Job Overview
We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Senior Occupational Therapist to join the Older Adult Occupational Therapy Team within the Specialist Dementia and Frailty Service (SDFS) in West Essex.
This role involves working with older adults experiencing dementia, cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, psychosis, and other complex mental health needs. You will provide occupational therapy assessment and intervention across community, clinic, home, and care home settings, supporting people to maintain independence, wellbeing, and quality of life.
You will contribute to the delivery of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based Wellbeing Group, supporting older adults to build resilience, improve wellbeing, and participate in meaningful occupations.
The role also includes working within the Care Home Liaison Team, providing specialist assessment, consultation and advice for residents living in care homes across West Essex. This work focuses on improving quality of life, reducing distress, supporting staff, and promoting person-centred care.
Alongside interventions such as Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), you will work closely with the Multi-Disciplinary Team, contributing to assessment, care planning, and recovery-focused interventions.
We offer regular supervision, reflective practice, service development opportunities, and support from a strong occupational therapy network.
Main duties of the job
The Successful Candidate Will
- Deliver high-quality occupational therapy assessment, intervention, and evaluation for older adults with dementia, cognitive impairment, and mental health needs.
- Manage a varied caseload across community, clinic, home, and care home settings.
- Promote independence, recovery, wellbeing, and occupational engagement through evidence-based interventions.
- Screen, develop, facilitate, and evaluate therapeutic groups, including Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) and wellbeing-focused interventions.
- Contribute to the development and delivery of an innovative ACT-based Wellbeing Group for older adults.
- Work as part of the Care Home Liaison Team, providing specialist assessment, consultation, advice, training, and non-pharmacological interventions within care homes.
- Support care home staff to implement person-centred approaches that enhance wellbeing and quality of life.
- Work collaboratively within the Multi-Disciplinary Team, contributing to formulation, care planning, reviews, and risk management.
- Support and supervise students, support workers, and junior staff as appropriate.
- Contribute to service development, quality improvement, and the continued growth of Occupational Therapy within SDFS
Working for our organisation
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.
- Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
- Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
- If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
- We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.
Benefits
- 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
- Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
- Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
- £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us (subject to terms and conditions)
- Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
Work that wraps around your needs
- Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
- Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed
Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.
Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.
As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.
Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email epunft.recruitment.adverts@nhs.net and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.
The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.
Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.
Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered ‘suitable alternative employment’ to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.