Job summary
- Main area
- Adult Mental Health - Community
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 22.5 hours per week (Across 3 days 9-5)
- Job ref
- 267-OA7889541
- Employer
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Entrance 2, Manzil Resource Centre
- Town
- Oxford
- Salary
- £32,073 - £39,043 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
OCNS Assistant Team Therapist
Band 5
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We are a responsive and innovative Foundation Trust that places our values of Caring, Safe and Excellent at the heart of everything we do. We take great pride in our staff and believe that investing in you is key to us achieving our vision of outstanding care delivered by outstanding people.
We work with a wide range of partner organisations to deliver care and support to people in their own homes and from a number of hospitals and community bases. We focus on delivering care as close to home as possible for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
We actively support anti-racism, equality, diversity, and inclusion so, if you’re excited about this job opportunity and you meet our Trust values, but feel unsure about applying, then please get in touch and we will be happy to have a conversation with you.
We are also committed to increasing diversity in the workforce, that is why we actively encourage applications from those groups of people who are currently under-represented, which include amongst others: people with disabilities; men from all socio-economic backgrounds; people from diverse ethnic backgrounds; and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Good luck and we hope to hear from you.
Job overview
Do you have an understanding of personality disorders?
Are you seeking a new opportunity to work in mental health?
The Oxfordshire Complex Needs Service (OCNS) have a rare and exciting opportunity to recruit a part time Band 5 Assistant Team Therapist.
We are looking for a reliable, resilient and hard working individual who has knowledge about personality disorder and an interest in working with with adults with personality disorder and in groups.
OCNS provides group psychotherapeutic interventions for patients who are diagnosable with moderate to severe personality disorder, and this role will involve participating in the co facilitation of a variety of group interventions within the service, including low and medium and high intensity interventions (e.g. therapeutic skills groups, or intensive exploratory groups such as therapeutic communities). You will support the delivery of treatment using a variety of models such as psychoanalytic, CBT, Action Methods or MBT.
Main duties of the job
The post will involve work across the different tiers of the clinical model, throughout Oxfordshire.
Responsibilities of the post include:
- Treatment of patients using a variety of models according to clinical need and service approach e.g: conducting groups using various therapeutic approaches such as psychoanalytic, CBT, Action Methods and MBT etc
- To work with clinical supervision according to the protocols of the service
- To function as a co-worker with clients
- To promote the service through participation in professional networks and committees locally, nationally and internationally as agreed
- To be able to organise and plan one’s own workload in association with service constraints/commitments
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the “candidate guide to making an application” and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.
As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)
• Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the “supporting statement” element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.
The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview, and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- An understanding of personality disorder diagnosis
- An understanding of the therapeutic community model
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Education to GCSE level
- Evidence of commitment to ongoing professional development
Desirable criteria
- Psychotherapeutic training and experience
skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Good listening and communication skills
- Ability to reflect on own practice and process
- Commitment to and awareness of recovery model of PD
- Commitment to the overall aims, objectives and philosophy of the Complex Needs Service
- Ability to travel between sites and to regional meetings
- Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- Adequate health to fulfil responsibilities of post
Desirable criteria
- Car Driver
- Evidence of other personal interests
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of group work
- Interest in teaching
Desirable criteria
- Completed course of personal therapy, with more than 2 years since end of first therapy
- Other relevant personal and professional experience
- Experience of personality disorder work
- Experience in secure/forensic settings
- Research experience
- Teaching experience
- Experience of therapeutic community work
Applicant requirements
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
- Kelly Bevan
- Job title
- Team Leader
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01865904300
- Additional information
Gillian Attwood (Service Lead) [email protected]
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