Lead Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 03 June 2026
Are you a passionate and experienced Occupational Therapist ready to take the next step into a leadership role?
At Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, we are looking for a values‑driven Lead Occupational Therapist to lead and champion Occupational Therapy across our Adult Acute inpatient services. This is a unique opportunity to shape how occupation, recovery and meaningful activity can sit at the heart of acute mental health care.
This is a leadership role where you will:
- Lead and define the Occupational Therapy pathway across Adult Acute Services
- Ensure service users can engage in meaningful occupation, develop function and build recovery
- Provide a strong professional voice for OT across the Service Line
- Influence service development, innovation and future models of care
You will work across inpatient settings at the Newsam and Becklin Centres, supporting wards to deliver high‑quality, therapeutic, recovery‑focused interventions.
As Lead OT, you will shape and further develop this offer—ensuring it is meaningful, structured, and rooted in occupational science.
Main duties of the job
You will combine advanced clinical expertise with strategic leadership to lead Occupational Therapy across Adult Acute Services. As a visible and accessible professional leader, you will inspire and support OT staff while championing the role and value of Occupational Therapy across the service. You will provide specialist advice, clinical reasoning and consultation for complex cases, and ensure that person‑centred, recovery‑oriented practice is embedded consistently within teams. Alongside this, you will lead the development of a cohesive and high‑quality OT pathway across inpatient services, driving quality improvement, audit and the use of evidence‑based practice. You will play a key role in shaping innovative ways of working that maximise engagement, activity and therapeutic culture on wards, whilst also contributing to wider Trust strategy and AHP leadership priorities. The role also includes a strong workforce development focus, supporting supervision, learning and professional growth for OT staff, as well as contributing to student education and future workforce development. You will work collaboratively within the multi‑disciplinary team, building strong relationships with ward leaders, matrons and senior clinicians, and representing Occupational Therapy at service, Trust and external forums.
About us
The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.
There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27–33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.
Applicants should be aware that individuals requiring a visa to work in the UK, the Trust only provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles (this does not include Healthcare Support Workers). This is an essential requirement, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you do not meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- HCPC registered (Dip/BSc/MSc in OT)
- Recognised leadership development or qualification equivalent to ILM level 3
Experience
- Substantial experience as senior practitioner in mental health setting
Knowledge
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of the role of Occupational Therapy and the relationship to other members of the multi‑disciplinary team
Values
- Tell us about a time when you spotted something small going wrong and did something to stop it becoming a bigger issue.
- Tell us about a time when you realised a colleague or someone you know needed a bit of support and you offered to help.
- Tell us about a time when you showed someone kindness or understanding.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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