Job summary
- Main area
- Learning Disabilities
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Mon - Friday 9-5)
- Job ref
- 354-LD-20340-1
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Bellbrook centre
- Town
- Uckfield
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/07/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
NHS AfC: Band 7
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 tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience.
Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page.
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 passionate about reducing health inequalities and helping people with complex needs to live well with their learning disability?
We are seeking to recruit a B7 Occupational Therapist to join our friendly, creative, and research-active community learning disability team in Uckfield.
You will have access to a high-quality internal training programme, as well as external training opportunities to further develop your specialist skills.
We are a multi-disciplinary team, dedicated to achieving great outcomes for adults with learning disabilities. We have clear objectives linked to the latest national policies and are dedicated to delivering the highest quality care through evidence-based care pathways. We are co-located with our social work colleagues and work closely in partnership with them, as well as with families, paid carers and the wider systems that support people.
Main duties of the job
As a clinical specialist occupational therapist, you will use your highly specialist skills and understanding of the relationship between the individual, their environment and their occupations to support people with the most complex needs to live well with their learning disability. You will provide specialist occupational therapy assessments and interventions for people referred to the service as well as contributing to the core tasks of the team.
Contributing to the management of a team caseload of individuals with complex needs, you will assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions, which will be delivered in a variety of community settings, including:
- Family homes
- Residential and supported living services
- Day services
- Community facilities
You will have the flexibility to manage your workload in the community; however, you will be expected to spend some time working from the central team base in Uckfield.
You will be supervised by the Advanced Practitioner Occupational Therapist.
Working for our organisation
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
REQUIREMENTS
In order to be a successful clinical specialist occupational therapist in our team you will be:
· Registered with HCPC as an occupational therapist
· Have significant experience as an occupational therapist supporting adults with learning disabilities - or in a closely related area
It would also be advantageous if you have:
· Training in sensory processing and/or the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)
This post will be based in Uckfield and will primarily cover Eastbourne, Downs and Weald. However, a willingness and ability to travel across East Sussex (and sometimes further) will be needed, as required to meet the needs of the overall service. SPFT staff have the capacity to work from home remotely where applicable and in agreement with your line manager.
Full time hours are available, but part time hours will also be considered.
MAIN DUTIES
· To manage a caseload of complex clients, using evidence based, client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions
- To provide specialist clinical advice and input for clients with complex needs
· To promote evidence-based practice in occupational therapy and the relevant learning disability service
Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.
We believe our service will be the best it can be if we have a diverse workforce and one that reflects the population we serve. To support our staff we have a number of Staff Networks including:
· Disability Network
· Ethnic Minority Network
· LGBTQ+ Network
· Neurodivergent Network
· Spirituality Network
· Women's Network
· VaLE (Valuing Lived Experience) Network
As a University Teaching Trust, we carry out high-quality research to help improve care and treatment. We're one of the most research-active NHS mental health and learning disability Trusts in the country.
We also host the Applied Research Centre (ARC) in Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Our ARC is one of 15 across the country funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). It involves working with universities, local authorities and charities to increase the speed at which research is put into practice to benefit patients.
You can find out more about working with us at Careers at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Please apply using the link in this advert, or for more information explore the attachments or contact:
Stuart Heaton (Advanced Practitioner Occupational Therapist) 0300 304 0313 / [email protected]
Sophie Gill (Team Leader) 07464925337 / [email protected]
Helen Justice (Consultant Occupational Therapist) 07899 067762 / [email protected]
(We are happy to arrange informal visits)
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree/Diploma in occupational therapy
- Evidence of post qualification study
- Registration with the HPC as an occupational therapist
- Practice Education training
- Training in the use of standardised occupational therapy assessment tools
Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience as a qualified occupational therapist in mental health
- Broad experience of working with clients with a range of mental health problems
- Experience of both group and individual work
- Experience of multidisciplinary working
- Experience of supervising staff and students
- Experience as a Care Coordinator
- Experience in a clinical area related to the post
- Leadership experience
- Experience in applying a range of assessment tools and a comprehensive knowledge of occupational therapy clinical approaches used in mental health
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Stuart Heaton
- Job title
- Advanced Clinical practitioner OT
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 304 0313
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