Job Advert
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.
AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application—but your answers must be your own.
- Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
- Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
- Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.
Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you—not an AI tool.
Band 6 Specialist Occupational Therapist – Adult Acute Mental Health and OPMH admissions
We have an exciting opportunity to join our Occupational Therapy teams within the Royal Edinburgh and Associated Services (REAS), within the Adult and Older People’s Mental Health team in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
Working within well-established multidisciplinary teams, you will have opportunities to develop your skills in clinical decision-making, risk management, and prioritisation of needs. In addition, strong Occupational Therapy leadership will provide ongoing profession-specific support to enable you to deliver a high-quality and person-centred occupational therapy service.
The post holder will be involved in quality improvement and service evaluation, so a specific interest in this area would be an asset.
The successful candidate will have relevant experience working as an Occupational Therapist within mental health services, possess excellent communication and decision-making skills and have a collaborative approach to multidisciplinary working. You will be an enthusiastic team player who is able to motivate others as well as working using your own initiative. You will thrive in a busy and fast-paced environment and be a passionate advocate for the value of occupational therapy as a crucial element of the individual’s recovery journey.
The post is for 12 months and offers great development potential whether this is a change of speciality or an opportunity to work in a more senior role.
Regular clinical and professional supervision are valued and prioritised within the service and the successful candidate will be supported to take up a range of training and professional development opportunities. A passion for quality improvement and innovative practice is welcomed and is actively supported through our quality improvement team.
Informal enquiries are encouraged – please contact Ellie Frankish, AMH Occupational Therapy Team Lead, on 0131 286 9621 or email Ellie.Frankish@nhs.scot or Morna Russell, OPMH Occupational Therapy Team Lead on 0131 286 9620 or email Morna.Russell@nhs.scot
Have you seen our AHP Innovation, Research and Improvement intentions? Our exciting AHP strategy aims to cultivate AHP potential in NHS Lothian: https://weare.nhslothian.scot/hcprofessionsresearch/building-research-capacity-and-capability/allied-health-professions-research/
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.
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.
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.
Please note: As this post is part-time, the salary will be pro-rata.