Visa sponsorshipHome Office sponsor register · Skilled Worker route
This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.
Salary for this role£45,953 – £54,254 a year
Health and Care route minimum£25,000 a year
Pay basisNational pay scales (NHS bands)
This occupation falls under the Health and Care Worker route. Salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement.
Closest occupation match: SOC 2222, Occupational therapists. Pay for this occupation is set by national pay scales (NHS bands), so no single Home Office going rate applies.
Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.
Role description
Job summary
Make a Difference with CNWL Health & Justice
CNWL is aTop Employer Award Winner, delivering high-quality healthcare to diverse communities across London and beyond. We are looking for a motivated and compassionateOccupational Therapist to join our supportive Health & Justice team across the Surrey Prisons Cluster.
This is a unique opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of people in secure settings, helping to improve health outcomes, promote wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. Working within our prison healthcare service, you will be part of a forward-thinking multidisciplinary team providing high-quality care across a 7-day service.
Guided by our motto,"Caring, Not Judging,"we work alongside the criminal justice system and partner agencies to deliver responsive, person-centred primary care and mental health services that support recovery,rehabilitationand social inclusion.
Join an award-winning team where your skills, compassion andexpertisecan have a lasting impact.
Find out whatit'slike to work with us:Hear from our Health & Justice staff
Main duties of the job
The Occupational Therapist (OT) will oversee the development and implementation of occupational therapy within the mental health serviceswithin their location(s) of work. They will be supported by a Band 7 OT who will be overseeing the growth of OTservicesin our Surrey prisons.
They will manage a caseload ofpatientsin prison with complex, severe and enduring mental health needs, providing interventions which support and promote improved health. The caseload will be OT specific work, utilising an effective referral process. They will also provide input into the Neurodiverse pathway of care.
The post holder will work in conjunction with the multi-disciplined team to promote the understanding of the OT perspective and its application to working with this client group.
The post holder will workalongsidesenior staff in the MDT to support the development of services. They will also support directorate wide development of OT as part of a supportive and friendly Health and Justice OT network.
The post holder will provide an Occupational Therapy perspective whilst engaging and contributing to professional meetings such as CPA, multi-agency case reviews, risk management meetings, and any other meetings related to the care and treatment of the prisoners in our care.
The post holder will also act as an educator to students on practice placement, as part of the AHP fair share agreement.
About us
Why Join Our Team?
At CNWL, we are committed to supporting your wellbeing,development and career progression. You'llbenefitfromregular supervision,personalised development plans,specialist training opportunities,preceptorshipprogrammesandrevalidation support,helping you achieve your professional goals.
We value and celebrate our staff through initiatives such as ourHidden Gem Awardsand annual staff recognition events.You'llalso have access to a wide range of health and wellbeing services, ensuring you feel supported both at work and beyond.
ThroughMyTrustBenefits, you and your family can access over 1,400 discounts on shopping, travel, entertainment and dining, alongside free online learning resources to support your personal and professional development.
Staff based at our Surrey sites enjoyadditionalbenefits, includingfree onsite parkingandcomplimentary access to leisure facilities, making it easier to stay active, prioritise wellbeing and save money.
Join an award-winning organisation whereyou'llfeel valued, supported and empowered to make a real difference every day.
Details
Date posted
24 September 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 6
Salary
£45,953 to £54,254 a year
per annum inc. HCAS (pro rata if P/T)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
333-D-HJ-2072-A
Job locations
HMP Downview
Surrey
SM2 5PJ
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
To providespecialist OT clinical knowledge in theassessment,treatment & evaluation of people within prison. Applying anunderstanding of the effects of multiple,enduring & complex mental health needs onoccupational performance.
To carry out mental health & risk assessment, for a caseload of service users & offer regular monitoring of mental state.
To work autonomously providing clinical professional judgement in clinical cases & referring to team members when necessary.
To contribute in the development of specialist individual & group programmes, supporting service users in achieving valued goals & satisfactory occupational performance outcome. Providing advice & support on lifestyle changes &d adaptations where necessary.
To select & use validated, evidence based standardised assessment tools (Occupational Therapy assessment, screening tools, sensory profiles etc) routinely &, exhibit, advanced clinical reasoning skills.
