Lead Occupational Therapist

Job summary

Hampshire Eating Disorders Team are recruiting an 8A Lead Occupational Therapist to lead on the ongoing development of our ARFID and OT pathway.

The Hampshire Eating Disorders Team is a large multidisciplinary team providing assessment and evidence-based treatment to young people and their families across Hampshire.

Over the past year the team have been working to improve the clinical pathway for young people with ARFID. The successful candidate will need to understand or be willing to develop expertise of the unique requirements related to ARFID and be proactive in continuing to improve the clinical offer for this group of young people and their families. This will include collaborating with the team to engage in research projects to broaden the evidence base in relation to ARFID and the effectiveness of treatment. Building on the national links the team have already developed.

The successful candidate will work alongside the Hampshire Allied Health Professionals Consultant and Professional Lead, supporting AHP strategy and ensuring the professional needs of AHPs is met across the service.

This role provides variety and an opportunity to initiate in order to deliver a high-quality service. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to further develop their leadership experience as well as in strategic service development, both at a team and a service wide level.

Main duties, tasks & skills required

We are looking for a motivated, passionate, and experienced Occupational Therapist to join our supportive and compassionate team. The Successful candidate will have experience of working as a specialist OT at a senior level within a mental health setting. Experience of CAMHS or eating disorders is preferable but not essential. Demonstrably high level clinical and leadership skills that are transferable will be to be successful in this role.

The successful candidate will hold a case load of young people and will contribute to multi-disciplinary assessments, provide OT specific interventions as required. Along with providing OT consultation to the wider team and providing professional leadership to the OT workforce within the Eating Disorders Team.

About us

Southern Health is one of the largest NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK, specialising in mental health and learning disabilities, as well as offering physical health community-based services.

With a workforce of more than 7000 and a footprint that spans more than 200 sites across Hampshire, we're committed to providing the best possible healthcare, reaching a range of diverse communities, whilst placing patients and staff at the forefront of all our endeavours.

We are currently working closely with other NHS Trusts to combine all our collective community, mental health, and learning disability services, with the plan to create a new larger, more integrated and accessible organisation.

The transformation will happen in stages; Hampshire CAMHS, part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust joined Southern Health in February 2024, with Isle of Wight NHS Trust mental health and community services transitioning across in May 2024. The final combination of Southern Health and Solent NHS Trust services is expected in late 2024, when our new organisation, to be known as Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, will be formed.

Our new Trust will continue to cater to the unique needs of different communities, making healthcare across the county more accessible, as well as offering staff more opportunities for career development, training and partnership working.

Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare in Hampshire.

Job description

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

Degree/Diploma in occupational therapy
Evidence of master level post qualification study
Registration with the HPC as an occupational therapist
Practice Education training
Training in the use of standardised occupational therapy assessment tools
 

Desirable

Management/Leadership training

Experience

Essential

Extensive experience as a qualified occupational therapist in mental health Experience of working within eating disorder services including experience in the assessment and treatment of ARFID
Broad experience of working with clients with a range of mental health problems
Experience of both group a