Advanced Occupational Therapist

Merseywestlancs; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Pension scheme

Annual leave 27 days

Job summary

Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust is seeking a Clinical Lead Hand Therapist (Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist) on a 37.5 hour fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave until October 2027. The role involves leading a hand therapy team, overseeing assessment, treatment and evidence-based care across inpatient and outpatient settings.

The successful candidate will have substantial Hand Therapy experience, postgraduate training, and the ability to lead a multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration and Degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Postgraduate training in hand therapy or equivalent.
• Experience leading MDT and service development.
• Willingness to travel between sites and provide flexible cover.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and advice for upper limb conditions, including complex hand injuries.
• Support the Plastic Surgery team and consultant-led clinics in hand therapy across inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Lead development, supervision, and research within the team, promoting evidence-based practice.

Skills

Communication

Team leadership

Time management

Documentation

IT skills

Education

Degree in Occupational Therapy

HCPC registration

Clinical Educators Certificate or equivalent/experience

MSc in relevant health studies or equivalent qualification/experience

Job description

We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations.

Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.

Main area Therapies Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (Maternity Cover until October 2027) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 409-8077186-B

Site Whiston Hospital Town Prescot Salary £49,387 - £56,515 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 23/09/2026 23:59 Interview date 20/10/2026

Job overview

Clinical Lead Hand Therapist – Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist

Agenda for Change Band 7

37.5 hours- Fixed Term Contract

– maternity leave cover until October 2027

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Clinical Lead Hand Therapist to join our specialist Hand Therapy Team on a fixed-term contract until October 2027.

Our established team comprises 1 WTE Band 7 Occupational Therapist, 3 WTE Band 6 Occupational Therapists, 1 WTE rotational Band 5 Physiotherapist, and 1 WTE Band 4 Therapy Assistant. We are looking for a skilled clinician who is passionate about delivering high-quality, patient-centred care and contributing to the continued development of our specialist service.

The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and re subject to change.

Interviews will take place on 20th October, 2026

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will provide expert assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and advice for patients with a wide range of upper limb conditions, including traumatic and soft tissue injuries, degenerative conditions, nerve injuries, and complex scar management. You will work closely with our Plastic Surgery team, supporting consultant-led clinics and providing specialist hand therapy across both inpatient and outpatient settings.

The successful applicant will have substantial experience in Hand Therapy and evidence of postgraduate training within this specialist field. You will demonstrate advanced clinical knowledge of hand and upper limb conditions, including advanced splinting techniques, and use evidence-based practice to deliver excellent patient outcomes. You will also play a key role in supporting the development of colleagues, contributing to service improvement, and promoting research and innovation within the team.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, proactive, and compassionate therapist with excellent clinical reasoning, communication, organisational, and time management skills. You will adopt a holistic approach to patient care and be committed to delivering high standards of rehabilitation while keeping patients at the centre of everything you do

Working for our organisation

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services:

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

A flexible approach is essential to meet the changing needs of the service. We value individuals who are committed to working collaboratively and who consistently strive to deliver an outstanding experience for patients and their families.

This post offers an excellent opportunity to further develop your specialist expertise through protected Continuing Professional Development (CPD), supported by a comprehensive clinical supervision programme. We are committed to investing in our staff and fostering a culture of learning, development, and continuous improvement.

Flexibility and adaptability are essential. The successful applicant may be required to work across different sites and, where necessary, support the delivery of community-based services.

In return, we offer:

• A friendly, welcoming, and supportive team environment.
• A structured and comprehensive clinical supervision programme.
• Protected Continuing Professional Development (CPD) time.
• Flexible working opportunities and family-friendly policies.
• Opportunities to contribute to service development, quality improvement, and research.

All appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including occupational health clearance and an enhanced DBS check (formerly CRB). Please note that, if appointed, you will be required to pay the cost of the enhanced DBS disclosure in line with the Trust's current policy.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC registration
• Clinical Educators Certificate or equivalent/experience
• MSc in relevant health studies or equivalent qualification/experience

Experience

• Advanced clinical knowledge relevant to the care environment and evidence of evidence based practise in relevant health setting
• Awareness of own strengths and limitations
• Knowledge of relevant national policies and guidance and relevant assessment tools
• Experience of leadership of a team including change management
• Evidence of effective working within an MDT
• Experience of Service development
• Demonstrate experience of problem solving approaches
• Audit and research in a clinical area
• Demonstrates continuous Professional Development

Skills

• Demonstrates ability to motivate team performance to achieve objectives
• Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
• Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings
• Accurate record keeping, report writing and IT skills including presentation skills
• Have a flexible approach to working with good time management

Other

• Ability to travel various hospital locations by own car/ assisted driver

Our Values

• We are Kind
• We are Open
• We are Inclusive

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [e-mail]

We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision-making process.
Certificate of Sponsorship

eVisa Update
For successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK.

• Understand how to generate an eVisa share code

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.

If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.

Flexible Working
We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:
All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.

At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.

Working for Team MWL

Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

The Trust is