Occupational Therapist

Job overview

To work as a Band 5 Occupational Therapist within the Crisis Assessment Unit and Police Pathway (inclusive of S136 suite), providing rapid, recovery‑focused occupational therapy assessment and intervention for adults presenting in mental health crisis.

The role involves working closely with multidisciplinary colleagues to support individuals at points of acute distress, promoting safety, engagement, and pathways to ongoing support.

Manage a defined caseload of service users presenting in acute mental health crisis, including individuals detained under, or at risk of detention under, the Mental Health Act.

Deliver brief, targeted occupational therapy interventions to support emotional regulation, engagement, self‑care, structure, and coping strategies.

Work as part of a 24/7 multidisciplinary ward team, including nurses, medics, health support workers and activity coordinators.

Main duties of the job

• Complete timely occupational therapy assessments focusing on occupational performance, daily functioning, strengths, risks, and immediate support needs.
• Contribute to crisis formulation, safety planning, and short‑term intervention planning.
• Support service users to identify meaningful occupations that promote stability and recovery following crisis.
• Communicate clearly with inpatient units, community teams, emergency services, and voluntary sector partners to support continuity of care.
• Actively participate in risk assessment and risk management, including suicide and self‑harm risk.
• Follow Trust and local policies for safeguarding adults, incident reporting, and lone working.
• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous electronic records in line with Trust standards.
• Practice within HCPC standards and RCOT Code of Ethics.
• Engage fully in regular supervision, appraisal, and reflective practice.
• Maintain CPD to support safe practice in crisis and acute settings.
• Participate in service development, audits, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Support OT students or therapy support workers when required.
• Ability to work in emotionally intense, unpredictable environments, including exposure to distress, aggression, or trauma.
• Ability to respond flexibly to fluctuating demands and shift patterns.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading.

So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the Candidate Guide to Values Based Recruitment. This document provides you with information to help you apply.

We recruit people based on their values and qualifications (where required) and believe that their lived experience is an advantage, this means that together we are as diverse as the communities we care for. Simply put, when we employ caring people who act with integrity and have the right skills, we can give those with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity high-quality care and support to live fulfilling lives, and make our staff feel purposeful, happy and valued.

All our information is available in accessible formats. Please contact the Recruitment team [email protected]

Attached to this advert is our candidates guide to values-based recruitment and supporting guidance on how to make a successful application.

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Recruitment Team or see the attached candidate guide to reasonable adjustments.