Social Inclusion and Occupational Therapy Lead

We are looking for a Lead Occupational Therapist to provide professional and clinical leadership across our Acute and Inpatient Mental Health Services. This is a senior role with real influence over how care is experienced on our wards, from admission through to post discharge. Our inpatient services support people at some of the most challenging points in their lives. The quality of what happens on the ward; how people spend their time, how they are supported to recover, and how they move forward, has a lasting impact. Occupational Therapy should be central to that. This role is about making that a reality. You will lead Occupational Therapy across acute wards, working closely with ward managers, matrons, and the wider multidisciplinary team to strengthen therapeutic environments and embed occupation-focused care. Alongside leading the OT workforce, you will influence how inpatient care is delivered, ensuring it is recovery-focused, purposeful, and supports timely and effective
discharge, Providing professional and operational leadership for Occupational Therapy across inpatient services -Supporting and developing OTs and support staff working on acute wards -Strengthening the quality and consistency of therapeutic activity and engagement -Embedding occupation-focused approaches within MDT practice and care planning -Contributing to service priorities such as flow, discharge planning, and reducing length of stay -Supporting improvements in patient experience and reducing restrictive practices -Ensuring the OT contribution is visible, valued, and evidence-based

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for over 4.9 million people living in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and across Essex. We work to ensure our patients, their friends and family, feel confident that their health needs are well met. With an excellent reputation for research and development, our skilled health professionals are at the cutting edge of evidence-based innovation, opening up the possibilities for better ways of working and delivery of care.