About this role
Job summary
We are seeking to recruit a passionate, knowledgeable and dynamic Principal Occupational Therapist (OT) as the professional and clinical lead for Occupational Therapy across CAMHS. This is a senior leadership role within our well-established and innovative Sussex CAMHS, providing strategic direction, clinical expertise, and professional governance for OT practice across CAMHS, including crisis & acute care services.
The post also includes clinical contribution within Brighton & Hove CAMHS, as well as shape, champion and embed OT practice across CAMHS, ensuring it is visible, valued and integral to the delivery of compassionate, effective mental health care for children and young people (CYP).
You will play a key role in shaping service development, influencing multidisciplinary practice, and embedding occupational perspectives into assessment, care planning, risk management and crisis intervention for CYP with complex mental health needs. The role also contributes to policy development, workforce planning, quality improvement initiatives and service transformation across CAMHS.
You will be part of a supportive and highly skilled MDT, committed to delivering high-quality, responsive services in partnership with families and carers, education, social care and wider CYP services. Core aspects of the role include complex clinical assessment, consultation, clinical leadership, supporting staff to work confidently and collaboratively with risk, families and the wider prof. network.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide professional and clinical leadership for Occupational Therapy across CAMHS Sussex, with responsibility for coordinating and developing the Occupational Therapy service. This includes professional management, leadership and supervision of the Occupational Therapy workforce, and ensuring services are high-quality, effective and compliant with professional, national and local standards.
The post holder will play a key role in professional governance, contributing to the development, implementation and monitoring of the governance agenda, and ensuring a strong Occupational Therapy contribution to quality clinical care, service performance and continuous improvement across CAMHS.
In addition to leadership responsibilities, the role incorporates a clinical component, involving complex assessment and intervention with children and young people, consultation and support to families and carers, and specialist advice and consultation to multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams. This clinical contribution ensures the Principal Occupational Therapist maintains direct involvement in service delivery, supports best practice, and informs strategic and professional leadership across CAMHS.
About us
SPFT provides mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex.
This is an excellent time for Occupational Therapists to be joining SPFT as the CAMHS services are going through an exciting transformation underpinned by the THRIVE model and there is a robust AHP workforce and strategy and can offer the following to you:
o Regular professional supervision
o The opportunity to participate in a range of quality improvement work and service innovations.
o Access to a wide range of training and CPD opportunities including
o A programme of AHP specific training
o Quarterly Occupational Therapy CPD Hubs
o Communities of Practice (AMPS, Sensory Strategies, Recovery through activity)
For more information around being an AHP within SPFT please visit Allied Health Professions :: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
We'd love you to join our organisation that is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the Care Quality Commission. Our staff agree, with 82% of people in our recent staff survey telling us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.
Other staff survey results include:
70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work
79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work within their team
77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their role
Job description Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description for full details and additional information to the main duties above.
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
Knowledge/Experience Essential
Extensive experience as a qualified occupational therapist in mental health Broad experience of working with clients with a range of mental health problems Experience of both group and individual work Experience of multidisciplinary working Experience of supervising staff and students Experience as a Care Coordinator Experience in a clinical area related to the post
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 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address Aldrington Centre
Brighton & Hove
BN3 4AG
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)