Occupational Therapy Assistant | East London NHS Foundation Trust

Occupational Therapy Assistant

The Forensic Community Learning Disability and Autism Service is part of the ELFT Forensic Service, with an overarching aim of reducing the risk of offending or reoffending of adults with a diagnosis of Learning Disability and/ or Autism.

The team provides a range of support across North East London, including complex case management and joint work with and consultation to numerous partner agencies such as other areas of the ELFT Forensic Service, criminal justice partners and Community Learning Disability Services, and providing a substantial programme of training. The team will also offer in reach to inpatients at The John Howard Centre and other low secure sites who are approaching discharge.

A strengths-based approach will underpin work with service users and carers so that their individual assets can be optimised and positive life choices and opportunities can be enabled in partnership with individuals and the services around them.

• Under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist, to implement agreed occupational therapy treatment plans by carrying out practical individual and group activities with service users.
• To collaborate with senior OT staff to review and modify specialist treatment programmes when necessary.
• To assist senior OT staff in the assessment and treatment of service users in a specialist mental health service.
• To work and liaise appropriately with the multi-disciplinary team, including attendance at service user-related meetings as directed.

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.

Job responsibilities

Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Desirable

NVQ and/or B-tech in Care related skills

Qualification in relevant practical skills

Experience

Essential

Using a range of practical and creative skills

Worked with people who have experienced mental health problems

Desirable

Worked within an forensic mental health setting

Worked with an occupational therapy team

Planning and running groups

Experience of CPD and role development activities

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Knowledge of equal Opportunities and confidentiality

Basic understanding of needs and concerns of service users in a forensic mental health setting

Understanding of OT and ability to learn about the OT process

Interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained with service users who have complex needs.

Word-processing/IT skills

Organisational and time management skills

Clinical skills to carry out therapeutic individual and group based interventions

Ability to contribute to and work within clinical risk assessment

Desirable

Knowledge of College of OT standards of practice

This advert closes on Sunday 13 Sep 2026