To monitor & evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions & the agreed mental health interventions against clear aims.
To facilitate smooth transitions for service users between prisons & different service settings (i.e. prison to community). Establishing links & working in collaboration with partner agencies in order to contribute & manage aspects of an individuals care plan.
To support service users & colleagues in ensuring care plans are developed in partnership with service users & that they reflect personal recovery goals. These should be strengths-based & oriented towards reinforcing a positive identity and developing valued social roles.
To provide carewhich is culturallyappropriate & sensitive,demonstrates trauma awareness & recognises the needs of the individual with regards to accessibility
To proactively undertake & ensure rigorous risk assessment & risk management strategies are applied. To ensure maximum risk tolerance facilitates the individuals recovery, in line with risk policies & local guidelines.
To be aware of & sensitive to safeguarding needs at all times, & knowledgeable both about potential indicators of abuse or neglect & about what to do if they had concerns about apersons welfare.
To facilitate the development of, & to work within, clinical pathways & protocols with particular reference to the CNWL Occupational Therapy care pathways & the Health and Justice OT pathway.
To be aware of medication issues in line with the CNWL OT Medication Management guidelines
To provide specialist OT input into the Neurodiverse pathway, working alongside CNWL colleagues & HMPPS Neurodiverse Service Manager for each site.
Communication
Todemonstrate excellent communication skills with service users, forming positive therapeutic relationships, using warmth & empathy, enabling service user empowerment.
To develop & maintaineffective professional communication structures withother professionals & agencies in order to ensure a comprehensive & consistent approach to client care.
To provide & receive highly complex, sensitive, condition related or distressing/unwelcome information to service users and carersdemonstratingempathy and reassurance.
To ensure careful & efficient forms of communication skills when assessing & managing risk procedures within & beyond the prison service, inlinewith confidentiality agreements.
To demonstrateskills and resourcefulness in communication when barriers to understanding are present.
To promote the role of OT within services;representingan OT clinical perspective in all clinical meetings
To participatein OT, multi-disciplinary, clinical and business meetings
To ensure timely response to emails & requests for information.
To work in close co-operation with OT colleagues within the Trust contributing to relevant OT business/training meetings, both locally & trust-wide.
To provide feedback, to OT & MDT colleagues, from specialist interest groups & committees.
Documentation
To ensure that up to date,accurate,concise & informative records are written & maintained in the service users notes, on Prison & health care systems (CNOMIS and System One).
To attend & actively participatein relevant meetings,conferences & events, relating topatients health & care programmes.
To maintainaccurate supervision records (junior staff & students) as defined in the Trust OT Guidelines, including the maintenance of a supervision record log.
ManagementAndLeadership
To provide input into the recruitment of staff whereappropriate.
To contribute to the writing of local protocols with regard tospecialist OT knowledge.
To participate in OT & department specific training packages to promote awareness & understanding of health wellbeing within a prison population.
Personal and Professional Development
To keep abreast of changing clinical practice, new developments,evidence based practice & research
To contribute to activities, which continue to build on a culture of shared learning & evidence basedpractice
To undertake activities of Continuous Professional Development including identifying own learning needs & recording learning outcomes in a portfolio.
To assume personal responsibility for maintaininga working knowledge of new statutory guidelines that influence clinical practice.
To maintain a professional knowledge base & act as a resource to others regardingspecialist areas of expertise i.e. occupational therapy, perinatal mental health conditions, parent infant interaction, child development, parenting skills assessment, health promotion,recovery & social inclusion.
Supervision and Appraisal
To review & reflect on own practice & performance; & that of others, through effective use of supervision, reflective practice, operational management supervision, CPD & appraisal
To participatein the Trusts supervision and appraisal systems in conjunction with service managers/Head Occupational Therapist, ensuring that relevant training needs areidentifiedand met throughtimelyaccess/delivery.
To ensure a robust framework for the provision of regular and qualitative supervision and appraisal for students, junior staff, volunteers & sessional workers as required.
To offer learning and development opportunities to other professionals with regard tooccupation within perinatal mental health, and other OT specialist skills
To be an educator for OT students on practice placement, in line with local guidelines, ensuring that practice placement educators facilitateplacements for the required number of weeks as per the AHP fair share agreement.
