Senior Occupational TherapistBand 6 or Band 5-6 Development Post

Main area

Acute Mental Health/Psychiatric Intensive Care

Grade

Band 6 or Band 5-6 Development Post

Contract

Permanent

Hours

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week

Job ref

367-A&UC-101404-A

Site

Albany Lodge

Town

St Albans

Salary

£33,677 - £50,387 Per annum, Pro rata (5% HCAS Included)

Salary period

Yearly

Closing

12/10/2026 23:59

Values Based Screener

At Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust we are looking for people to join us who share our values and those of the NHS. Before your application can be considered please take part on our online values questionnaire, which you can find below. When you have finished you will be sent a 'completion code' by email, which will be valid for 6 months and required to submit your application form.

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Occupational Therapists to join our inpatient acute mental health team in St Albans. Albany Lodge is a strong, close knit and supportive MDT and the post holder has an opportunity to make a valuable difference in outcomes for service users.

The postholder will provide occupational therapy expertise within the multi-disciplinary team, including specialist assessment, individual, and group work intervention. They will have a leadership & supervisory role in the OT team. The teams consist of occupational therapists, a physiotherapist, arts therapists, a horticulturalist, psychologists as well as a full MDT.

There are regular opportunities to network with other OTs to share ideas and good practice, engage in CPD and funded external courses including Masters or PGDip level study in a variety of specialties such as Sensory Integration, Trauma Informed Care & Reducing Restrictive Practice.

The post may be offered as a B5-6 Development Post, and robust supervision from the Band 7 and 8 OTs with growth opportunities will support the post-holder to develop as a Band 6 level using a bespoke training package.

Main duties of the job

• To manage a caseload of clients with complex OT needs, using evidenced based/client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings and on home visits.
• To provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal
• To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of OT services, holding responsibility for defined projects where appropriate.
• To regularly supervise OT students on practice placement
• To select and apply Occupational Therapy assessments for a designated caseload, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, enabling the client in areas of self-maintenance, productivity and leisure.
• To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for clients with multiple needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.

In return, we can offer you:

• 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service) plus bank holidays (pro rata where applicable)
• One of the UK's best pension schemes
• Flexible working
• Special leave for family and personal reasons
• NHS Car Lease Scheme (for substantive staff)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Opportunities for additional training

Previous experience of working in acute mental health is essential.

Working for our organisation

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission.

Our family of over 4,500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To select and apply Occupational Therapy assessments for a designated caseload, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, enabling the client in areas of self-maintenance, productivity and leisure.
• To work using a problem-solving approach to reduce risk at home.
• To work with clients to identify OT goals as part of the overall care plan.
• To plan and implement individual interventions, in collaboration with the client, using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals.
• To demonstrate and apply a broad level of understanding of the effect of disability and recommend adaptations to the client's physical and social environment.
• To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for clients with multiple needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• To review and reflect on personal practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.
• To coordinate day-to-day activities of junior staff where applicable.
• To demonstrate basic leadership skills through the management of designated projects.
• To participate in the induction, training and education of students and other staff in this setting as appropriate.
• To participate in the supervision of junior staff as appropriate
• To monitor and evaluate treatment in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of the intervention and feedback to appropriate forum.

For a more detailed description, please see attached JD and PS.

Person specificationQualificationsEssential criteria

• BSc/MSc/PGDip Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration
• Proficient use of MS Office and associated packages
• Experience of working in a mental health/PICU setting

Desirable criteria

• Membership of RCOT
• Training in the use of the Model of Human Occupation
• Training in the use of other OT models such as VdTMOCA
• Sensory Integration Training

ExperienceEssential criteria

• Application of the OT process, use of functional assessment and activity analysis
• Working knowledge of Recovery principles
• Working knowledge of standardised assessment and outcome measures relevant to role
• Experience of a leadership or supervisory role

Desirable criteria

• Documented evidence of continuing professional development
• Experience of leading a range of groups and 1:1 interventions in a health or social...