Occupational Therapy Assistant
At a glance
- Band
- Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Pattern
- Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
- Posted
- 09/09/2026
- Closes
- 16/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This Occupational Therapy Assistant role supports community mental health service users in Bexley. Working under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist, the postholder will help service users engage in meaningful activities through group and one-to-one interventions. The role focuses on social inclusion, promoting access to community resources, and building social networks to aid recovery and independence. It involves implementing treatment plans and contributing to assessments.
Essential criteria
- NVQ 3 qualification or equivalent training + experience
- At least 2 years experience of working with people in a caring setting/role
Desirable criteria
- Experience of running groups
- Skills/Abilities/Knowlege
- Good Communication skills
- Experience of working in a team
- Expression of interest in working within Occupational Therapy
- Good observation skills
- Group work skills
- Ability to work independently with supervision
- Training & Qualification
- NVQ 3 qualification or equivalent training + experience
- At least 2 years experience of working with people in a caring setting/role
- Experience of running groups
- Skills/Abilities/Knowlege
- Good Communication skills
- Experience of working in a team
- Expression of interest in working within Occupational Therapy
- Good observation skills
- Group work skills
- Ability to work independently with supervision
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 3 at £24,625 – £25,674 a year, across England.
This advert: £30,630 – £32,346 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 1d ago · Closes in 7d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Occupational Therapy Assistant
The closing date is 16 September 2026
Job summary
Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.
The postholder will contribute to the provision of occupational therapy services within Bexley, for community mental health service users, working alongside the Occupational Therapist's (OT) within all community mental health teams to enable service users to reach their recovery potential, this role will specifically focus on supporting clients to engage in meaningful activities via group and one to one intervention, also including social inclusion. Promoting access to community resources and building social networks.
Main duties of the job
Under the supervision of a registered Occupational Therapist (OT) the postholder will:
- Work as part of the Community Mental Health OT team
- Use technical, creative, sports and psychosocial skills to deliver occupational therapy intervention. This will be service user centred that will include groups and individual sessions to service users who experience mental health difficulties.
- Focus on social inclusion and skills development.
- Work autonomously under the guidance of community Mental Health Occupational therapists to implement treatment for service users with mental health issu
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