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Home · Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust · Occupational Therapy Assistant

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a permanent Band 3 Occupational Therapy Assistant to work within our innovative and expanding Occupational Therapy Team at Ashworth Hospital, Maghull Health Park.

We are looking for an Occupational Therapy Assistant who can demonstrate compassion and empathy to our patients with a drive to improve the quality of care services within a high secure, forensic environment as part of Mersey Care's Secure Care Division.

This role will support an innovative new clinical offer within the Occupational Therapy service which will offer assessment and treatment to the High Secure service users.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for assisting in the delivery of meaningful activities of daily living within the Occupational Therapy service, under the direction and supervision of a qualified Occupational Therapist .You will be required to actively work as part of The Multi-Disciplinary Team. You will be expected to work in an innovative way to support the smooth running of the Occupational Therapy Service and will be required to offer individual and group activities alongside all other Occupational Therapy staff and under the indirect and direct supervision of a Qualified Occupational Therapist.

The above post will be implemented in line with The Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

Details

  • Date posted: 02 November 2026
  • Closing date: 03 November 2026
  • Pay scheme: Agenda for change
  • Band: Band 3
  • Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Working pattern: Full-time
  • Reference number: 350-SC8350925
  • Job locations: Ashworth Hospital - High Secure, Maghull Health Park, Parkbourn, Liverpool, Merseyside, L31 1HW, United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

To work effectively as a member of a team in providing a programme of therapeutic activities and interventions as directed by the occupational therapist

To actively engage service users in therapeutic activities to promote independence and well-being within hospital and community environments.

You will be required to facilitate 1:1 and group sessions under the Occupational Therapy and Life Rooms model with an Ayres Sensory Integration focus.

Support service users to attend and participate in sessions that promote recovery through attendance at Occupational Therapy and Life Rooms courses.

To provide an update and overview of service users participation, engagement level and skills following sessions.

To form professional relationships with service users, and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.

To maintain a high degree of confidentiality.

Please refer to attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

Person Specification

Skills

Essential
  • Clear effective written and verbal communication and excellent interpersonal skills
  • Excellent observation skill and able to relay key information to others
  • Basic IT skills
  • Ability to independently perform delegated tasks within competence to the required standard
  • Ability to be an effective role model
  • Numeracy and Literacy skills; ability to keep accurate service user and department records to the required standard
  • Able to carry out physical intervention and breakaway effectively following training
  • Commitment to work with service users with Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
  • Use Display Screen Equipment in work environment
  • Able to work within inpatient environments
  • Actively participate in own supervision
  • Sound values and positive attitude towards people with mental health, learning and associated disabilities and complex needs
  • Interested in working creatively to assist in the planning and delivery of a person-centred Occupational Therapy service
  • Required to complete skills and interest's questionnaire at the time of recruitment
  • Motivated to build on existing skills and knowledge as part of the CPD process
Desirable
  • Ability to reflect objectively and critically appraise own performance
  • Skills and knowledge in a particular interest that could benefit Service Users
  • Involvement in person centred planning and working
  • An understanding of the role of advocacy
  • Ability & willingness to travel across The Trust footprint.

Experience

Essential
  • Ability to plan and deliver activities
  • Able to recognise level of own competence, boundaries of role, scope for personal and service development and improvement
  • Able to work on own initiative as part of a supportive multi disciplinary team under directive supervision
  • Ability to think creatively and assist in the planning of individual and group activity sessions for service users
  • Ability to effectively organise own time, be reliable and punctual and prioritise workload
  • Able to observe health and safety protocol
  • Ability to problem solve within defined context
  • Able to observe conflict situations in a positive and calm manner and follow policy and procedure related to the management of aggression
  • Be a positive ambassador for the service
  • An ability to work with warmth and empathy in an empowering and non judgmental way
Desirable
  • Experience of working with Adults with Learning Disabilities/Mental Health
  • Experience working within inpatient services
  • Experience of supporting Therapeutic activities for individual groups of service users
  • Familiar with Electronic patient records
  • Experience of the Model Of Human Occupation (Kielhofner)
  • Experience of teaching others

Qualifications

Essential
  • Qualification Credit Framework Diploma level 2 in Health & Social Care or a commitment to achieve this.
  • Qualifications in: (or a commitment to undertake and complete training within first year of appointment) to include first aid, aggression management training, other training opportunities relevant to clinical area, following agreed action plan set at appraisal

Knowledge

Desirable
  • Knowledge of the Occupational Therapy Process
  • Knowledge of The Model of Human Occupation (Kielhofner)

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.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Employer details

  • Employer name: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • Address: Ashworth Hospital - High Secure, Maghull Health Park, Parkbourn, Liverpool, Merseyside, L31 1HW, United Kingdom
  • Employer's website: https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/