Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
We are looking for 2 experienced and motivated Occupational Therapists to join our Forensic Community Mental Health Teams as a Band 7 Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist. This is an exciting new role and a real opportunity to shape, innovate and develop the OT offer within community forensic pathways, supporting people with complex mental health needs and a history of offending to move safely towards greater independence, meaningful occupation and community integration.
The post provides specialist OT input across two borough-based forensic community teams covering Lambeth and Southwark, & Croydon and Lewisham. You will work autonomously within supportive multidisciplinary teams and alongside specialist community services, including Support Plus, the Forensic Intellectual and the Neurodevelopmental Disabilities team, offering expert occupational formulation, assessment and intervention while contributing to safe step-down planning, community rehabilitation and recovery-focused care.
This Clinical Specialist role provides advanced Occupational Therapy input within forensic community services, delivering specialist assessment and intervention to support individuals with complex mental health needs and a history of offending. The postholder will work autonomously across the forensic pathway and within their designated boroughs, contributing expert occupational formulation and promoting safe, meaningful community integration.
The postholder will develop a strong working alliance with Occupational Therapy colleagues working across the community forensic pathway, including the parallel Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist post and Occupational Therapists within Support Plus and FIND. Although each role has a distinct service and client group remit, the postholders will work collaboratively as a community forensic OT network, sharing specialist knowledge and expertise, promoting continuity and consistency of Occupational Therapy practice, and identifying opportunities for joint working, peer support and service development across the pathway.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust offers a unique opportunity to work within one of the UK’s leading mental health organisations, with access to professional development, specialist supervision, learning opportunities and a strong occupational therapy network. You will be joining services that value collaboration, professional leadership and innovation, with the chance to help shape a new role that strengthens the contribution of occupational therapy across community forensic pathways.
You will be part of a wider forensic Occupational Therapy network, with close links to inpatient OT colleagues across River House, A2, ARP and Waddon ward, and opportunities to develop specialist skills in community forensic practice, occupational formulation, Sensory Integration-informed approaches, remotivation, regulation-focused work and least restrictive care planning.
If you are an experienced Occupational Therapist looking for a specialist role where you can make a real difference to people’s lives, influence community forensic pathways and contribute to high-quality, recovery-focused care, we would welcome your application.
For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Tracey Lewis Job title: General Manager Community Forensic Teams Email address: tracey.lewis@slam.nhs.uk
Please add another contact name-details below;
Sarah Cook
Joint Professional Head of Occupational Therapy for Forensic services, BDP
