Occupational Therapy Assistant

Job summary

Hello! Firstly, thank you for taking the time to look at this job. My name is Beth and Im the team manager for the Core Team West in Wakefield. We have a rare opportunity, due to retirement, for an occupational therapy assistant to join our service and work alongside our occupational therapists and wider multidisciplinary team. As a team we are friendly, open and supportive of one another.

We are looking for a motivated and friendly individual who puts service users first and in the centre of their care. We are looking for someone who is open, honest, and transparent and someone who is ready for today, relevant for tomorrow. If this is, you then you will be a perfect fit!

We work with services users aged 18-65 who have moderate to severe mental health issues. Our base is a community team hub which helps to provide flexibility, openness and ease for support and advice. The base is within a central location with amenities, transport links and parking easily accessible. Here's what some of the team says about the team:

Its good working with different disciplines and having learning opportunities from other professions.

As a service, we can implement change.

The team are friendly and welcoming. I also feel valued.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to have their up-to-date flu vaccination to protect staff and patients.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will support a caseload of service users, with a range of diagnoses and needs. They will be responsible for completing identified interventions with the service user and liaise with other members of the occupational therapy and wider multidisciplinary team.

The successful candidate will be able to deliver evidence-based interventions to service users, including graded exposure work. This will include travel in the post holders private vehicle, as well as through the use of public transport.

The successful candidate will be an efficient organiser, managing their workload and be flexible to meet the needs of service.

The successful candidate will participate in occupational therapy team meetings; be able to provide updates on the service users they are working with and escalate to occupational therapists when treatment plans require review. The successful candidate would also highlight any concerns to senior members of the team in a timely manner.

The successful candidate will be confident in working as an autonomous practitioner within the team.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means were accountable to our members, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Details

• Date posted: 25 August 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 3
• Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Part-time, Flexible working
• Reference number: C9378-W1534
• Job locations: Core Team West, Drury Lane Health and Wellbeing Centre, Drury Lane, Wakefield, WF1 2TE, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will:

under the supervision/direction of registered health care professionals/associate practitioner, perform delegated interventions and care tasks, for which they have received training, seeking support as and when necessary.

as part of a healthcare team, provide the highest standards of safe and compassionate planned care to people that maximises their recovery and rehabilitation potential.

Demonstrating sensitivity, empathy and active listening skills, maintain positive and appropriate relationships with people at all times.

demonstrate an understanding of the care and treatment programmes required for a designated group of service users.

To follow a care plan, advise and guide service users, family and carers in following prescribed interventions and make the appropriate adjustments within own competence and skill set and be able to communicate any changes to service users and registered health care professionals.

be required to concentrate for periods of time, depending upon the care intervention/care plan This may include areas of work requiring physical effort, with regard to risk, following the risk assessment and health & safety.

exercise a degree of independence, initiative and judgement and consider different approaches when delivering tasks. Assess situations, eg following falls prevention guidance identify and resolve potential problems, within own competence.

ensure the care experienced is positive and service user safety is maintained. Treat everyone eg, service users, their relatives, visitors, colleagues etc, with respect, dignity, courtesy and in accordance with the Trusts Values.

Feedback their observations to the registered professional/ clinical team to contribute to the care/treatment planning process. Understand the principles underlying care planning eg, enabling the service user to reach an optimum level of functioning/ independence/recovery.

implement treatment/care within well-established policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines and established clinical care plans within own competence and skill set.

Assisting in the organising and participating in a range of therapeutic groups and activities as delegated by the registered practitioner working within own competence and skill set.

apply basic knowledge of longer-term health conditions, within the remit of care planning, providing advice, support and feedback to a registered professional.

Undertake the physical aspects of care eg, moving and handling of service users. Use items of equipment in delivering care eg, hoists, wheelchairs etc. (as appropriate to the role), ensuring appropriate instruction on their use has been received.

assist in dealing with verbal/physical aggression using de-escalation techniques, this may include the need for RRPI techniques (as appropriate to the ward or community based role and in line with Trust policy and training)

attend to the service users personal care needs as and when required.

participate in a flexible rostering arrangement providing /7 day care (as appropriate to the role/service)

For full job description, please see attached supporting documents.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. Over reliance on AI-generated content in application forms is strongly discouraged and we will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. For this reason, we are unable to sponsor anyone for a skilled worker visa for this role.

We are happy to accept applications from candidates who can prove their right to work in the UK or via alternative visa routes. Such applications will be considered alongside all other applications.