About this role
Job summary
A compelling opportunity to lead and deliver high-quality crisis mental health care for children and young people.
We are offering an exciting opportunity for an experienced Occupational Therapist to join our Liaison and Intensive Support Team (LIST) at Band 7 level. This senior role combines advanced clinical practice with leadership, supervision, and service development responsibilities.
Step into a senior role where your occupational therapy expertisedirectly supports children and young people experiencing acute mental health needs. As a CAMHS LIST Specialist Occupational Therapist, you will play a key role in delivering intensive, recovery-focused interventions, supporting young people to remain safely in thecommunityand reducing hospital admissions.
Join a forward-thinking, multidisciplinary team committed to delivering compassionate,responsiveand high-quality care within crisis pathways.
If you are an experienced clinician ready to lead, innovate and influence service delivery, this is your opportunity to thrive.
Milton Keynes CAMHS offers:
A well-established crisis pathway through the LIST service, with ongoing transformation opportunities.
Strong partnership working with acute hospitals, GPs, schools, children'sservicesand voluntary sector organisations.
A collaborative and supportive multidisciplinary team culture.
A commitment to staff wellbeing,supervisionand continuous professional development.
Main duties of the job
You will work with children and young people presenting with moderate to severe and complex mental health needs, supporting crisis intervention and recovery through a functional, occupation-focused approach.
In this role, you will:
Deliver comprehensive occupational therapy assessments, including functional,sensoryand environmental needs.
Develop and implement person-centred, occupation-focused interventions to support recovery and risk reduction.
Provide short-term, intensive interventions to stabilise mental health and improve daily functioning.
Support children and young people inmaintainingengagement in education, routines, and meaningful activities.
Work flexibly across community, home,schooland acute settings, including liaison with acute hospitals whererequired.
Provide clinical leadership in occupational therapy within the MDT, promoting a functionally focused, recovery-oriented approach.
Contribute to risk assessment and management of complex and high-risk presentations.
Support safe transitions between inpatient and community settings, promoting continuity of care.
Work collaboratively with partner agencies (education, social care, paediatrics) to support holistic care and prevent escalation.
Contribute to service development, pathwayimprovementand quality initiatives within LIST.
About us
At CNWL, our teams are united by a shared commitment to delivering outstanding, patient-centred care. You will be joining an organisation that:
Invests in your professional and leadership development.
Supports career progression into advanced clinical or management roles.
Encourages innovation, servicetransformationand continuous learning.
Values diversity and promotes an inclusive working environment.
You willbenefitfrom regular supervision, strong leadership support, and opportunities to contribute to strategic service development.
About Milton Keynes CAMHS
You will be part of Milton Keynes CAMHS, a growing and innovative service delivering responsive and evidence-based mental health care for children and young people.
Job description Job responsibilities
WhatWereLooking For
We are seeking a practitioner who brings:
Professional qualification in Occupational Therapy with HCPC registration.
Extensive CAMHS experience, including working with complex and high-risk presentations.
Advanced skills in functional assessment,formulationand intervention within mental health settings.
Strong understanding of the impact of mental health on occupational performance, including education,routinesand daily living skills.
Ability to manage a complex caseload and lead clinical decision-making in a fast-paced environment.
Experience in supervising,mentoringor supporting junior staff and students.
An excellent team player who actively contributes to a supportive, collaborative multidisciplinary team culture and role-models professional practice.
Strong communicationand partnership-working skills across multi-agency systems.
A proactive approach to service development,auditand quality improvement.
High levelsof resilience,professionalismand a commitment to improving outcomes for young people.
If you are ready to bring your clinical expertise, leadership and passion to a role that supports young people at their most vulnerable, we would love to hear from you.
Together, we can delivertimely, compassionatecareand improve outcomes for young people in crisis.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications Essential
Diploma/ Degree in Occupational Therapy HCPC Registration Practice Placement Educators Course
Desirable
Post graduate training specific to clinical specialty Management & Leadership training RCA Training Mental health specific workshops and short courses
Experience Essential
Significant post qualification experience working in mental health services Experience in participating in audit / research projects Experience in leading and/or developing a service/component of a service Experience in using a range of standardised OT assessments including MOHO assessments Experience of supervising and appraising staff / unqualified staff; recruitment and workforce planning Experience in managing resources e.g. financial, stock, equipment etc Experience of effective partnership working, with external providers, in promoting socially inclusive opportunities for service users
Desirable
Experience in a variety of mental health settings Experience in Serious incident investigations Experience in managing complex HR issues with staff e.g. the management of performance / long term sickness. Experience in budget management
Skills Essential
Individual and group work assessment and intervention skills Ability to deal with sensitivities and complexities, using interpersonal skills Effective leadership skills through the management of designated projects, audits and research Skills in producing timely, accurate and informative reports and notes Presentation skills Excellent communication skills i.e. written, verbal, listening and proficient use of up to date systems of communication i.e. IT systems, e-mail, fax, telephone etc.
Desirable
R&D experience at post graduate level Delivery of formal presentations and teaching sessions Chairing of senior meetings Car driver or use of motorised transport Training in psychological therapies e.g. DBT, CBT
Knowledge Essential
Ability to prioritise workload, delegate effectively and to support junior staff to do so. Knowledge of personal recovery principles and their application to service delivery Clear concept of Occupational Therapy and models of practice
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Address Eaglestone Health Centre, Hospital Campus, Standing Way
Eaglestone
Milton Keynes
MK6 5AZ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)