Occupational Therapist

Job overview
Please note, at this stage, the role is open only to internal staff (including NHSP and Agency staff currently on placement within our organisation) and staff substantively employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Any individual who is at risk of redundancy will be given priority, provided they meet the essential criteria.
We're seeking a passionate and skilled Band 5 Occupational Therapist to join our supportive and holistic Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) within the Kent and Medway Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Service. This is an exciting opportunity to apply specialist knowledge in a dynamic, highly-valued setting.
The Kent and Medway EIP services are dedicated to making a profound difference in the lives of individuals aged 14 to 65 experiencing their First Episode of Psychosis (FEP). Our services are built around comprehensive, stand-alone MDTs, ensuring we provide a distinct and high-quality care pathway from assessment through to treatment and recovery.
As an Occupational Therapist, you'll be part of a pioneering service that focuses on rapid, evidence-based support during a critical time in a person's life, helping them build lasting stability, function, and community inclusion.
As a valued member of our MDT, you will utilise your specialist skills to empower service users through purposeful activity and recovery-focused goals. Your key contributions will include:
Conduct high-quality 1:1 and group Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions, focusing on functional independence, meaningful roles, and community integration.
Take on the rewarding responsibility of supervising junior staff, including Support Time Recovery Workers, contributing to their professional development and the overall effectiveness of the team.
Work seamlessly alongside a variety of professionals (e.g., Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Nurses, Social Workers), where Occupational Therapy is highly valued and recognised as core to the holistic recovery model.
If you are looking for a role where your clinical expertise is integral to client recovery and where you are supported by an experienced, friendly team, we encourage you to apply!

Main duties of the job

• The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
• Provide high-quality and evidence-based occupational therapy assessments and interventions, both group and individual, to people who access services and their carers/supporters/family members, in line with the occupational therapy pathways.
• Communicate effectively with people who access services, carers, the multi-disciplinary team and when appropriate, outside agencies.
• Contribute to the generic functioning of the team.
• Provide supervision and mentoring to more junior occupational therapists, occupational therapy apprenticeships, and support workers

Working for our organisation
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.
Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.
Take a look at our Occupational Therapist Video

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide occupational therapy student placements.
• Contribute to service development and audits.
• Take on the role of lead professional as appropriate.

Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.

Person specification

Qualification

Essential criteria

• A recognised Occupational Therapist professional qualification
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Desirable criteria

• Trained as a Practice Educator

Experience

Essential criteria

• Pre-registration experience of mental health settings and or working with people with mental health conditions
• Experience of individual & group work

Desirable criteria

• Experience of caseload management
• Some clinical experience of mental health problems
• Use of functional assessments and activity analysis to formulate patient interventions

Knowlege and Skills

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of relevant OT theoretical models, and approaches relevant to service user group.
• Ability to work co-operatively as part of an inter-professional team
• Basic factual knowledge of the importance of enabling people to do the things they want, need or are expected to do to support them in being well in life.
• Understanding of professional ethics and their application in practice
• An ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
• Computer literate. Able to use e-mail, Word, Excel and access Internet resources

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of and ability to apply national policies and procedures including, but not limited to confidentiality, consent, risk management, service user involvement

Personal qualities, values and behaviours

Essential criteria

• Ability to work as a team member
• Ability to form rapport with individuals and groups
• Adaptability, flexibility and resilience
• Professional, calm and efficient manner
• Actively develops themselves.

Desirable criteria

• Self-awareness in managing own wellness at work and confidence to seek support when required

Important Information:
In cases where we receive a high volume of applications for a post, it may be necessary to bring the closing date forward. Please submit your completed application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Due to the high volume of applications received, it is not possible to respond individually to your application. Should you not hear from us within six weeks of the vacancy closing, please assume that your application has not been successful.

Probation Period. New employees external to the trust are subject to a six-month probationary period.
To deliver an effective service it is essential in some of our roles that you are able to travel between work bases in a timely manner.
Production of false or forged documents/qualifications in order to obtain employment is a crimin