Head Occupational Therapist | East London NHS Foundation Trust


Company:	East London NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£57,528 - £64,750 per anum
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Luton, LU4 0FB
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	23 Oct 2026
Closing date:	22 Nov 2026

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Summary

This role involves working with the Lead Occupational Therapist and other Heads OT's in managing and developing the Occupational Therapy Service within their service area and across the Trust.

They provide professional leadership to their services, work alongside MDT members and develop effective working relationships across Senior Leadership Teams to ensure effective service provision.

The post holder will also be required to maintain equity across the service area, attend the relevant service meetings, provide highly specialised clinical supervision and support, manage audits, support financial sustainability through effective management of allocated budgets, implement strategic plans and ensuring ongoing service development.

• To lead on all elements of the Occupational Therapy Service, being responsible for the planning and delivery of Occupational Therapy in the designated area, including supervision, recruitment, appraisals, CPD and disciplinary procedures.

• To be responsible for the management of resources allocated to Occupational Therapy within the designated area.

• To utilise clinical, financial and workforce data to inform strategic decision-making, resource allocation and service development in response to identified service needs.

• To ensure HR processes including sickness and absence are managed effectively and in accordance with the Trust policy.

• To foster effective working relationships with senior leadership colleagues to ensure service developments are co-ordinated and managed in an appropriate manner, ensuring high quality clinical services that meets service users needs.

• To maintain, action and update strategic plans in line with trust strategies and local or national guidance.

• To identity training needs, participate in and develop training for Occupational Therapists and other professionals.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

• To manage all elements of the Occupational Therapy Service.

• To be accountable for equitable service delivery across the services.

• To foster effective working relationships with Team Manager colleagues.

• To liaise with professional colleagues in health and social care as appropriate.

• To lead or take part in the various re-provision projects and service developments within the locality, contributing to the professional and multi-disciplinary design of the new working environments and new models of service delivery.

• To represent the Occupational Therapy Service at appropriate forums.

• To maintain effective supervision.

• To manage staff performance as required in line with Trust policy.

• To support the establishment of focused treatment programmes by Occupational Therapy staff in all relevant teams within the locality according to the agreed models and specific local needs.

• To facilitate multi-disciplinary working across the service, liaising with Line Managers and Senior Manager colleagues.

• To provide clinical intervention for a small number of clients, undertaking assessment, treatment planning and negotiation, and communicating clinical reasoning to clients and carers, as appropriate.

• To ensure risk management systems are in place in the service area.

• To apply highly developed communication skills to all situations and staff, including negotiation, persuasion and sensitivity.

• To ensure good communication is maintained with all team members by the provision of verbal and written reports as appropriate.

• To develop departmental policies.

• To analyse information systems data within the service area with respect to Clinical, Financial and Staffing issues in order to meet the service need.

• To develop and lead on areas of good practice within the designated areas and ensure their dissemination across the Trust.

• To ensure that treatment offered is based on the best available evidence.

• To work with other staff in identifying clinical service needs and initiating changes and projects to meet these needs.

• To implement service changes as agreed with Service Lead and to manage staff during the process of change.

• To identify training needs for the development of individuals in line with service area needs.

• To facilitate the continuing professional development of all staff through effective use of appraisal, course attendance, in-service training, undertaking research, etc.

• To be responsible for Clinical Governance within the designated area, producing and updating standards accordingly, ensuring these are implemented.

• To be responsible for the management of resources allocated to Occupational Therapy within the designated area. To hold regular meetings with relevant Management Accountant, to ensure accurate monitoring and control of expenditure.

This advert closes on Sunday 1 Nov 2026

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