Band 6 Occupational Therapist

Job overview

(2025/26 pay award is due to be reflected in pay from August 2025, with any arrears due paid in August 2025).

We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Occupational Therapist working on the acute male ward in our new unit at Chesterfield (Derwent Unit), with brand new up to date facilities. We have implemented a new sensory pathway model of care to support our patient needs, with an array of indoor and outdoor activities and a gym instructor. Our team consists of an additional two Band 6 Occupational Therapists – each supporting a team of Band 5 Occupational Therapists on their designated wards, alongside three Occupational Therapy Assistants.

Main duties of the job

As a registered practitioner you are personally accountable for your professional practice and have a legal/professional responsibility to service users, colleagues, employers and self, according to the Professional Code of conduct and standards for Occupational Therapy Practice.

The Band 6 Occupational Therapist will support the Divisional Lead Occupational Therapist in providing strong clinical leadership, ensuring that wherever possible evidence-based practice is delivered to improve the quality of practice and to create responsive services. The post holder will support the Service Manager in their development of operational and clinical service mechanisms. This may include assuming the full range of responsibilities and accountabilities of the Lead Occupational Therapist in their absence. The post holder will present a professional image of occupational therapy to promote a positive image for the Trust to service users, carers and the community as a whole.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: To view the Job Description and Person Specification, please click ON APPLY FOR THIS JOB - this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site, you will need to register if you do not already have an account.

As a professional member of the new Derwent Unit Occupational Therapy team the post holder 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 foster a learning culture and promote social inclusion, enabling independence, and enhancing the autonomy of the service user. The post holder will be 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.

The post holder must have a degree or diploma in occupational therapy, current Health Professional Council registration and evidence of CPD, reflection, self-motivation, team leadership skills and EBP. It is desirable for the post holder to have a student educator’s qualification.

The post holder should demonstrate post registration clinical expertise in an adult mental health setting. They should also demonstrate their ability to apply and promote OT skills, including carrying out specialised occupational assessments, setting clear occupational goals and facilitating a wide variety of therapeutic interventions.

The post holder is expected to manage highly complex cases and sensitive information using well-developed motivational and negotiating skills, representing the OT service in a variety of different situations. Alongside planning, organisational and adjusting a broad range of therapeutic activities and programmes within an occupational therapy and multi-disciplinary team.

The post holder should also have knowledge and experience of clinical supervision and the ability to manage own and other’s workload flexibly. They should follow the Care Programme Approach and the theoretical models of practice including the Model of Human Occupation. They are also expected to gain knowledge of research techniques and experience of clinical audit.