Camden RAS – Senior Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 31 July 2026.
An exciting opportunity to join the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust’s Rapid Access Services (RAS) team. This role develops advanced clinical and leadership skills within a dynamic multidisciplinary community healthcare service.
RAS works closely with acute hospitals, social care and third‑sector partners to provide high‑quality acute care in the community, helping people remain at home, reducing avoidable hospital admissions and supporting timely discharge from hospital.
The service includes three key pathways:
- Discharge to Assess (D2A): Supporting medically optimised patients to leave hospital safely through urgent therapy assessment and intervention at home.
- Urgent Community Response (UCR): Providing rapid assessment and treatment for patients to prevent hospital admission and clinical deterioration.
- Camden Hospital at Home (H@H): A consultant‑led service delivering hospital‑level care in patients’ homes following early discharge or step‑up referrals from UCR.
This role offers exposure to a diverse and complex caseload, requiring advanced clinical reasoning and decision‑making to optimise recovery and reduce pressure on acute services. It also provides opportunities to develop leadership and management skills through involvement in service development, quality improvement, workforce planning, recruitment, supervision and appraisal of junior staff, and collaboration with key health and social care partners.
Main duties of the job
The Band 7 Occupational Therapist role within Camden Rapid Access Services focuses on providing advanced occupational therapy assessment and intervention for clinically frail adults, working closely within a multidisciplinary team to support admission avoidance, timely discharge, and community‑based care. Key responsibilities include:
- Assessing functional ability, falls risk, cognition, mental capacity and deteriorating health needs.
- Developing and implementing rehabilitation plans.
- Coordinating care with primary, community and acute services.
- Supervising and supporting junior staff and students.
- Contributing to service development and quality improvement initiatives.
- Maintaining accurate electronic patient records.
- Providing leadership within the team.
- Using clinical judgement and risk assessments to keep people safe.
- Safeguarding by recognising and responding to abuse risks and escalating concerns.
- Acting as patient advocates and supporting shared decision‑making.
- Maintaining compliance with mandatory training and HCPC registration.
- Participating in audit, benchmarking and quality improvement activities.
- Supporting recruitment, induction, orientation and staff development.
About us
- Shift work (earlies, lates and long days) and flexible working opportunities.
- Buy & Sell Annual Leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme – a free and confidential service.
- Structured induction using the New Starter Roadmap throughout the first 12 months and beyond.
- Staff networks: PRIDE@CNWL, Disabled Employees Network, Lived Experience of Mental Health Staff Network, Carers at Work Network, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Network.
- Discounts and savings with My Trust Benefits.
- Salary sacrifice scheme via VIVUP platform.
Job responsibilities
Central and North West London NHS Trust is committed to providing safe, effective services and a positive experience for patients and families.
As a Senior Occupational Therapist you:
- Use clinical judgement and risk assessments to keep patients safe.
- Safeguard people by recognising and responding to abuse risks.
- Escalate safety concerns and act as effective advocates.
- Communicate openly and transparently about practice.
- Supervise the work of others.
- Reflect on practice to identify improvements.
- Work with others to create a culture of continuous improvement.
- Maintain compliance with mandatory training.
- Advise, oversee and support junior staff, including students.
- Add to service performance through audit, benchmarking and quality improvement.
- Act in a clinical leadership role, ensuring CQC standards are met.
- Deputise for Therapy Lead when necessary.
Person Specification
(Content omitted for brevity – includes education, qualifications, experience and skills.)
Education and Qualifications
- Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
- HCPC registration.
- Evidence of continued professional development.
- Experience working in a multidisciplinary team.
- Practice Educator training.
- Member of RCOT.
- Post‑graduate or Master’s Degree (MSc).
- Membership and/or involvement in a special interest group.
- Leadership/Management courses.
Previous Experience
- Work in the UK or a similar health economy as an occupational therapist.
- Experience at Band 5/6 in older people/elderly rehab, medicine (including emergency medicine), general surgery (including orthopaedics), falls, community, neurology, dementia.
- Experience supervising students and junior staff.
- Understanding of primary care’s role in admission prevention and timely discharge.
- Experience in rapid response/urgent community response.
- Autonomous practice in a community setting.
Skills and Knowledge
- Excellent communication and IT skills, including electronic patient records and professional reports.
- Strong clinical reasoning and autonomous decision‑making.
- Multidisciplinary working and collaborative practice.
- Comprehensive knowledge of occupational therapy practice (frailty, disability, delirium, Mental Capacity Act, health and safety).
- Commitment to quality improvement, patient safety and service development.
- Demonstrable leadership and professional development skills.
- Commitment to working with clinically frail adults in community and urgent care.
- Demonstrate CNWL values and behaviours.
- Effective teamwork and high standards.
- Continuous personal and professional development.
- Service improvement and constructive feedback.
- Leadership and positive team performance.
Other
- Awareness of NHS policies regarding primary care and hospital admissions (including the NHS Long Term Plan).
- Full and valid UK driving licence.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post requires a Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Compensation
£58,133 to £65,261 a year, inclusive of HCAS.
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