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NHS Scotland
Occupational Therapist
Kilmarnock On-site 0-2 yrs exp Hospitals and Health Care 7,405 employees
Occupational TherapyCommunication SkillsInterpersonal SkillsAssessmentPlanning
Requirements
A Diploma, BSc or MSc in Occupational Therapy is required, along with Health and Care Professions Council Registration. Varied clinical experience in relevant specialties is preferred, with a focus on addictions and mental health.
Job Description
NHS Scotland
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.
Who We Are
NHS Ayrshire and Arran are one of 14 territorial NHS Boards within NHS Scotland.
In support of our core purpose of Working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran, we are committed to a culture that is Caring, Safe, and Respectful. You will be required to work collaboratively in a safe, caring and respectful way.
To find out more about NHS Ayrshire and Arran please visit our website -
Position
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Occupational Therapist based at University Hospital Crosshouse. This post is offered on a permanent basis.
Hours
36 hours per week Monday-Friday
From 1 April 2026, the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will be reduced. Full-time hours will reduce from 37 to 36 hours (pro rata for part-time staff) without loss of earnings.
UK Driving Licence
A UK driving licence is essential for this role.
What You Will Do
You will work within the Occupational Therapy Team under direction of the Band 6 Occupational Therapist. You will be based in the community covering East Ayrshire, ensuring the provision of quality services to support clients with a range of alcohol and drug complexities. This will include physical and mental health related issues and functional difficulties. You will work in partnership with colleagues, as part of the multi-disciplinary team and wider Occupational Therapy service. You will manage a caseload, using evidence-based principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions to promote recovery. You will be passionate in empowering service users to achieve their goals and to remain as independent and active as possible. Participation in service improvement is expected and encouraged. Your role will involve interactions with service users, the multi-disciplinary team and the local recovery network. It is therefore essential that you possess effective communication skills, which will include presentation skills, written reporting skills and interpersonal skills. You will also be required to develop effective networks with colleagues across health, local authority and partner agencies. You will be joining a team who are enthusiastic and committed to delivering compassionate, person centred, strengths based and innovative recovery focussed care. We also provide supervision and robust training opportunities for this clinical setting. New graduates must complete The NHS Flying Start programme within first year of graduating. Registration must be achieved within 6 months.
For further information on the role please click the link below to view the job description.
Knowledge, Training And/or Experience Required For This Post
If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact Fiona Gowing, Band 6 Occupational Therapist at Fiona.Gowing@aapct.scot.nhs.uk, or alternatively on 01563 574237 or Fiona Mason, Occupational Therapy Team Lead, phone 01563 578592 or email fiona.mason@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
Right to Work / Certificates of Sponsorship
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 within the attached Candidate Information Pack.
It is essential that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored before submitting your application form.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran may be able to offer visa sponsorship for certain roles, provided the post meets the minimum salary threshold and any other required criteria. When considering if a post meets the salary threshold for sponsorship, please note the salary advertised is based on a full-time contract and must be pro-rated for part-time positions. Sponsorship is not guaranteed and is assessed on a case-by-case basis following interview and at the commencement of pre-employment checks.
Please visit for further information.
We are unable to provide sponsorship for Band 2 posts or bank contracts.
Additional Information For Candidates
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.
Who We Are
NHS Ayrshire and Arran are one of 14 territorial NHS Boards within NHS Scotland.
In support of our core purpose of Working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran, we are committed to a culture that is Caring, Safe, and Respectful. You will be required to work collaboratively in a safe, caring and respectful way.
To find out more about NHS Ayrshire and Arran please visit our website -
Position
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Occupational Therapist based at University Hospital Crosshouse. This post is offered on a permanent basis.
Hours
36 hours per week Monday-Friday
From 1 April 2026, the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will be reduced. Full-time hours will reduce from 37 to 36 hours (pro rata for part-time staff) without loss of earnings.
UK Driving Licence
A UK driving licence is essential for this role.
