Assertive Outreach Specialist Occupational Therapist

Job overview

Join us as a Specialist Occupational Therapist (Band 6) in our brand-new Assertive Outreach Team. This is a unique opportunity to help shape this service for adults with complex and severe mental health needs. Role can be based in Cambridge or Peterborough.

You’ll be part of a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team, delivering specialist OT assessments and interventions underpinned by the Model of Human Occupation and recovery principles. Your work will empower service users to achieve independence, overcome barriers, and reach their vocational and employment goals.

If you’re passionate about making a real difference, thrive on challenge, and want to be part of a team that values compassion, creativity, and evidence-based practice, we want to hear from you. This is your chance to help build a service that truly changes lives.

Main duties of the job

You will be required to travel independently around the county and will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have the use of a vehicle. Unfortunately, public transport will not provide enough reliable transportation to enable you to meet the needs of the service. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.

*DVLA have a number of reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website.

• The Specialist Occupational Therapist will deliver a high-quality, evidence-based OT service within the Assertive Outreach Team, supporting adults with complex mental health needs. The role involves specialist assessments, interventions, and care coordination, underpinned by the Model of Human Occupation and recovery principles.
• You’ll work closely with service users, carers, and colleagues to develop and implement individualised care plans, promote independence, and support vocational and employment outcomes. The post holder will also contribute to service development, quality improvement, and research, ensuring the service remains innovative and responsive to changing needs. Leadership, supervision, and a commitment to professional development are essential.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• The occupational therapist will provide specialist occupational therapy  assessments and interventions underpinned by the Model of Human Occupation and the principles of recovery and enablement/reablement.  2. The occupational therapist will use specialist clinical skills and reasoning to manage a caseload with complex needs, working with a high degree of autonomy and referring to senior staff when necessary.  3. The occupational therapist will apply a high level of understanding of the effects of mental and physical health conditions on occupational performance, providing training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptions to the service user's social and physical environment.  4. The occupational therapist will work collaboratively with service users to promote vocational rehabilitation and act as a team resource/specialist in vocational rehabilitation and employment.  5. The occupational therapist will contribute to the delivery of specialist occupational focused interventions including sensory integration/ approaches and enabling/reablement approaches.  6. The occupational therapist may be asked to undertake the role of care co-ordinator for a defined clinical caseload of service users with complex mental health needs.  7. The occupational therapist will ensure that all care planning will involve the service user and where appropriate the carer, collaboratively identifying, pursuing and reviewing goals in the context of care planning.  8. The occupational therapist will plan and implement specialist individual and /or group interventions collaboratively, to enable service users to achieve valued goals and desired occupational performance outcomes.  9. The occupational therapist will promote equality of outcome (including physical health) for people who experience mental health distress.  10. The occupational therapist will promote social inclusion and physical and mental well-being using evidence-based practice.