We are seeking to recruit a passionate, knowledgeable and dynamic Principal Occupational Therapist (OT) as the professional and clinical lead for Occupational Therapy across CAMHS. This is a senior leadership role within our well‑established and innovative Sussex CAMHS, providing strategic direction, clinical expertise, and professional governance for OT practice across CAMHS, including crisis & acute care services.
The post also includes clinical contribution within Brighton & Hove CAMHS, as well as shape, champion and embed OT practice across CAMHS, ensuring it is visible, valued and integral to the delivery of compassionate, effective mental health care for children and young people (CYP).
You will play a key role in shaping service development, influencing multidisciplinary practice, and embedding occupational perspectives into assessment, care planning, risk management and crisis intervention for CYP with complex mental health needs. The role also contributes to policy development, workforce planning, quality improvement initiatives and service transformation across CAMHS.
You will be part of a supportive and highly skilled MDT, committed to delivering high‑quality, responsive services in partnership with families and carers, education, social care and wider CYP services. Core aspects of the role include complex clinical assessment, consultation, clinical leadership, supporting staff to work confidently and collaboratively with risk, families and the wider prof. network.
The post holder will provide professional and clinical leadership for Occupational Therapy across CAMHS Sussex, with responsibility for coordinating and developing the Occupational Therapy service. This includes professional management, leadership and supervision of the Occupational Therapy workforce, and ensuring services are high‑quality, effective and compliant with professional, national and local standards.
The post holder will play a key role in professional governance, contributing to the development, implementation and monitoring of the governance agenda, and ensuring a strong Occupational Therapy contribution to quality clinical care, service performance and continuous improvement across CAMHS.
In addition to leadership responsibilities, the role incorporates a clinical component, involving complex assessment and intervention with children and young people, consultation and support to families and carers, and specialist advice and consultation to multidisciplinary and multi‑agency teams. This clinical contribution ensures the Principal Occupational Therapist maintains direct involvement in service delivery, supports best practice, and informs strategic and professional leadership across CAMHS.
SPFT provides mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex.
This is an excellent time for Occupational Therapists to be joining SPFT as the CAMHS services are going through an exciting transformation underpinned by the THRIVE model and there is a robust AHP workforce and strategy and can offer the following to you:
- Regular professional supervision
- The opportunity to participate in a range of quality improvement work and service innovations.
- Access to a wide range of training and CPD opportunities including
o A programme of AHP specific training
o Quarterly Occupational Therapy CPD Hubs
o Communities of Practice (AMPS, Sensory Strategies, Recovery through activity)
For more information around being an AHP within SPFT please visit Allied Health Professions :: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
We’d love you to join our organisation that is rated ‘good’ overall and ‘outstanding’ for caring by the Care Quality Commission. Our staff agree, with 82% of people in our recent staff survey telling us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.
Other staff survey results include:
- 70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work
- 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work within their team
- 77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their role
Please see the attached job description for full details and additional information to the main duties above.
