• Job Description

  Req#: C9333-25-0556?language=en&page=1033&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic team as the Lead Occupational Therapist within the Lavender Walk Adolescent Unit.

  Lavender Walk is a 12 bed General Adolescent Unit (GAU) that cares for young people between the ages of 13-18 years old, with complex mental health needs and emotional difficulties. We are a busy and friendly service which welcomes new skills and new ideas. It is part of Central & North West London (CNWL) Foundation Mental Health Trust and is located within the South Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Centre (1 Nightingale Place, London, SW10 9NG). There are good transport links and a variety of local shops and amenities.

  The Lavender Walk team is made up of two Consultant Psychiatrists (one of whom is the Clinical Lead), Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Therapies Lead), Matron (Clinical Unit Manager), Ward Manager, Qualified Nurses, Nurse Associates, Health Care Assistants, Speciality Doctors, Junior Doctors, Clinical Psychologists, Systemic Family Psychotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Art Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist, Dietician, Social Workers and Teaching staff. We also regularly have students and trainees from the above professional disciplines on placement with the team.

  Main duties of the job

  We are looking for a motivated individual who is enthusiastic, creative, forward thinking, and adaptable to work within our well established and welcoming team. The successful applicant will provide an Occupational Therapy service to young people experiencing mental health problems across all sectors of care as part of a multi-disciplinary CAMHS team. In your role, you will work with young people and their family/carers developing a therapeutic relationship and contribute to the multi-disciplinary assessment and interventions of young people to support their recovery and reintegration back to community settings.

  Your role will involve planning and delivering individual and group Occupational Therapy interventions, completing specialist Occupational Therapy assessments, reports and making recommendations, as well as the management and supervision of the inpatient Occupational Therapy Team (Band 5 Occupational Therapist, Band 4 Fitness Instructor and a Band 4 Activity Coordinator), managing the Occupational Therapy resources/budget and responsibilities associated with being a part of the Lavender Walk Senior Management Team.

  About us

  CNWL have a pioneering history improving health outcomes in people's lives, by providing physical and mental health services at GPs, clinics, hospitals, and in the community.

  Our base is in the Chelsea area, next to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Thanks to the heavy NHS influence many local cafes, restaurants and bars give discounts at 10-20% to all NHS staff.

  As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues, and patients when working in our healthcare settings.

  Details

  Date posted

  22 April 2025

  Pay scheme

  Agenda for change

  Band

  Band 7

  Salary

  £54,320 to £60,981 a year Per annum incl. HCAS

  Contract

  Permanent

  Working pattern

  Full-time

  Reference number

  333-G-CA-1544

  Job locations

  Lavender Walk General Adolescent Unit

  1 Nightingale Place

  London

  SW10 9NG

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  Please see the attached job description and person specification for a detailed description of the main responsibilities of this role.

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  Please see the attached job description and person specification for a detailed description of the main responsibilities of this role.

  Person Specification

  EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

  Essential

  • Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
  • HCPC registered OT

  Desirable

  • Practice Placement Educator's Course.
  • Post graduate training specific to clinical specialty
  • Management & Leadership training.
  • Mental health specific workshops and short courses
  • RCA Training

  PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

  Essential

  • Significant post qualification experience working in mental health services.
  • 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 a complex caseload.
  • Experience in participating in audit / research projects.
  • Experience of effective partnership working, with external providers, in promoting socially inclusive opportunities for service users
  • Experience in partnership working with external agencies.

  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, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

  Essential

  • Individual and group work assessment and intervention skills.
  • Effective leadership skills through the management of designated projects, audits and research.
  • Skills in producing timely, accurate and informative reports and notes
  • Ability to prioritise workload, delegate effectively and to support junior staff to do so.
  • Clear concept of OT and models of practice.
  • Ability to deal with sensitivities and complexities, using interpersonal skills
  • Ability to manage physical aggression directed at self, including use of physical interventions as prescribed by Trust policies.
  • Ability to promote a culture of sound OT practice amongst staff.
  • Ability to determine the impact of mental and physical conditions on a service user's functional ability and undertake assessment/make recommendations with regards to the provision of equipment/aids and adaptations

  Desirable

  • Delivery of formal presentations and teaching sessions.
  • Training in psychological therapies e.g. DBT, CBT.
  • R&D experience at post graduate level.

  ATTITUDES, APTITUDES PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

  Essential

  • Committed to working as part of an MDT.
  • Demonstrates a commitment to personal development.
  • Ability to work independently and is self motivated.
  • Able to work flexibly.
  • Able to utilise supervision effectively

  Person Specification

  EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

  Essential

  • Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
  • HCPC registered OT

  Desirable

  • Practice Placement Educator's Course.
  • Post graduate training specific to clinical specialty
  • Management & Leadership training.
  • Mental health specific workshops and short courses
  • RCA Training

  PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

  Essential

  • Significant post qualification experience working in mental health services.
  • 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 a complex caseload.
  • Experience in participating in audit / research projects.
  • Experience of effective partnership working, with external providers, in promoting socially inclusive opportunities for service users
  • Experience in partnership working with external agencies.

  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, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

  Essential

  • Individual and group work assessment and intervention skills.
  • Effective leadership skills through the management of designated projects, audits and research.
  • Skills in producing timely, accurate and informative reports and notes
  • Ability to prioritise workload, delegate effectively and to support junior staff to do so.
  • Clear concept of OT and models of practice.
  • Ability to deal with sensitivities and complexities, using interpersonal skills
  • Ability to manage physical aggression directed at self, including use of physical interventions as prescribed by Trust policies.
  • Ability to promote a culture of sound OT practice amongst staff.
  • Ability to determine the impact of mental and physical conditions on a service user's functional ability and undertake assessment/make recommendations with regards to the provision of equipment/aids and adaptations

  Desirable

  • Delivery of formal presentations and teaching sessions.
  • Training in psychological therapies e.g. DBT, CBT.
  • R&D experience at post graduate level.

  ATTITUDES, APTITUDES PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

  Essential

  • Committed to working as part of an MDT.
  • Demonstrates a commitment to personal development.
  • Ability to work independently and is self motivated.
  • Able to work flexibly.
  • Able to utilise supervision effectively

  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).

  Additional information

  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

  Lavender Walk General Adolescent Unit

  1 Nightingale Place

  London

  SW10 9NG

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Lavender Walk General Adolescent Unit

  1 Nightingale Place

  London

  SW10 9NG

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

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