NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
We are currently advertising for the permanent post of Clinical Lead of Mental Health Occupational Therapy within the Mental Health and Addictions Directorate at Band 8a. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced Occupational Therapist who is passionate about mental health and eager to develop leadership and management skills in a dynamic and supportive environment.
The successful candidate will bring senior-level OT expertise in mental health and demonstrate compassionate, inclusive, and effective leadership. You will play a key role in shaping services that prioritise recovery, resilience, and holistic wellbeing, ensuring that care remains person-centred and evidence-based. A strong commitment to mental health advocacy, patient safety, and staff wellbeing will be at the heart of your approach.
In this role, you will lead and inspire a team to deliver high-quality mental health occupational therapy interventions that promote independence and meaningful occupation. You will support staff through supervision, mentoring, and professional development, fostering a culture of psychological safety and continuous learning. Additionally, you will drive service improvements that enhance patient experience and outcomes, with a strong focus on mental health recovery principles and trauma-informed care.
To succeed in this position, you will need excellent communication and decision-making skills, alongside confidence in managing complex clinical situations. You will work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams within the St John’s Hospital Mental Health wards and West Lothian community settings, contributing to strategic planning and decision-making. While an understanding of mental health legislation, safeguarding, and service improvement is highly desirable, it is not essential. What matters most is your passion for mental health, your ability to lead with empathy, and your commitment to empowering both patients and staff.
This is an exciting time for Occupational Therapy following a recent OT/PT review, which will shape both immediate priorities and longer-term developments.
West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our staff. We actively promote a culture of compassion, respect, and psychological safety. Staff have access to wellbeing resources, peer support networks, and flexible working arrangements where possible.
Informal enquiries welcome Bhav Joshi General Manager for Mental Health & Addictions West Lothian, Bhav.Joshi@nhs.scot and Fiona Huffer Chief AHP West Lothian H&SCP fiona.huffer@nhs.scot Telephone 07977300494
Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.
We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.
To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.
