Band 7 Occupational Therapy Lead
The closing date is 12 July 2026
The Band 7 Occupational Therapy Lead for Neighbourhood Health plays a pivotal role in delivering high‑quality, person‑centred care across community services. This role focuses on collaborative partnership working with primary care, social care, voluntary organisations, and community groups to address the wider determinants of health, including housing, social isolation, and access to meaningful activities.
A strong emphasis is placed on early intervention and prevention to support individuals in maintaining independence, reducing hospital admissions, and enhancing overall wellbeing. Through a population health approach, the OT Lead ensures services are tailored to the specific needs of local communities, addressing health inequalities and promoting personalised, strengths‑based care that empowers individuals and communities.
The post holder is responsible for the effective day‑to‑day leadership and management of therapy staff and assistant practitioners, ensuring the delivery of safe and effective services. They will provide senior clinical leadership, offering expert advice and support while demonstrating advanced clinical judgement, risk assessment, and decision‑making skills.
The role requires flexibility, including working across West Essex localities to meet service needs.
Job responsibilities
- Act as a senior decision maker to guide and support staff with complex patient cases.
- Assess, plan, implement and evaluate specialist treatment and care and/or rehabilitation programmes to people, promoting independence and autonomy within a multidisciplinary team.
- Provide expert clinical holistic assessment and evidence‑based proactive and reactive health care interventions to support patients and their carers to achieve maximum health well‑being and independence.
- Participate in duty clinician cover, triage and MDT/allocation meetings where clinically appropriate.
- Act at all times as an advocate for service users, carers and relatives.
- Be responsible for standards of care within the service area; evaluate clinical care and develop actions with relevant line managers where required.
- Have overall responsibility for caseload management through continual monitoring and data collection.
- Maintain a professional portfolio and demonstrate that practice is up to date and evidence based through regular management and clinical supervision/mentorship.
- Day‑to‑day management and leadership of therapy and at times nursing practitioners and other staff in the multidisciplinary team; provide senior clinical advice, leadership and support ensuring the needs of the service are met by exercising and demonstrating high levels of clinical judgement, critical risk assessment and advanced decision‑making skills.
- Delegate day‑to‑day clinical duties appropriately to other team members.
- Inspire and demonstrate leadership qualities through excellent communication skills, delivery of specialist advice, working with others, demonstration of personal qualities and continuous service improvement.
- Act as a role model, provide professional leadership to the team and promote the Trust values.
- Actively participate in identifying training needs of self and others and participate in appropriate training programmes.
Person Specification
Experience
- Significant post‑registration experience in a community or integrated care setting.
- Demonstrable experience of managing complex cases and risk.
- Experience of supervising, mentoring, or leading staff.
- Experience of service development or quality improvement.
- Experience of working within multidisciplinary teams across health and social care.
- Experience working within neighbourhood or population health models.
Knowledge and skills
- Advanced clinical reasoning and decision‑making skills.
- Knowledge of current NHS policies, community care frameworks, and integrated working.
- Ability to lead, motivate, and support teams.
- Strong organisational and time‑management skills.
Qualifications
- Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy and HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist.
- Evidence of continued professional development (CPD).
Other
- Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (if required for community visits).
- Ability to work flexibly across sites to meet service needs.
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.
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
£49,387 to £56,515 a year, pro rata.
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