Autism Advisory Team Occupational Therapist | North London NHS Foundation Trust

The Autism Advisory Team Occupational Therapist will be part of a newly established, specialist multi-disciplinary team created to strengthen autism-informed practice across inpatient and community mental health services in North Central London. This role supports the local delivery of NCL's Inpatient Quality Transformation Plan (IQTP), which aims to improve the identification, experience and outcomes of autistic adults, reduce inequalities, and develop a more skilled and confident workforce.The post holder will contribute to a team that offers specialist autism-focused consultation, guidanceand training to front line staff across five boroughs. The team operates in a consultative, non-caseload model, supporting inpatient wards, community mental health teams and wider system partners to embed reasonable adjustments, improve personalised care planning and promote earlier intervention. Ongoing case management will remain with the referring service. Within this model, the Occupational Therapist will providespecialist autisminformed occupational therapy expertise, with a particular focus on autistic adults diagnosed later in life and those who have not previously accessed appropriate occupationaltherapy and sensory/environmental support. The post holder will deliver specialist (nondiagnostic) OT assessments where appropriate, including sensory and environmental considerations, functional assessments and (where indicated) functional behaviour assessment input. They will translate assessment findings into clear, practical recommendations and reasonable adjustments that can be implemented by inpatient and community teams, ensuring these are documented appropriately within agreed clinical records and team processes. A key part of the role is enabling others to work more effectively with autistic adults. The postholder will provide consultation to clinicians on sensory and environmental adaptations, daily living and occupational functioning, and practical strategies to support engagement and reduce distress. North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people. Our Five-Year Strategy: 1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home. 2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all 3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care. Why NLFT?

• We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.
• We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
• NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme
• Excellent internal staff network
In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.
• Demonstrate highly specialist knowledge of autism-informed occupational therapy practice underpinned by current evidence-based best practice.
• Provide specialist sensory/environmental assessments and develop sensory profiles where indicated, translating findings into practical ward/community adjustments.
• Support assessment of occupational performance factors impacting engagement, regulation, independence, and participation in care planning.
• To apply advanced clinical reasoning to identify occupational therapy goals as part of the overall care plan.
• To consider both physical and mental health needs as part of the occupational therapy process.
• Monitor and manage OT assessment activity and waiting lists within the team's remit, ensuring prioritisation and risk considerations are applied appropriately.
• Produce high-quality written outputs from assessments, ensuring recommendations are practical, implementable and tailored to the relevant setting (inpatient or community).
• To take a lead role in the education, supervision and training of more junior members of staff, support workers and occupational therapy students
• To ensure client needs and their carers are central to service delivery, and that individual spiritual beliefs, customs and values are respected.