Ward Based Occupational Therapist

Job summary
We are pleased to offer an exciting opportunity for a full-time Band 5 Occupational Therapist to join the team at the Kedleston Unit.

It's a great time to join Derbyshire Healthcare and be part of a dynamic, supportive team making a real difference in mental health care.

This role is based at our secure inpatient unit. The service is designed to offer direct support to mental health patients in a secure setting.

The role of an Occupational Therapist on this unit focuses on the assessment, therapeutic interventions and the delivery of care based on national recommendations, to support patients to be discharged into the community.

This is a great opportunity for you to support shaping the service and build on MDT working, alongside the Ward Manager and other senior leaders. You will work with others to develop the OT service on this ward and collaborate with an innovative and forward-thinking ethos. The service as a senior occupational therapist who will support you with your development and offer clinical supervision (and preceptorship programme, if needed).

Main duties of the job
As a member of the Occupational Therapy Team, you will be expected to adopt the policies and philosophy of the service and provide occupational assessment and treatment using a range of appropriate interventions based on the recovery philosophy, the Model of Human Occupation and other relevant occupational therapy interventions.

Additionally, you will be expected to work and support the wider MDT to support patients and provide a safe and effective discharge plan back into the community.

About us
Join Team Derbyshire Healthcare and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of "making a positive difference in people's lives".

CQC rated us as 'GOOD' overall, commenting on how our colleagues "treated patients with compassion and kindness" and "felt positive and proud about working for the trust."

Our values
We pride ourselves on being a values-led organisation, as expressed through our Trust Strategy for 2024-28. Our Trust values are as follows:

Caring, Inclusive, Ambitious, Belonging & Collaborative.

As an employer and sponsor licence holder, to be able to provide sponsorship to overseas nationals via the Skilled Worker route we must ensure that we adhere to the sponsorship requirements set by UK Visa's and Immigration. Please note without previous NHS Service you will commence at the bottom of the pay band which currently does not meet the minimum salary requirement for sponsorship for this post.

Job responsibilities
Please review the Job Description and Person Specification. To apply, please visit the TRAC Recruitment Site via the Apply through our website link. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.

As part of the MDT, the Occupational Therapist will work flexibly in an occupation focused way by developing and delivering meaningful activity within an individual and group environment that focuses on person centred care and recovery principles. The post holder will ensure each assessment and treatment is delivered in a person-centred manner ensuring the gender, sexual orientation, ethnic, cultural and spiritual needs of service users are adhered to and support the Care Programme Approach including enabling service users/carers/significant others to become involved in decision making processes for the implementation and evaluation of treatment.

Within the role you will need to have the ability to work independently to develop and deliver an Occupational Therapy Service on the ward for inpatients and support the Occupational Therapy care pathway based on evidence-based practice. You will need to show initiative, drive and ability to think creatively for solutions. You will actively manage your own workload, effectively and efficiently prioritising competing demands. Therefore, the post holder will be required to be a dynamic clinician and demonstrate a range of skills, including effective communication, empathy, self-awareness and critical, self-reflection skills.

DHCFT can offer both personal and clinical development opportunities, in addition to regular professional and clinical supervision, personal development plans, and support for continual professional development activities.

As a member of the team you will be expected to adopt the policies and philosophy of the service and provide occupational assessment and treatment using a range of appropriate interventions based on the recovery philosophy and the Model of Human Occupation. They will promote social inclusion, enabling independence and enhancing the autonomy of the service user. This will involve being proactive in initiating and sustaining a respectful, consistent, and reliable therapeutic relationship with service users that enhances their ability to build social networks and work in partnership with other agencies.

You will be aware of and work within all legislative requirements relevant to occupational therapy (Mental Health Act, Code of Practice, Human Rights Act, Disability Discrimination Act etc), and ensure that Child and Adult protection procedures are followed.

You will also nurture a culture of respect for others, and an environment that values and is pro-actively respectful of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, culture and individuality for service users and staff. Whilst also ensuring Trust policies, procedures, and legislative directives are adhered to e.g. Equal Opportunities, Human Rights Act, Disability Discrimination Act, Race Relations, Sex Discrimination etc.

They should: Demonstrate the ability to monitor personal practice ensuring that Health Professions Council registration is maintained. Ensure personal professional development promotes good practice, prevents poor practice, and intervenes in unacceptable practice. Working with service users within the limitations of inpatient environments and being aware of potential hazards. Taking responsibility for utilizing local support systems as necessary e.g. manual handling, management of violence and aggression, lone worker policy etc.

This job description will be reviewed annually with you according to the needs and development of the service; alterations will only be made after consultation and agreement. You may be asked to undertake duties not directly highlighted within this job description. This will only be done when the skills and experience of the post holder meet the requirements of the job.

Person Specification
Education
Essential

• Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration

Desirable

• MOHO Framework
• L'APPLE Accreditation
• Level 2 Food Hygiene

Experience
Essential

• Working Mental Health Experience
• Group work and planning
• Experience of using the recovery approach

Desirable

• Good Understanding of NHS and relevant national standards
• Inpatient experience

Skills
Essential

• IT skills
• Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner
• Good communication skills
• Effective working with the Multidisciplinary Team

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. 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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details
Employer name: Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Kedleston Unit, Kingsway Hospital, Derby, DE22 3LZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Visit our website

For questions about the job, contact:
Unit Manager Candice Cotton
View email address on meeveem.com
View phone number on meeveem.com

Date posted: 19 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum, pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 383-SPE-7702-26-A

The closing date is 02 November 2026.