Specialist Occupational Therapist

Transformationunitgm; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS Trust in Sunderland is seeking a Specialist Occupational Therapist to join the Psychiatric Liaison Team. The role involves assessing patients with complex mental health needs and developing treatment plans in a multidisciplinary setting. The ideal candidate will hold an Occupational therapy degree and be registered with HCPC. This position offers the opportunity to work in a supportive environment with flexible working options and excellent professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible working

Childcare schemes

Staff discounts

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven track record of post registration clinical experience relevant to the post.
• Experience of working within a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Ability to manage a clinical caseload flexibly.
• Evidence of post-registration training in OT interventions.

Responsibilities

• Assess and manage a caseload of service users with complex Occupational Therapy needs.
• Develop collaborative intervention plans with service users and carers.
• Deliver evidence‑based Occupational therapy interventions.
• Coordinate treatment planning, reviews, and discharge planning.

Skills

Risk Assessment

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Education

Recognised Occupational therapy degree

HCPC Registration

Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapy

Job description

Employer Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Sunderland Psychiatric Liaison Team Town Sunderland Salary £38,682 - £46,580 pro rata per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 06/01/2026 23:59

Specialist Occupational Therapist

Band 6

Hello!

We are so delighted you are considering coming to work with us at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).

We know the power of looking into an organisation, one you might want to work in, or one where you are going to get help, and being able to say, ‘I’ve seen somewhere I can fit in and be myself.’ We’re on a journey to make the Trust an inclusive employer, representative of the community we serve and we want more of our community to consider applying for jobs with us.

Opportunities for you

Spanning east to west coasts from Northumberland to Cumbria and from the Scottish Borders down to Middlesbrough we’ve got exciting new opportunities available at every level and in every area.

We offer flexible working, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities, or training and development needs and there’s lots on offer in the way of benefits, such as, lease cars, childcare schemes, staff discounts, season tickets for travel and a cycle to work scheme. All this in a vibrant workplace supported by the following staff networks.

• Cultural diversity staff network
• Disabled staff network
• LGBT+ staff network

We also have a number of staff support groups which are open to any staff to attend. These Include:

• Armed Forces and Veterans Staff Network
• Mind, Health and Wellbeing Community
• Menopause toolkit and cafes and staff carer support group

We offer fantastic personal development opportunities through our Collective Leadership Programme and other Organisational Development initiatives. Whatever you are looking for, you will be joining a supportive, friendly team, offering varied and interesting roles, with opportunities for career progression.

Always improving

CNTW is regulated by the national healthcare regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our last two inspections have rated us as an outstanding organisation. We’re always seeking to improve as an organization. Do you want to be part of that?

Please note that it is a requirement of this Trust that all external applicants pay for their own DBS certification if a DBS check is required for the post. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first monthly pay

Job overview

We are looking for a highly motivated Occupational Therapist to join the Psychiatric Liaison Team at Sunderland Royal Hospital

Sunderland Psychiatric Liaison Team are an ageless, well established and PLAN accredited team who provide a 24-hour service, across 7 days, which provides a responsive interface between both NHS and non-NHS services including drug and alcohol services and other professions. We provide timely assessment and brief interventions for patients who are presenting with a range of mental health needs to Sunderland Royal Hospital including but not restricted to self-harm, psychosis and delirium.

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible for the assessment and management of a caseload of service users who present with a variety of complex Occupational Therapy needs, diverse presentations with a range of mental health needs.
• In partnership with the Service Users and Carers where appropriate, develop collaborative intervention plans, ensuring regular reviews to monitor progress and adapt as necessary.
• To consider Carer needs and ensure Carer and family are involved in Care Planning where appropriate.
• To deliver evidence‑based Occupational therapy interventions.
• The post holder will work as a member of the Multi‑disciplinary Team ensuring that high quality individualised care is delivered which ensures safety and a commitment to promoting recovery and wellbeing and maximising independence.
• Coordinate treatment planning & interventions, reviews and discharge planning.
• To provide compassionate care that is based on empathy, kindness, respect and dignity.
• To incorporate a client centred philosophy into clinical practice and client centred collaborative care.

Working for our organisation

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

NHS Employees identified as at risk of compulsory redundancy and those eligible for the NENC Re‑Deployment careers hub will receive prior consideration.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Closing date : 6 th January 2026

We welcome your application.

Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are received.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

• Recognised Occupational therapy degree/ qualification.
• HCPC Registration
• Evidence of post-registration training in OT interventions relevant to the post.
• Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapy

Knowledge and Experience

• Proven track record of post registration clinical experience relevant to the post.
• Proven ability to manage a clinical caseload in a flexible manner as required.
• Awareness and understanding of professional accountability, HCPC and RCOT standards and other local and national initiatives
• Experience of working within a multi‑disciplinary team
• Experience of providing Occupational Therapy services.
• Awareness of equal opportunities legislation and policies
• Experience of collaborative working across agencies and professional disciplines.
• Understanding of difficult to manage/challenging behaviours.

Skills and Competencies

• Proven ability to carry out and provide comprehensive written assessments of individuals with complex needs.
• Risk Assessment and Risk Management / Safety Planning skills.
• Evidence of a high level of professional, organisational and leadership skills (self & others).

Role/Team specific requirements

• Flexible and adaptive

Personal Characteristics

• Friendly, outgoing, approachable, confident manner.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to meet the mobility and geographical requirements of the post.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

Please ensure to check out all of the supporting documents linked to this advert, for useful information about working for us, information from our Chief Executive and much more.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

Please be aware this vacancy may close earlier than the stated closing date, should an appropriate number of applications be received.