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Opportunities for therapists
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists are based in a spectrum of clinical areas across the five boroughs assessing and enabling clients to address their health and wellbeing needs. Additionally they make valuable contributions to the Trust’s specialist services, such as the National Deaf Service, Regional Forensic Service and Eating Disorders Service.
Our service values its newly qualified staff and was at the forefront of the development of a Preceptorship Programme, which aims to ease the transition from student to practitioner. The Trust offers a Band 5 mixed mental health/physical rotation scheme in partnership with Kingston Primary Care Trust.
Our strong commitment to continuing professional development and our status as an Early Implementer for the Knowledge and Skills Framework has enabled our service to develop a fully integrated policy and portfolio for all our staff. Support for practice development is clearly defined and this has allowed our service to be actively involved in several innovative projects e.g. integration of MOHO asessment tools into the Trust's electronic case records to facilitate audit and outcome measurement. We have strong partnerships with local universities offering student placements and working collaboratively on research activities to build the evidence base for occupational therapy.
Guide for students of occupational therapy (log-in required)
Speech and Language Therapy
The Trust employs three highly specialised speech and language therapists on a hospital team in the child and adolescent mental health service, on the Child Learning Disability Mental Health Team and in the Adult Deaf Mental Health Service.
Physical therapies
The physical therapies service provides a range of physical interventions, for example physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage therapy, using specialist skills to enhance the quality of life and physical and psychological wellbeing of those using the Trust’s services.
The Trust’s physical therapies service operates an unusual model that is replicated in only a few other Trusts nationally. In 1994, in order to meet the increasing demand from clients for massage and exercise therapy interventions, it was decided to employ both exercise and massage therapists to work alongside the physiotherapy team. In 1997, the department name was changed from Physiotherapy to Physical Therapies, to reflect the varied mix of skills present and to highlight the multi- professional approach to addressing the physical needs of clients using the service.
Guide for students of physical therapies (log-in required)
Exercise therapy
Five exercise therapists, based at Springfield Hospital, provide a range of physical activities such as gym sessions and ward exercise or sports groups. They are all fully qualified exercise instructors, some to Sports Science degree level. Exercise therapists adhere to American College Sports Medicine guidelines to ensure that interventions are safe and effective.
Massage therapy
Two part time massage therapists trained to ITEC or degree level, are based at Springfield Hospital. There are no nationally agreed standards for massage therapists working in mental health, but guidelines on competencies set by the Skills for Health frameworks are followed.
Physiotherapy
There are six physiotherapists based at Springfield Hospital, Tolworth Hospital, Barnes Hospital and at St John’s Hospital in Twickenham. Our physiotherapy practice is firmly based on the application of core physiotherapy skills, while taking into account the close relationship between physical and mental health.
For further details on working in our service, please speak to the head of department or the relevant team leader. Their details are listed below.
Di Everett
Head of Physical Therapies
Springfield University Hospital
Tel : 0208 682 6589
Ceris Fender-Reid
Massage Therapy Team Leader
Springfield Hospital
Tel : 0208 682 6474
Barbara Moran
Exercise Therapy Team Leader
Springfield Hospital
Tel: 0208 682 6216
Josephine Bell
Physiotherapy Clinical Specialist
Springfield Hospital
Tel: 0208 682 5873
Vacancies
For up-to-date information on job opportunities, please see our current vacancies (on the NHS Jobs website).
