Senior Occupational Therapist

Job summary
**Please be advised that applications from Band 5 Occupational Therapists will be considered for this role**

As the Senior OT, you will have responsibility for the OT provision on your ward, which includes managing clinical interventions using the VdT Model of Creative Ability, as well as the supervision of junior OT staff.

To work as an autonomous professional according to the Royal College of Occupational Therapy 'Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics (2021)' and the 'Health Professions Council Regulations'.

To contribute to the overall service development of the team and actively participate in Continuing Professional Development. Provide leadership through supervision, mentoring, education and training.

To work as part of the integrated team to plan, deliver and evaluate all aspects of the patient treatment process, including discharge and referral to appropriate community based health and social care agencies.

Main duties of the job

• To assess clients referred to the service.
• To utilise specialist assessments when presented with complex cases.
• To make decisions on the level of treatment intervention required.
• To undertake treatment planning, communicating and negotiating treatment plans and clinical reasoning for intervention with clients and their carers.
• To liaise closely with community Occupational Therapy Department as required.
• To communicate agreed treatment/care plans to multi-disciplinary team colleagues and partnership agencies and liaise with them at formal and informal meetings.
• To work in collaboration with others to modify aspects of the environment in order to empower clients and facilitate optimal functional performance.
• To liaise with Social Services and Housing Organisations concerning provision of equipment and home adaptations.
• To manage a complex caseload.
• To apply a variety of treatment modalities to meet the needs of clients in individual or group format, utilising clinical reasoning processes to determine the most appropriate setting for intervention.
• To make clinically informed decisions in order to delegate aspects of client care to assistants, junior staff, students, carers and statutory or non-statutory bodies.
• To regularly review clients' progress in order to evaluate and interpret effectiveness of treatment plans, and amend treatment or discharge clients accordingly.

About us
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 (subject to terms and conditions)
• 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

Details
Date posted: 26 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
per annum pro rata for part time, plus 5% HCA
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 7 months
Working pattern: Part-time,
Flexible working
Reference number: 364-B-309-A
Job locations: Thurrock Hospital
Long Lane
Thurrock
RM16 2PX
United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• Maintain and develop professional expertise in a wide range of clinicalareas and conditions.
• To deputise for the Clinical Lead in their absence.
• Be aware of the additional responsibility of loneworking.
• Raise the profile of Occupational Therapy within the multi-disciplinary team and the widercommunity.
• Be autonomously responsible for complexcaseloads.
• Provide clinical expertise to other members of the multi professionalteam.
• Supervise junior staff at alllevels.
• Plan and prioritise departmentalworkload.
• Develop and implement training forassistants.
• Represent Occupational Therapy at seniorlevel.
• Assist in the recruitment, selection and orientation of new staffmembers.
• Participate in the staff appraisal scheme as appraiser and appraisee. To be responsible for implementing and achieving development needs for self and junior staff identified from the performance review and developmentplans.
• Undertake the role of Clinical Educator for Occupational Therapy students, working with colleagues to ensure the standard of clinical placements and teaching meets qualificationrequirements
• In addition to the above duties you will also be expected to perform the below key activities in line with your job role;
• Complete mandatory training in line with Trust policy and procedures
• To participate in the staff appraisal process and to undertake for any staff you manage
• To keep yourself updated on all matters relating to Trust policy
• To provide management supervision where appropriate

Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential

• Degree (BSc/MSc) in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration
• Experience of working in mental health

Desirable

• Working knowledge of other specialist techniques or specialities

Skills
Essential

• Evidence of Continual Professional
• Previous work experience in a Mental health / older adults, /neurology/ LD/ Social service provision.

Desirable

• Supervision of students. Supervision of OTA's/Technicians.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.