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This role has a starting salary of £43,633 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week. This is a full-time position, part time applications will be considered.

We are hiring an Occupational Therapist to join our fantastic Connect to Community (C2C) West 1 Team. The team is based in Guildford, and you will be joining a team which makes a real impact, delivering meaningful outcomes quickly for the residents of Surrey Heath, Guildford, and Waverley areas. Our team has a genuinely supportive and collaborative culture, where people look out for each other, share knowledge opening, and celebrate successes together. We foster a positive, down-to-earth environment where everyone’s voice is valued and team members feel empowered to contribute and grow.

Hybrid working is encouraged, with a laptop and mobile phone provided, flexibility to manage your own diary, and opportunities to see clients in their own homes or residential settings, alongside full moving and handling training and access to an equipment store

Our Offer to You

• 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the Team

The new Connect to Community (C2C) operating model has been introduced to reshape how residents access Adult Social Care by offering timely, strengths-based and person-centred support that helps people remain independent and connected to their communities. As the first point of response for adults seeking help, C2C brings Occupational Therapists and Senior Occupational Therapists into a dynamic multidisciplinary team, working together through daily case reviews and rapid problem solving. The team leads on urgent assessments, safeguarding, risk management and short-term interventions, with direct access to services such as reablement, housing advice and technology-enabled care to put practical solutions in place quickly.

By reducing delays, avoiding unnecessary handoffs and focusing on early, preventative action, the model enables occupational therapists to apply strengths-based practice, clinical reasoning and functional assessment at the earliest stage. Streamlined access and embedded best practice will ensure residents receive consistent, high-quality support from professionals with the right skills in the right place. Working alongside Area Teams, which provide longer term support for people with complex needs, C2C creates a seamless pathway that promotes wellbeing, reduces risk and maximises independence.

This is an exciting chance for Occupational Therapists and Senior Occupational Therapists to help shape a modern, community-focused approach to Adult Social Care and play a central role in systemwide transformation.

About the Role

Using a strengths-based approach, you will work alongside adults with diverse and often complex needs, including those who are elderly and frail, have learning disabilities, physical or sensory impairments, or experience mental ill health, supporting them to live meaningful lives within the community. The occupational Therapist role involves frontline, holistic occupational therapy practice in a social care setting, completing assessments such as moving and handling risk assessments, and providing interventions ranging from short-term equipment provision to longer-term support.

We know career progression is important to our occupational therapists, so we have created a Senior Readiness Programme to support development and prepare our occupational therapists for Senior Occupational Therapist roles.

Shortlisting Criteria

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• Professional qualification in Occupational Therapy and current registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Experience of working within a social care, health or community focused multi-disciplinary setting
• Ability to complete person-centred and proportionate OT assessments
• Familiarity with moving and handling equipment such as hoists and stand aids
• Knowledge of medical conditions and the likely impact on the individual, carer and family
• Knowledge of current legislation, including the Care Act and the Mental Capacity Act and its application to practice in a social care setting

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and locality based social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey

Contact us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal conversation regarding this role, please email contact Samantha Whitehead on 01483 518815 or by email at samantha.whitehead@surreycc.gov.uk.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 26/07/2026 with interviews to follow. Applications will be reviewed and interviews held on a rolling basis so the advert may be closed early.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.