Occupational Therapist
5 days ago
Haywards Heath
Help shape a newly redesigned CAMHS inpatient service and play a key role in supporting young people’s recovery, independence and day‑to‑day wellbeing. We are recruiting a Band 7 Occupational Therapist to join our newly redeveloped Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inpatient Unit reopening in Autumn 2026. Following extensive co‑design with young people, families and staff — alongside significant investment in the environment, workforce and therapeutic approach — this is an exciting opportunity to join a modern, recovery‑focused inpatient service delivering purposeful, high‑quality care to young people with acute mental health needs. • Opportunity to join a newly reopened CAMHS inpatient service from the beginning, • Help shape and embed the occupational therapy offer within a redesigned model of care, • Strong focus on trauma‑informed, relational and strengths‑based practice, • Work within a highly skilled and supportive multidisciplinary team, • Extensive induction and team development programme before the unit opens, • Opportunities to contribute to service development, quality improvement and pathway design, • HCPC Registered Occupational Therapists with experience working within mental health services and an interest or background in CAMHS, inpatient or acute care settings., • Experience completing complex assessments and care planning, • Confidence managing risk and working within MDT environments, • Experience delivering both group and individual interventions, • An interest in trauma‑informed and recovery‑focused practice As a Band 7 Occupational Therapist, you’ll play a key role within the inpatient MDT, supporting young people with complex mental health needs through assessment, intervention and recovery‑focused care planning. You’ll use advanced clinical reasoning to help create a safe, therapeutic and structured ward environment where young people can develop skills, confidence, independence and meaningful routines. • Deliver specialist occupational therapy assessments and interventions, • Support formulation‑led and recovery‑focused care planning, • Contribute to admissions, reviews and discharge planning, • Deliver individual and group‑based therapeutic interventions, • Support positive risk management and therapeutic engagement, • Work closely with families, carers and community services, • Supervise and support occupational therapy staff and students, • Contribute to quality improvement, evaluation and service development activity, • Champion trauma‑informed and strengths‑based approaches across the ward This is an opportunity to have genuine influence within a newly developing service and to help embed occupational therapy at the centre of inpatient care. The redesigned CAMHS inpatient model includes: • Purposeful admissions with early review points, • A structured 7‑day therapeutic programme including evenings and weekends, • Strong links with the COAST Crisis Outreach Team, • Enhanced MDT working and safe staffing, • Trauma‑informed and autism‑aware approaches, • Focus on reducing restrictive practice and improving outcomes, • Lived experience roles embedded within the pathway The aim is to create a therapeutic environment where young people feel safe, connected and supported in their recovery. Based in Haywards Heath, West Sussex: • Under 45 minutes to London by train, • Easy access to Brighton, the Sussex coast and the South Downs, • On‑site parking available, • Opportunity to be part of a newly reopened CAMHS inpatient unit, • Comprehensive pre‑opening induction and team development programme, • Strong clinical leadership and MDT support, • High‑quality supervision and reflective practice, • Access to CAMHS‑specific training and ongoing CPD, • Career progression and leadership development opportunities, • NHS Pension Scheme and Agenda for Change benefits This is an opportunity to help build something new and meaningful from the ground up. • Compassionate and relational care, • Creativity and therapeutic engagement, • Staff wellbeing and development, • Strong multidisciplinary collaboration, • Improving inpatient experiences and outcomes for young people and families #J-18808-Ljbffr