Clinical Lead Occupational Therapy

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Barking & Dagenham Community Mental Health Services for an experienced and motivated Band 8a Occupational Therapist to join the service in a senior leadership role.

The successful candidate will be a key member of a supportive and forward-thinking management team, providing professional leadership, clinical oversight, and strategic direction for Occupational Therapy staff across the directorate. You will play a central role in the development, delivery, and promotion of high-quality Occupational Therapy services for adults with serious and enduring mental health needs.

This post requires substantial experience of working within community mental health services and a strong understanding of recovery-focused, person-centred care. You will be expected to demonstrate effective leadership skills, the ability to support and develop staff, and a commitment to service improvement within a multidisciplinary environment.

The role offers an excellent opportunity to further develop senior leadership and management skills while contributing to service transformation and innovation. You will be supported by a strong local infrastructure and benefit from collaborative working across the wider health and social care system.

We welcome applications from enthusiastic, skilled Occupational Therapists who are passionate about improving outcomes for people with complex mental health needs and who are committed to upholding NHS values.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will report directly to the Head of Adult Mental Health Services for Barking & Dagenham, with professional supervision provided by the Trust Professional Lead for Allied Health Professions (AHP).

As a key member of the senior management team, the post holder will contribute to the delivery of operational and strategic objectives across the directorate. They will provide professional leadership for Occupational Therapy staff, including supervision, professional development, workforce planning, and supporting effective recruitment and retention.

The role includes providing specialist Occupational Therapy advice and guidance to Integrated Care Directors, Associate Directors, and team managers, and contributing to Trust-wide Professional Lead Occupational Therapy and Allied Health Professional groups to support professional standards and service development.

The post holder will lead on Social Inclusion, Recovery, and Wellbeing agendas and manage NELFT ISA (Barking & Dagenham)–funded specialist mental health community placements, ensuring effective placement reviews, value for money, positive clinical outcomes, and appropriate throughput.

They will also contribute to borough, directorate, Mental Health Services, and Trust-wide projects as required, and ensure appropriate supervision and development of STR, Peer Support Workers, and other designated staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.  Certificates of Sponsorship  Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust. References Please ensure that the references are from your most recent employer and one of these must be your direct Line Manager or Supervisor. You must provide professional email addresses for all referees as we will contact them as soon as an offer has been made. Please note we do not request references prior to interviews. Additionally, ensure that any gaps in your employment history are clearly indicated. All applications made through NHS Jobs account will be processed by TRAC System. Please note that some emails may go to your spam/junk mailbox so make sure you check this regularly