.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a motivated individual who is enthusiastic, creative, forward thinking, and adaptable to work within our well established and welcoming team. This post would suit a current registered band 5 OT who would like to gain valuable experience in inpatient CAMHS, or a newly qualified OT who has successfully completed their profession specific preceptorship and/or has relevant experience in mental health and would like to continue to develop their knowledge and skills.
The successful applicant will provide an Occupational Therapy service to young people experiencing mental health difficulties. In your role, you will work with young people and their family/carers developing a therapeutic relationship and contribute to the multi-disciplinary assessment and interventions of young people to support their recovery and reintegration back to community settings. In your role you will provide individual Occupational Therapy interventions and group work, using assessment tools and recovery principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment. You will work closely with the Lead Occupational Therapist to facilitate and help develop the unit's therapeutic and activity program. You will also have opportunities to provide supervision of fieldwork placements to Occupational Therapy students.
The successful candidate will be supported/required to meet a set of OT band 6 competencies and if successful will progress to becoming a Band 6 OT on the ward.
Working for our organisation
We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Wherever you wish to work and whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL."
To find out more about working in CAMHS, please Click Here to watch one of our videos.
CNWL have a pioneering history improving health outcomes in people’s lives, by providing physical and mental health services at GPs, clinics, hospitals, and in the community.
Our base is in the Chelsea area, next to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Thanks to the heavy NHS influence many local cafes, restaurants give discounts at 10-20% to all NHS staff.
Staff are the heartbeat of our organisation and we offer Inpatient Nurses a £2,000 Post Probation Bonus, followed by £1,000 paid 12 months later.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To provide the multidisciplinary team (MDT) within a General Adolescent Unit with an Occupational Therapy service and expertise; this will include individual and group work, assessment, intervention and evaluation in accordance with the College of Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics.
- To provide specific Occupational Therapy interventions using professional specific, evidence-based assessment tools in order to establish a child’s/ young person’s baseline functional and performance capacity; from which assessment findings can determine further on-going care and treatment to enable optimum functioning, and social and educational participation.
- To facilitate a therapeutic programme of social, creative and skills based activities to both individuals and groups which promotes social inclusion and improved engagement across the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure.
- To utilise a range of assessment methods to contribute to establishing a multi-disciplinary formulation and understanding of a young person's difficulties and needs.
- To contribute to service development of Local CAMHS & Trust wide OT services.
- To act as fieldwork educator to students on practice placement.
For full details of job description and main responsibilities,
please refer to attached Job Description and Person
Specification
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
- Health Professionals Council (HPC) registered Occupational Therapist.*or eligible for/awaiting registration
- Evidence of completed profession specific preceptorship/or relevant experience in their field.
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of CPD and self-directed learning
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working in the UK or similar health economy as a registered OT.
- Undergraduate experience in mental health
- Experience in /knowledge of using a range of standardised OT assessments.
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team and environment
- Experience of managing a caseload
Desirable criteria
- Experience in working with children and young people
- Experience in acute mental health
- Evidence of post registration training/qualification
- Experience of using a range of OT Assessments
Skills, Knowledge and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Clear concept of Occupational Therapy and models of practice.
- Individual and group work skills.
- Able to work creatively to engage patients
- Experience of promoting recovery and social inclusion
- Able to demonstrate clinical and professional development
- Demonstration of knowledge of standards of practice, evidence and best practice guidelines.
- Good communication skills within various networks of disciplines
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
Desirable criteria
- Research and development at undergraduate level.
- Ability to carry out physical assessments and intervention to address patients’ physical needs when necessary
- Delivery of formal presentations and teaching sessions
- Experience in working with Information Systems
ATTITUDES, APTITUDES PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Essential criteria
- Understands, promotes, and advocates for equality diversity
- Excellent communication skills, written, verbal, listening and use of up to date systems of communication i.e. IT systems, e-mail, telephone etc.
- Ability to encourage client participation and support delivery of best practice
- Flexible in approach in the running/activities of the unit/ward (within the clients/patients abilities).
- Understanding of the role of therapeutic boundaries and ability to implement and maintain these in work with children and young people
- Ability to understand and implement the Equal Opportunities Policy at a level appropriate to the job.
- Demonstrate the ability to reflect on own practice and take responsibility for own personal development
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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
- Nuriyah Pochee
- Job title
- Lead Occupational Therapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 020 3317 3753
- Additional information
Please make contact with Nuriyah Pochee if you would like further information about this role or to arrange an informal visit.
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