Occupational Therapist

NHS Scotland; Ayr; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Ayrshire & Arran is seeking an Occupational Therapist (Band 6) to work with residents and staff in Care Homes. You must be HCPC registered with at least 2 years post-registration experience and hold a UK driving licence. The role requires autonomy, leadership, and travel across Ayrshire and Arran.

You will join the Care Home Professional Support Team at Ailsa Hospital, delivering education, supervision and specialist advice while supporting high standards of person-centred care.

Qualifications

• Registered Occupational Therapist with HCPC with minimum 2 years post registration experience.
• Commitment to lifelong learning and CPD; demonstrates ongoing professional development.
• Experience across older people, complex care and community rehabilitation.
• Project management experience and ability to lead clinical initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Deliver professional support, education, and clinical supervision to staff in care homes.
• Prioritise and coordinate daily activities with sound professional judgement.
• Manage own caseload and diary to meet service demands; travel across Ayrshire and Arran.
• Provide leadership and contribute to quality improvement and digital therapy initiatives.

Skills

HCPC registered

Driving licence

Clinical leadership

Communication skills

Quality improvement

Caseload management

Education

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

NHS Scotland NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Who We Are

NHS Ayrshire and Arran are one of 14 territorial NHS Boards within NHS Scotland. In support of our core purpose of Working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran, we are committed to a culture that is Caring, Safe, and Respectful. You will be required to work collaboratively in a safe, caring and respectful way. To find out more about NHS Ayrshire and Arran please visit our website - AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application but your answers must be your own. Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically. Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers. Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you not an AI tool.

Position

Occupational Therapist for Care Homes (Band 6)

Are you an Occupational Therapist with an interest in working with residents and staff in Care Homes? An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Occupational Therapist (OT) to work within our multi professional Care Home Professional Support Team based at Ailsa Hospital NHS Ayrshire & Arran. Here is more information from some of the team. It is essential that you are a registered OT with HCPC and have a minimum of 2 years practice post registration.

Hours

36 Hours per week (full time) Monday to Friday. This post is offered on a Fixed term/secondment basis until 03 October 2027. From 1 April 2026, the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will be reduced. Full-time hours will reduce from 37 to 36 hours (pro rata for part-time staff) without loss of earnings.

UK Driving Licence

A UK driving licence is essential for this role.

What You Will Do

The post holder will be a key member of the Care Home Professional Support Team (CHPST), delivering professional support, advice, education and clinical supervision to staff working across Older People and Adult Care Homes within Ayrshire and Arran. This role requires a high degree of autonomy, with ability and responsibility to prioritise and coordinate daily activities using sound professional judgement. The post holder will effectively manage their own caseload and diary to meet service demands. A full, valid driving licence is essential, along with the ability to travel independently across community locations and care homes throughout Ayrshire and Arran using a personal vehicle. The successful candidate will work closely with CHPST colleagues, care home staff and management teams, activity coordinators, and wider Health and Social Care Partnership teams. The role will focus on enhancing knowledge, skills and practice, supporting staff to meet the needs of residents with both newly identified and ongoing clinical conditions. The post requires highly developed communication and written skills, alongside experience in quality improvement methodologies and data collection. You will provide professional leadership, specialist expertise and deliver education programmes that support and sustain high standards of person-centred care. The role also contributes to wider partnership working including the identification and use of digital therapy systems and smart technology within care home settings. Working collaboratively with other disciplines, you will help identify unmet needs within care homes and contribute to reducing waiting times for community OT services. There is also the opportunity to contribute to influencing policy and practice through engagement in local and national forums, such as the National AHP Care Home Stakeholder Forum, to share impact performance and delivery. Key responsibilities include undertaking comprehensive, holistic assessments and delivering specialist clinical advice to inform care planning, treatment and therapeutic interventions, including the appropriate use of equipment. You will support a wide range of professionals, including registered nurses and wider healthcare staff, supporting effective and evidence-based care. The post holder will also benefit from strong professional links and access to wider Allied Health Professional (AHP) support within the organisation.

For further information on the role please click the link below to view the job description.

Knowledge, Training And/or Experience Required For This Post

• Registered Occupational Therapist with HCPC with minimum of 2 years post registration experience
• State registration with HCPC
• A commitment to lifelong learning and demonstrates evidence of continuing professional development.
• Evidence of working across a range of specialities including complex care, older people and community rehabilitation.
• Evidence of additional experience at post graduate equivalent level relevant to job purpose
• Knowledge of key national, local and organisational targets and how they relate to the job
• Experience of working in multi-agency settings
• Evidence of innovation and proactive working
• Experience of project management
• Competency in Microsoft office and Outlook
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to keep relevant skills/knowledge updated and documented.
• Experience in teaching residents, carers and professional colleagues.

For further information on the requirements for the role please click the link below to view the person specification.

If you want to find out more about the role, please contact Josaleen Connolly Senior Nurse, Care Homes Leadership & Support, Care Home Professional Support Team 07766247523 or

Right to Work / Certificates of Sponsorship

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found within the attached Candidate Information Pack. It is essential that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored before submitting your application form. NHS Ayrshire & Arran may be able to offer visa sponsorship for certain roles, provided the post meets the minimum salary threshold and any other required criteria. When considering if a post meets the salary threshold for sponsorship, please note the salary advertised is based on a full-time contract and must be pro-rated for part-time positions. Sponsorship is not guaranteed and is assessed on a case‑by‑case basis following interview and at the commencement of pre-employment checks. Please visit for further information. We are unable to provide sponsorship for Band 2 posts or bank contracts.