What You Will Do
You will work within the Occupational Therapy Team under direction of the Band 6 Occupational Therapist. You will be based in the community covering East Ayrshire, ensuring the provision of quality services to support clients with a range of alcohol and drug complexities. This will include physical and mental health related issues and functional difficulties. You will work in partnership with colleagues, as part of the multi-disciplinary team and wider Occupational Therapy service. You will manage a caseload, using evidence-based principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions to promote recovery. You will be passionate in empowering service users to achieve their goals and to remain as independent and active as possible. Participation in service improvement is expected and encouraged. Your role will involve interactions with service users, the multi-disciplinary team and the local recovery network. It is therefore essential that you possess effective communication skills, which will include presentation skills, written reporting skills and interpersonal skills. You will also be required to develop effective networks with colleagues across health, local authority and partner agencies. You will be joining a team who are enthusiastic and committed to delivering compassionate, person centred, strengths based and innovative recovery focussed care. We also provide supervision and robust training opportunities for this clinical setting. New graduates must complete The NHS Flying Start programme within first year of graduating. Registration must be achieved within 6 months.
For further information on the role please click the link below to view the job description.
Knowledge, Training And/or Experience Required For This Post
- A Diploma, BSc or MSc in Occupational Therapy (or registration pending)
- Health and Care Professions Council Registration (existing or pending)
- Requires demonstrating a sound understanding of Occupational Therapy, through CPD and evidence of knowledge and experience.
- Must have varied clinical experience of working in a relevant speciality, experience within Addictions, Recovery or Mental Health is desirable however not essential. Evidence of sound clinical knowledge and skills.
- Must have an understanding of the current agendas influencing Addictions services and client recovery journeys.
- Excellent communication and rapport building skills particularly with service users and colleagues.
- Committed to personal development with evidence of self-directed learning, Addiction specific training will be offered.
- Mandatory and Statutory training (MAST) and role specific MAST is required in post.
If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact Fiona Gowing, Band 6 Occupational Therapist at Fiona.Gowing@aapct.scot.nhs.uk, or alternatively on 01563 574237 or Fiona Mason, Occupational Therapy Team Lead, phone 01563 578592 or email fiona.mason@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
Right to Work / Certificates of Sponsorship
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 within the attached Candidate Information Pack.
It is essential that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored before submitting your application form.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran may be able to offer visa sponsorship for certain roles, provided the post meets the minimum salary threshold and any other required criteria. When considering if a post meets the salary threshold for sponsorship, please note the salary advertised is based on a full-time contract and must be pro-rated for part-time positions. Sponsorship is not guaranteed and is assessed on a case-by-case basis following interview and at the commencement of pre-employment checks.
Please visit for further information.
We are unable to provide sponsorship for Band 2 posts or bank contracts.
Additional Information For Candidates
- You should apply for this post by completing the application process on NHS Jobs Scotland.
- DO NOT upload a CV as this will not be used for shortlisting purposes.
- Posts close at midnight on the indicated date. Late applications will not be accepted.
- For help to complete an application on NHS Jobs Scotland, please follow this link:
- To view our accessibility statement, please follow this link:
- Please note that our correspondence method is by email, therefore please ensure you enter your email address accurately.
- Please check your email regularly (including junk folders) and your NHS Jobs Scotland account for updates.
- Please contact JobTrain Candidate Support Hub: - for advice and support with any system issues.
- We recommend using the Internet Browser “Google Chrome” or “Microsoft Edge” when using JobTrain.
- Once you have submitted your application form you will be unable to make any amendments.
- Some of our vacancies are for internal candidates only. If you are a staff member, please ensure you update your NHS Jobs Scotland account profile to reflect that you are employed by NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
- Please note, for all vacancies where a driving licence is required this must be a full UK/EU/EEA licence.
Education
Bachelor Degree
Skills
Occupational TherapyCommunication SkillsInterpersonal SkillsAssessmentPlanningImplementationEvaluationService ImprovementTeam CollaborationClient RecoveryEvidence-Based PrinciplesClinical KnowledgeSelf-Directed LearningAddiction TrainingNetworkingReport Writing