Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 354-AE-21228
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Department of Psychiatry
- Town
- Eastbourne
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 13/11/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Occupational Therapist ( Pre or post Preceptorship)
NHS AfC: Band 5
Come and join us
We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.
At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.
We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.
We recognise that AI is becoming part of daily life and you may choose to use it to help prepare your application. We welcome innovation but ask that anything you submit reflects your own abilities, experience and voice. AI can support how you describe your skills and experience, but it should never replace your own words as we want to get to know you.
We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.
Job overview
Are you an Occupational Therapist motivated to work in mental health? Would you thrive working with people with complex needs? If so, our Band 5 Occupational Therapist role at the Department of Psychiatry in Eastbourne may be the job for you!
You will work across our adult wards alongside a dedicated therapy team. With patients at the heart of everything we do, you will bring compassion and care to patients and their family, friends and carers, supporting them on their recovery journey.
If you have passion, experience in mental health care, and want to work with an amazing team, we want to hear from you. You will need effective time-management skills to manage your caseload and work through the OT process, carrying out specific assessments and recovery-based interventions for individuals with a range of mental health needs, and playing a key role in safe and effective discharges.
You will be joining a small, friendly team, with opportunities to work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues. Professional support is provided by the Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist through supervision and practice development.
With the option for this to be a rotational post with East Sussex Healthcare Trust (ESHT), this is a fantastic development opportunity for a newly qualified or experienced Band 5 OT who wishes to develop skills and knowledge in mental health and beyond.
Main duties of the job
To plan and provide a range of occupational assessments and interventions that will promote recovery and wellbeing for the people you support. This will include home assessments and group work, with regular support and supervision.
To manage a caseload of clients, using evidence based/ client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
assessments and group work with regular support and supervision.
To support the promotion of Occupational Therapy within the clinical area.
Working for our organisation
In return for your skills and expertise we can offer you highly rewarding work within an established, supportive, innovative, occupational therapy
team based in Eastbourne which is situated on the south coast and at the edge of the South Downs National Park.
You will have access to:
- Regular Professional supervision
- Access to a wide range of Training and CPD opportunities including;
- A programme of AHP specific training
- Monthly Occupational Therapy CPD Hubs.
- Communities of Practice (AMPS, Sensory Strategies and Recovery Through Activity, Occupational Formulation)
- The opportunity to participate in a range QI work and service innovations.
- Varied development opportunities
- There is also the opportunity to be part of a rotation within Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and East Sussex Healthcare Trust.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To plan and provide a range of occupational assessments and treatments that will promote recovery and wellbeing for the people that the post holder works with. To support the promotion of Occupational Therapy within the clinical area.
To provide occupational therapy interventions for referred clients using evidence based, client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
To promote and develop the role of Occupational Therapy within the clinical area.
Person specification
Essential
Essential criteria
- Degree/Diploma in occupational therapy
- Registration with the HPC as an occupational therapist
- Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties
- Experience working as part of a team
- Experience running groups/activities
- Experience of being supervised
- Establish and maintain both verbal and written communication with people on routine and operational matters
- Provide and receive confidential client information of a sensitive and often complex nature.
- Able to communicate in a sensitive and reassuring manner
- Able to report to the OT supervisor and wider team in meetings and reviews, on progress with clients personally working with
- Liaise with other teams and services including external agencies to promote occupational activities for individuals in their communities
- To undertake assessment tasks related to individuals health and wellbeing including functional observation assessments
- Collect, collate and report routine data and information
- Able to delegate work to others in clinical team
- Ability to use IT systems including word, internet and e-mail
- To plan and deliver straightforward OT interventions and assessments to meet people’s health and wellbeing needs
- Ability to prioritise workload with support
- Able to support individuals in their personal occupational needs which can include supporting them in their creative and physical activities within the service or in community settings
- Ability to be able to concentrate on complex client assessment and intervention
- Ability to deal with conflicting demands
- Ability to deal with a range of clients presenting with mental health difficulties, their supporters and the clinical team on a daily basis
- Ability to be able to concentrate on specific activities for up to an hour at a time
- Ability to be able to deal with conflicting demands in an unpredictable work pattern
- Ability to work flexibly and adapt to each person as appropriate to their needs in a variety of settings
- Ability to deal directly with distressing or emotional circumstances when they arise
- Ability to deal with distressing or emotional circumstances due to complex nature of work with service users
- Ability to report untoward incidents
- Ability to work in a variety of settings dependent on client need including the community and clients home which may include occasional unpleasant working conditions
- Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
- Demonstrate an understanding of the practices of Human Rights in the delivery of this role
- Team working
- Ability to travel across sites
- Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required
Desirable criteria
- Practice education training
- Experience of training others in technical/leisure/creative skills
- Lived experience of mental health issues
- Experience of supervising or delegating work to others
- Member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists
- Additional technical skills able to use with individuals e.g. gardening, cooking, art or sport
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
- Wayne Lepper
- Job title
- Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 304 0178
- Additional information
If you would like more information about the role or to arrange a visit to the site please get in touch.
List jobs with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors