Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist | Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 20 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £47,810 - £54,710 per annum |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 April 2026 |
| Location: | Wickford, SS11 7FE |
| Company: | Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7887255/364-A-9887 |
Summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Clinal Lead Occupational Therapist to join our Forensic Mental Health Services for adults detained under the Mental Health Act or Court Order.
The team offers a regional Secure Service covering the demographic area of South and Mid Essex, Luton and Bedfordshire, providing interim services for male/female recovering from severe and enduring mental illness within a secure environment
Our multidisciplinary teams includes nurses, psychiatrists , support workers, psychologists , art/drama therapists , activity coordinators, pharmacists and social workers.
As Lead Occupational Therapist, you will be an expert practitioner, passionate about delivering care within this setting. You'll lead and supervise staff, drive service improvements, and manage a complex caseload including mental health needs, physical disabilities, sensory processing difficulties and supporting patients to develop skills following their discharge to enable integration into a community living.
You will provide an occupational therapy focus within the wider multi-disciplinary team and play a key role in the senior leadership team, delivering an effective, evidence-based service. Responsibilities include leadership of OT staff and activity coordinators, clinical supervision, appraisals, recruitment, and professional development, as well as supporting practice placements for pre-registration OT students.
To provide clinical leadership for Occupational Therapy across the wards aligned to the secure services within the specialist services care unit.
• To be clinically responsible for the day-to-day running of the Occupational Therapy service including assessment and treatment pathways, within the Team.
• To be clinically responsible for OT's OTA's and Activity Coordinators aligned to the secure services.
• To develop, lead and maintain relationships with community providers including education and employment sectors.
• To lead on discharge planning in collaboration with community teams to ensure that the skills needed by the service users are being delivered.
• To manage a defined highly complex caseload, and carry out Occupational Therapy assessments, identify treatment goals, implement and evaluate treatment programmes.
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.
• Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
• Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
• We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.
Benefits
• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
• Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
Work that wraps around your needs
• Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
• Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.
• To work with service-users using a Recovery based approach, implementing a range of interventions to support the service-user in developing independent living skills.
• To attend, contribute and where relevant, facilitate all relevant clinical meetings, report on service user progress and discuss treatment provision with other professionals. To work closely with other professionals, to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to service user care.
• To actively contribute to effective crisis and risk management plans by developing protective factors that can reduce the length of admission in secure inpatient settings and support them from re-offending.
• To work with supporting stakeholders, family and carer’s where relevant.
• To oversee and complete, when appropriate, mobility assessments in collaboration with physiotherapy.
• To provide adaptive equipment to support service users to independence in accordance to their risk management plans. .
• To have a good understanding of the Mental Health Act, taking into account the complexities of working with service-users whom have a Forensic history combined with a Mental Health and/or Learning Disability diagnosis.
• To represent Occupational therapy within the Multi-disciplinary team, wider Service, Trust and Profession specific meetings and forums, where required.
This advert closes on Friday 3 Apr 2026