To contribute to effective peer supervision if relevant
To ensure timelybooking and attendance of mandatory and statutory training. Failure to do this mayprecludefurther learning and development opportunities.
To contribute to multi-disciplinary training initiatives
Clinical Governance
To be knowledgeable about best practise for safeguarding, with support of supervision and the directorate Safegaurdinglead and support forums
To apply national and Trust wide guidelines/standards of practice in line with Trust and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists standards and guidelines
To work as an autonomous practitioner, assuming accountability for own clinical practice
To maintainand observe confidentiality of all information relating to service users as laid down in the confidentiality and Caldecott principles.
To ensure compliance with relevant guidelines and policies e.g. safety and risk, DOLS, care act, Mental Health Act etc.
Service Development and Delivery
To contribute, as part of the MDT to new initiatives and service development
To ensure comprehensive knowledge of the services KPIs, quality and performance initiatives; ensuringtimelyresponse and contribution of the OT Service provision.
To ensure comprehensive knowledge of the Trust Recovery agenda e.g. Recovery and Wellbeing College
To contribute to defined projects as directed by the Health and Justice Lead Occupational Therapist
To contribute to and participate, as a member of the multi-disciplinary team, to the operational design and delivery of quality improvement initiatives within the service
To autonomously maintaina working knowledge of new statutory guidelines, particularly those relating to perinatal mental health
To take an active role in seeking user, carerandstakeholdersfeedback to help shape and influence the further development of the services.
Research AndDevelopment
To participate in local & Trust-wide OT service activities that promote & contribute to the building of knowledge & evidence base for the benefit of the professional body of occupational therapy.
To include making use of the support networks available throughout the Trust e.g. Special Interest Groups, forums andsub groups; & MDT team training sessions
To undertake, participate in &disseminate research & audit activities in line with local service priorities.
To participate in & implement service activities related to clinical effectiveness via evaluation, audit, research & evidence basedpractice; ensuring active participation of the OT Team in such activities.
To take a lead, within the MDT, in promoting a culture that focuses on all service users occupational needs, recovery principles & social inclusion
Professional Ethics
To adhere to the HCPC & RCOT Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct, demonstratingprofessional competence and fitness to practice
To maintainknowledge of legislation that affects clinical practice within prison health care such as MHA Act,
Emotional Effort
To provide care for service users whomaybe comedistressed or present with challenging behaviour.
To use available resources & protected spaces to support own wellbeing.
Work Conditions
To have the ability to work within an environment that may expose individuals to verbal & physical abuse.
Person Specification
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy
HCPC registered Occupational Therapist
Desirable
Post graduate training specific to mental health
Qualifications/training in specialist skills eg. therapeutic/sensory interventions
Practice placement educators course
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Essential
Post qualification experience working in mental health services
Experience in participating in audit / research projects
Experience in developing service activities
Experience in using a range of standardised OT assessments
Experience of effective partnership working, with external providers, in promoting socially inclusive opportunities for service users.
Experience in completing Risk Assessment Tools
Desirable
Experience in prison and/or secure settings
Experience of supervising students/junior staff
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES
Essential
Ability to deal with sensitivities and complexities, using interpersonal skills
Excellent communication skills i.e. written, verbal, listening and proficient use of up to date systems of communication i.e. IT systems, e-mail, fax, telephone etc.
Knowledge of personal recovery principles and their application to service delivery
Clear concept of Occupational Therapy and models of practice
Ability to work autonomously, on own initiative and under pressure to meet deadlines; & to make and action decisions independently within agreed time frames
Ability to regularly identify and undertake appropriate learning and development opportunities as part of ongoing CPD
Ability to determine the impact of mental and physical conditions on a service user's functional ability and undertake assessment/make recommendations with regards to the provision of equipment/aids and adaptations
Desirable
Delivery of formal presentations and teaching sessions
ATTITUDES, APTITUDES PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Essential
Demonstrates a commitment to personal development
Demonstrates an enthusiasm for the post
Ability to work independently and is self motivated
OTHER
Essential
Ability to promote anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practices
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
Interested? Apply while it's open.Closes 31 October · Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust has 34 other sponsored roles if this one goes.
