Occupational Therapist

NHS; Over; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS-funded service is seeking a Paediatric Occupational Therapist who will provide essential AAC solutions for children with complex needs. The role involves a multidisciplinary approach in delivering personalized assessments and interventions, while contributing to service development and clinical pathway implementation.

Qualifications

• RCOT and HCPC registration required.
• Significant experience with children with complex needs is necessary.
• A passion for assistive technology is essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage a clinical caseload providing AAC services for children.
• Collaborate with MDT on assessments, equipment provision, and reviews.
• Lead and supervise Band 6 OTs in the AAC team.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Assistive Technology

Organizational Skills

Holistic Care

Education

Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC) Licence to Practice

Postgraduate Training in Assistive Technology

5 years of working as an OT

Job description

AAC WEST is an NHS-funded service providing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) solutions for individuals who need technology to communicate.

We are seeking an enthusiastic Paediatric Occupational Therapist to join our specialist MDT in supporting children with complex physical, sensory, and cognitive needs.

In this role you will provide an assessment pathway working closely with families, SLTs, educators, and other professionals across the South West. You'll contribute to both clinical work and service development, supporting the delivery of a responsive and holistic AAC pathway.

This role involves regional travel to homes and schools. A valid UK driving licence is essential; pool cars are available.

You will have:

RCOT and HCPC registration

Significant experience with children with complex needs

A passion for assistive technology

Experience in supervision and service development

Strong communication and teaching skills

Work in a fast-evolving, tech-driven field

Join a knowledgeable, supportive team

Help improve lives through communication access

Job security in a unique, meaningful role

Main duties of the job

Main Duties of the Role:

Hold and manage a clinical caseload, delivering high-quality assessment and intervention services for children and young people as part of the AAC WEST clinical pathway.

Collaborate closely with a supportive, multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to provide assessment, equipment provision, and review sessions.

Work directly with children, families, local Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs), educational staff, and other professionals to deliver holistic and tailored AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) assessment pathway

Support the ongoing development and delivery of personalised AAC interventions through joint goal-setting and shared decision-making.

As a Band 7 clinician, play a key role in shaping and developing the service, contributing to team leadership, service planning, and maintaining a positive and effective workplace culture.

About us

North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.

North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.

Job responsibilities

Clinical responsibilities

• Highly specialist AAC assessment to children that have severe communication difficulties resulting from acquired, progressive or congenital disorders
• Highly specialist AAC assessment to patients with physical, cognitive, and /or sensory, difficulties to ascertain the most effective form of access to assistive technology
• Ability to draw upon previous experience working in early years and education setting to apply this knowledge to AAC assessments
• Highly specialist equipment mounting service to establish how to attach prescribed AAC devices to wheelchairs
• Highly specialist advice in the areas of cognition, vision, positioning and access to AAC devices
• Bespoke, integrated equipment solutions
• Strong working links with the multi disciplinary team to facilitate joint decision making regarding the most suitable communication equipment to be supplied

Leadership Responsibilities

• To provide clinical support supervision and appraisals to Band 6 OTs within the tea
• To provide line management, specialist support and training to the other OTs in the AAC team.
• To lead on the development of OT element of clinical pathways

Other responsibilities

• To act as an expert resource for information for all OTs in the SW area who have responsibility for AAC.
• To provide AAC training to staff within the AAC WEST team, the wider AAC community, patients and carers
• To nurture strong working links with AAC suppliers and have a good working knowledge of the range of products available
• Initiate and take part in audit and research in clinical field

Person Specification

Education

• Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC) Licence to Practicse
• Postgraduate Training in assistive technology
• 5 years of wokring as an OT
• Post qualification experience working with children with congenital and neurological conditions (including CP)
• Experience of working in education settings (early years and school)
• Experience of working with children with assistive technology needs

Knowledge

• In depth knowledge of congenital and acquired neurological conditions that result in severe communication and physical difficulties
• Knowledge of a range of solutions used to access technology

Skills

• Precise physical skills needed to work with communication aids, including mounting aids to wheelchairs; environmental control and computer access equipment, and dismantling and reassembling equipment
• Skills in delivering clinical pathways that are holistic and patient centred
• Excellent organisational skills - including independently managing and prioritising complex OT caseload
• Skilled in the use of a range of technologies and IT skills

Abilities

• Ability to work as a member of multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to create SMART goals

Personal

• A full UK driving licences with at least one years experience
• A passion for implementing assistive technology solutions

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such 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.

£46,148 to £52,809 a yearper annum (FTE) or pro-rata for part time roles