Band 7 Occupational Therapy Team Lead - Surgery & Orthopaedics

Royal Berkshire Nhs Foundation Trust; Reading; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Reading seeks an experienced Orthopaedics & Surgery Team Lead Occupational Therapist. This role involves operational management and clinical leadership within the occupational therapy team, providing specialist care for patients. Candidates must have significant NHS experience in orthopaedics and surgery, excellent assessment skills, and a commitment to the Trust's values. The position offers flexible working arrangements, competitive annual leave, and participation in the NHS pension scheme.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

NHS pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Extensive NHS inpatient orthopaedics and surgery experience is required.
• Experience in leadership and service development is essential.
• The applicant must demonstrate the Trust's CARE values.

Responsibilities

• Manage patients in Orthopaedics & Surgery as a clinical expert.
• Lead the occupational therapy team and manage operational tasks.
• Provide specialist support and advice to other healthcare staff.

Skills

Expert clinical reasoning

Leadership skills

Assessment skills

Sound IT skills

Education

Degree in Occupational Therapy

Job description

Overview

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is "Working together to provide outstanding care for our community".

The Trust has been rated 'Good' by the CQC after the recent inspection, and our overall rating has improved to 'Good'. We pride ourselves on being Compassionate, Aspirational, Resourceful and Excellent – reflecting our core values that guide everything we do.

We value candidates who bring their unique personalities, skills and experiences, and encourage applicants to highlight their individual achievements and strengths when completing their applications.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be an occupational therapy clinical expert in the management of patients in Orthopaedics & Surgery (Elective, Trauma, ENT, Urology & Gynae) at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and you will be responsible for the operational management and clinical leadership of the occupational therapy team in conjunction with the Professional Lead.

• Be an occupational therapy clinical expert in the management of patients in Orthopaedics & Surgery at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
• Be responsible for the operational management and clinical leadership of the occupational therapy team in conjunction with the Professional Lead.
• Use expert occupational therapy knowledge and advanced clinical reasoning skills to provide specialist support and advice to the occupational therapy team and other healthcare staff, and manage your own caseload of patients with highly complex conditions as an autonomous practitioner.
• Ensure a high quality and effective occupational therapy service.
• Be a member of the Occupational Therapy Department Management team, contributing to planning and policy development in the multi-disciplinary team and department.
• Deputise for the Professional Lead as required.

What we’re looking for

We are looking to employ a skilled, forward‑thinking, dynamic individual as Orthopaedics & Surgery Team Lead Occupational Therapist. The post is suitable for an experienced OT with past leadership and service development experience, operating across both elective and trauma orthopaedics, general surgery, urology and ENT inpatient areas, and outpatient responsibilities for the regular pre‑op hip and knee schools.

The successful applicant will have extensive NHS inpatient orthopaedics and surgery experience with excellent assessment, clinical reasoning, treatment and teaching skills, sound IT skills and will demonstrate the Trust’s CARE values.

Benefits

• Flexible working opportunities and a strong emphasis on your work‑life balance
• Annual leave – 27 days for new starters, plus bank holidays. Increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years NHS service. Pro rata for part time staff
• NHS pension scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Money Advice Service
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave for eligible staff
• On‑site nursery (based at RBH)
• Full educational library services
• Cycle to work scheme, lockable storage for cycles
• Bus to work scheme
• Excellent rail and bus links
• A huge range of Health Service Discounts at hundreds of big brands from holidays to gadgets and restaurants to retail.

Application Process

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred third‑party recruitment system (TRAC). All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and we will not be able to respond to any e‑mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Appointment to any position is conditional on the satisfactory completion of the core NHS Employment Checks Standards. Information disclosed in your application will be checked and any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information or provide false or misleading information. New appointments are subject to a 6‑month probationary period (except for executive positions).

The Trust may close any vacancy prior to the advertised closing date due to the high level of responses we receive for some of our vacancies.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving the health of its staff, patients and the wider community by providing a smoke‑free environment. A smoke‑free policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted on any of the Trust’s sites. The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please note that not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible roles and requirements on the government website.