Introducing Jess, our wonderful Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead at National 360!
Jess joined National 360 in June 2024 after making the exciting move from the UK to Australia. Since qualifying as an occupational therapist in 2014, Jess has built an extensive career across mental health and forensic settings, including secure hospitals, prison personality disorder services, and community mental health teams.
Jess has brought a wealth of clinical knowledge, leadership experience, and passion for supporting both clinicians and clients to National 360. Through her role as Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead, she plays an important part in driving clinical quality, supporting clinician development, and helping shape systems and processes that enable teams to deliver high-quality care.
It has been fantastic having Jess as part of the National 360 team, where she continues to share her expertise, curiosity, and commitment to positive outcomes across the business.
To find out more about Jess, we asked her some questions about her career journey, her role as Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead, what it’s like working at National 360 and more!
Read our full interview with Jess.
We would love to learn more about your journey as an Occupational Therapist. Could you share some details about your career history with us?
I qualified as an occupational therapist in the UK in 2014 and went straight into forensic learning disability services. Since then, I’ve worked exclusively within mental health and forensic settings, including secure hospitals, prison personality disorder services, and community mental health teams.
A lot of my work has involved supporting people who either meet criteria for personality disorder or have had similar life experiences – particularly people with significant trauma backgrounds. I felt an affiliation with that client group almost immediately.
I’ve always been intrigued by the grey areas in human life. I don’t tend to think about people in a very black-and-white way I think humans are complex, layered, and often two things can be true at the same time. I’m naturally a very curious person, and I think the mental health and forensic space really allows for that curiosity. It’s not always about concrete right or wrong answers in the same way some more technical areas can be.
What interested you in working in the allied health space?
Originally, I completed a degree in psychology and education. I loved learning about brain development, how people learn, and how adaptable human beings are. Humans are incredibly ingenious we adapt to almost any situation, and I’ve always found that fascinating.
At one point I considered becoming an educational psychologist, but after realising how long that pathway was, I wasn’t convinced it was the right fit for me. To be honest, I felt a little directionless for a while.
Then I had a chance conversation at a dinner party with someone who was an occupational therapist, and something just clicked. I loved the idea that OT wasn’t about “fixing” people – it was about helping people achieve their own goals and supporting them to overcome barriers in a meaningful way.
When did you start working at National 360 and why did you want to join the team?
I started at National 360 in June 2024, which was actually part of a direct move from the UK to Australia.
After spending 10 years in the National Health Service, I was really interested in experiencing a different healthcare system. Australia has a fascinating mix of public and private healthcare, and there are also unique cultural considerations here that I was excited to learn more about.
On a personal level, I love travelling and experiencing different places, but I also wanted stability for my family as I have young children. Moving to Australia allowed us to have both.
In terms of why National 360 specifically, I really connected with the company’s ethos and what it was trying to achieve within the private allied health space. I was interested in seeing how a large private organisation balanced quality clinical work, sustainability, and meeting community need.
I also genuinely loved the culture straight away – the relaxed environment, the friendliness of the team… and honestly, I even liked the blue branding.
What does your role as Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead involve, and what do you enjoy about it?
My role as an Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead is really about supporting clinical quality and clinician experience at a broader systems level. That includes looking at policies, training, templates, governance processes, and asking: how do we make it easier for clinicians to do great work?
A lot of the role involves thinking about the bigger picture – how systems impact clinicians, and in turn, how that impacts client outcomes. I really enjoy that macro-level thinking.
I also love coaching and supporting people. Supervision and mentorship are huge passions of mine, and this role gives me a unique opportunity to influence practice on a much larger scale.
One of the most rewarding parts is knowing that even if I’m not directly providing every intervention myself, the work I do behind the scenes helps clinicians feel supported and ultimately helps clients receive better care.
How is having an Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead beneficial to our clients?
I think every strong clinical system needs people in the background who are constantly thinking ahead looking at where the industry is moving, how funding bodies like the NDIS are changing, and how we adapt in the best possible way.
Having a clinical lead helps create consistency, streamline processes, and maintain quality across a large workforce. It allows clinicians on the ground to focus on doing the work, knowing there’s someone thinking about the broader strategy, governance, and future direction of the service.
Has there been a highlight of your time working at National 360?
Honestly, it’s been quite a ride in the best possible way.
I’ve had multiple opportunities for growth and progression since joining the company, which has been incredibly validating and rewarding. I started as a Senior Level 2 Occupational Therapist, then backfilled the Mental Health Clinical Practice Advisor role before moving into that permanently. Later, I backfilled the Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead role, which also became permanent.
I’ve really appreciated being trusted with opportunities to challenge myself and continue developing professionally.
What do you think makes National 360 different from other community allied health providers?
That’s a good question.
I think one of the biggest differences is the compassion within the senior leadership team and their willingness to think critically about the industry and advocate for change where needed.
I also think there’s a genuinely strong focus on work-life balance. Clinicians are trusted to structure their weeks in a way that works for them, provided they’re meeting expectations and delivering good outcomes. That flexibility makes people feel valued and supported, and I think that has a huge impact on workplace culture.
It certainly has for me.
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to work in the NDIS community health space?
I think my biggest piece of advice is to focus on what you can influence.
No system is perfect. Having worked in both the National Health Service and now within the Australian system, there are strengths and challenges in every model, particularly when systems are under financial pressure.
You can’t change everything overnight, but you can consistently advocate, provide feedback, and do the best possible work for the clients in front of you. Small changes over time genuinely do shape industries.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I love a good TikTok, a really good book, and an excellent cup of coffee.
I also absolutely love rainy weather… which is slightly ironic given that I now live in one of the sunniest places in the world. I own three different raincoats and a beautiful umbrella, which probably does raise the question of why exactly I moved to Australia.
That said, I really do love it here.
Learn more about Occupational Therapy at National 360
Our Occupational Therapy stream is growing across Australia! If you’re looking to commence your career as an Occupational Therapist or are wanting to make the change to working in a flexible community focused role, National 360 is the perfect place for you to grow in your career.
Learn more about our Occupational Therapy service, and 360 Career opportunities by getting in touch with our friendly team: