Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist | University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

University Hospitals of Leicester; England; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in England is seeking a Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist to lead the OT service in a new Respiratory Support Unit at Glenfield Hospital. The role requires management of a clinical caseload, collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, and contributions to service development. Candidates should possess strong clinical leadership and communication skills, with a degree in Occupational Therapy and experience in an acute setting. This role is a unique opportunity to improve patient outcomes in a dedicated environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in an acute hospital setting.
• Ability to manage and lead a team of therapists.
• Proven experience in service development and audit.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical and professional leadership in the specialty area.
• Lead and develop clinical practice and standards.
• Manage a clinical caseload including complex cases.
• Collaboration with the multidisciplinary team for patient care.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Communication skills

Psychosocial assessment

Patient discharge planning

Education

Degree in Occupational Therapy

Job description

Overview

Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist – Band 7, 37.5 hours, Glenfield Hospital. A new Respiratory Support Unit has opened at Glenfield Hospital. We are seeking a Band 7 Occupational Therapist who can lead the OT service on this unit and demonstrate specialised clinical skills. The post involves working in an acute hospital setting, applying psychosocial and mental health skills alongside physical treatment methods. The caseload includes anxiety management, de-escalation of panic attacks, and early OT intervention to reduce acute stress. You will work with Physiotherapists to carry out assessments and be responsible for assessing cognitive and functional abilities, facilitating discharge, and optimising patient outcomes. Service development will form a large part of the role, with collaboration alongside an established Physiotherapy team and MDT, and support for the wider Occupational Therapy teams. Interviews will be held face to face at Glenfield Hospital.

You will be directly involved in audit and development of the service to continuously improve patient care, and will demonstrate excellent communication and leadership skills within a large multidisciplinary team to support functional assessments and interventions for safe and effective discharge planning for complex patients.

You will support and manage a team of Occupational Therapists, working closely with Physiotherapists and support workers across the Glenfield teams.

Our new strategy, developed with input from colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030). Our four primary goals are: high-quality care for all; being a great place to work; partnerships for impact; and research and education excellence. We will embed health equality in all we do and work in partnership with communities. Our strategy is underpinned by values: we are compassionate; we are proud; we are inclusive; we are one team.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust: http://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/aboutus/work-for-us/current-vacancies/

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical and professional leadership to Therapy colleagues in the specialty area.
• Lead, evaluate and develop clinical practice within a specialty ensuring compliance with national and local guidelines and frameworks.
• Be responsible for clinical standards, evidence-based practice and quality metrics within the specialty.
• Work as an autonomous practitioner to provide specialist therapy assessments, diagnose and develop individualised treatment programmes based on patient needs, using advanced clinical reasoning skills.
• Be responsible for a clinical caseload, including complex cases.
• Develop and promote Therapy within the specialty.
• Manage the day-to-day delivery of the Therapy specialist team in a fast and pressurised environment.
• Participate in the planning, development and evaluation of Therapy within the Specialist Team, with responsibility for defined projects.
• Collaborate with the Therapy Speciality Lead / Therapy Clinical Team Leader to link the specialist Therapy team with relevant Divisions within UHL.
• Ensure training and development of staff within the Therapy Speciality Team.
• Liaise with colleagues across sites or cross-specialties to ensure a seamless, equitable service.
• Deputise for the Therapy Speciality Lead as appropriate.

Note: This advert closes on Wednesday 1 Oct 2025.