Occupational Therapy Clinical Support Worker - Home First

Occupational Therapy Clinical Support Worker - Home First

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

Location: Heathfield Ward, Department of Psychiatry.

This post will move in 2026 to Coombe Valley Hospital in Bexhill, a new purpose-built site.

Role: Band 3 Occupational Therapy Clinical Support Worker

Are you ready to make a meaningful difference in mental health care and kickstart your career? Do you aspire to help individuals live their lives to the fullest within their communities? Join our award-winning Home First team at the Department of Psychiatry as a Band 3 Occupational Therapy Clinical Support Worker. This role is crucial in implementing our Home First intervention on Heathfield Ward, focusing on later life care.

Main duties of the job

About the Role

Under the supervision and guidance of the Home First Occupational Therapist, you will be integral to our innovative, therapy-led scheme. Your work will focus on:

• Preventing Loss of Skills and Confidence: Helping patients return safely to their homes as soon as possible.
• Supporting Transitions: Assisting patients and their families/carers during the transition from hospital to home.
• Promoting Recovery: Encouraging continued recovery within the community.

Key Responsibilities

• Patient-Focused Care: Provide individualized support and interventions to enable patients to leave the hospital and maintain their well-being at home.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the Home First OT, ward team, community teams, and third sector partners.
• Caseload Data and Evaluation: Track the Home First caseload and support the collection and use of outcome measures and evaluation data.
• Support and Development: Engage in professional supervision and a range of training and CPD opportunities, including pathways for AHP and mental health careers.

About us

Why Join Us?

• Career Development: Be a part of developing and evaluating this new role, with excellent support and supervision.
• Professional Growth: Benefit from comprehensive supervision to enhance your skills as a clinician.
• Team Environment: Collaborate with a supportive team, including OT, support workers, medical staff, nursing colleagues, psychologists, and community practitioners.
• Training and CPD: Access a robust AHP-specific training program and various CPD opportunities.

• To protect the health and safety of our staff/workers, patients, and those attending our sites, we encourage our workforce to get fully vaccinated against COVID.

Job responsibilities

Requirements

• Skills and Experience: Excellent communication skills, effective time and caseload management, and a commitment to person-centered care.
• Qualifications: Previous experience in mental health is advantageous, but we prioritize passion for making a difference and improving lives.
• Driving: Ideally, you should be a car driver, as the role involves home visits across East Sussex as part of the Home First outreach work.

Join us at the Department of Psychiatry and lead the way in helping people regain their independence and live fulfilling lives in their communities. Apply today to become a vital part of our Home First team!

Please note this post will move to Coombe Valley Hospital, the newly built Mental Health unit in Bexhill in early 2026.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A recognised qualification in an area related to the workplace or equivalent technical/life skills
• Evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning
• Health care or relevant NVQ level 3 or equivalent skills

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people with mental health needs in a paid or voluntary capacity
• Experience running groups/activities
• Experience working as part of a team
• Experience of being supervised

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Heathfield Ward, Department of Psychiatry

Kings Drive

Eastbourne, East Sussex

BN21 2UD

Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/

Professional Lead Occupational Therapist

Heathfield Ward, Department of Psychiatry