Band 6 Community Occupational Therapist — North London NHS Foundation Trust, Tottenham Full Time

If you are an Occupational Therapist looking for a role that goes beyond routine community work, this position with the North London NHS Foundation Trust deserves a close look. Based at St Ann’s Hospital in Tottenham, this Band 6 role sits within a specialist Eating Disorder Day Programme — a tight-knit team doing complex, high-impact clinical work with a diverse patient population. The trust is actively welcoming applications from candidates who require Skilled Worker visa sponsorship, which makes this a genuine opportunity for international OTs who meet the professional registration requirements.

Quick Job Overview

About the Employer

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) was created on 1 November 2024, bringing together services under a unified trust serving residents across North Central London. The trust’s five-year strategy centres on providing consistently high-quality care closer to home, ensuring equity of outcome for all communities, creating supportive working environments for staff, and pioneering research and quality improvement. NLFT promotes flexible working, offers NHS Discounts, a generous annual leave allowance, and the NHS pension scheme. They also have strong internal staff network support groups. For any OT considering a move to the UK, working within an NHS trust that has a clear strategy for staff development and wellbeing matters — it signals that the organisation takes retention seriously.

What This Role Involves

This is not a generic community OT position. You will be working at the heart of a specialist Eating Disorder Day Programme in North London, delivering intensive, recovery-focused treatment to patients with eating disorders. Your day-to-day work includes running therapeutic groups (including community-based groups like Social Snack and Shop and Cook), providing individual interventions, monitoring physical health, conducting blood result interpretation, and providing self-harm management. You will work with patients across the complexity spectrum, including those with severe physical compromise and autistic people, adapting therapeutic approaches to meet diverse communication and sensory needs.

You will carry your own caseload, carry out a range of standardised and non-standardised assessments (such as MOHOST), and plan Occupational Therapy treatment programmes in consultation with the multi-disciplinary team. The role also involves deputising for the Day Programme Manager in their absence, supervising junior staff and students, and providing operational support including patient escort duties and supervision during activities. This operational element is critical — it enables the Day Programme Manager to attend meetings, training, and complete managerial responsibilities, and it gives you direct exposure to service leadership.

Required Skills and Qualifications

The essential requirements are straightforward: you need a diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy and current HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist. You must have post-qualification experience in mental health, including some experience working with adults. The trust expects you to be able to establish your own professional role within a multidisciplinary team, manage a caseload independently, and utilise a range of assessments applied to individuals, carers, families, and groups. Knowledge of occupational therapy models of practice and their application to mental health is essential, as is an understanding of mental health conditions including developmental disorders, neurological disorders, personality disorders, mood disorders, and psychosis.

On the skills side, excellent written and oral communication is a must — both in individual and group situations. You should be well-organised, computer-literate, and comfortable working autonomously as well as within a team. Experience supervising students or staff is desirable but not essential.

Salary, Benefits, and Relocation Support

The salary for this Band 6 role is £45,953 to £54,254 per annum, inclusive of Outer London High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS). This is the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale for Band 6, which means your pay progresses through increments based on service. In addition to the base salary, you receive NHS pension scheme membership, generous annual leave (27 days rising to 33 days with service, plus bank holidays), and access to NHS Discounts. The trust also offers an onsite canteen with discount and promotes flexible working. Relocation support is not specified by the employer.

Work Permit / Visa Note

This is an important point for international applicants: the trust explicitly states that “Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.” This means the trust holds a Certificate of Sponsorship and is willing to support your visa application if you are the right candidate. However, you must have current UK professional registration with the HCPC before you can take up the post. The trust also notes that from 6 April 2017, Skilled Worker visa applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years — and this requirement extends to adult dependants over 18.

Who This Role May Suit

This role is a strong fit for an Occupational Therapist with mental health experience who wants to specialise further in eating disorders — a clinical area where OTs make a real, tangible difference. It suits someone who thrives in a specialist environment rather than a generalist community role, and who is comfortable with the intensity of working with patients who have complex physical and psychological needs. If you are an international OT with HCPC registration (or are in the process of obtaining it) and want a trust that actively welcomes visa-sponsored applicants, this is worth serious consideration. The role also offers genuine development potential, with the trust explicitly mentioning development for both Band 5 and Band 6 candidates, so it could work for someone ready to step up from a Band 5 position.

How to Apply Officially

Apply only through the official NHS Jobs portal: https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9455-26-0288

The closing date is 1 June 2026. Before submitting your application, ensure you have the correct right to work in the UK or are eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship. The trust advises checking the UK Government’s guidance on Skilled Worker visa eligibility for healthcare roles.

Required Documents

Based on the job listing, you will likely need:

• HCPC registration certificate or proof of pending registration
• Proof of identity and right to work (or eligibility for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship)
• Degree or diploma certificate in Occupational Therapy
• Criminal record certificate(s) if applying from outside the UK (for visa purposes)
• Professional references covering your mental health experience

FAQs

Do I need HCPC registration to apply?

Yes. The job listing states that applicants must have current UK professional registration. You need HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist before you can take up this post. If you are an international applicant, you should begin the HCPC registration process well in advance — it can take several months.

Is visa sponsorship definitely available for this role?

The trust explicitly states that applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome. This is a clear confirmation that sponsorship is available, though it will be considered alongside all other applications in line with normal recruitment processes.

What is the Inner vs Outer London HCAS difference?

This role includes the Outer London High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS), which is why the salary range starts at £45,953 rather than the national Band 6 minimum. Inner London roles attract a higher HCAS, but this position is based in Tottenham, which falls under the Outer London supplement.

Can Band 5 OTs apply?

The trust mentions development for both Band 5 and Band 6 candidates in the job summary, which suggests they are open to applicants who may not yet be working at Band 6 level but have the potential to develop. If you are a Band 5 OT with relevant mental health experience, it is worth applying and making the case for your development potential.

What does working in an Eating Disorder Day Programme actually involve day to day?

Expect a mix of running therapeutic groups (both in the hospital and community settings like cookery groups and social activities), conducting individual assessments and interventions, monitoring patients’ physical health, interpreting blood results, and managing self-harm protocols. You will also deputise for the Day Programme Manager and supervise junior staff. It is demanding but highly rewarding clinical work.

Relevant Links

• How to Find Visa Sponsorship Jobs in the UK — Complete Guide
• Highest Paying Jobs in the UK — Complete Salary Guide
• Questions to Ask Employer in Interview 2026 — 20 Smart Questions for International Jobs
• Paediatric Nurse Visa Sponsorship UK — Band 5 NHS Job, Bury

Disclaimer

JobsRivo is an independent job listing portal and is not the employer. Applicants should apply only through the official employer website. JobsRivo does not charge fees, process visas, or guarantee job offers.