Occupational Therapy Assistant- Palliative Care

NHS; Brighton; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare institution in Brighton is seeking a Band 4 Occupational Therapy Assistant to support the acute palliative care team. The role involves assessing patients, providing tailored therapy, and collaborating with the multidisciplinary team to ensure safe discharges. Ideal candidates will have a healthcare qualification and experience in similar roles. This position offers a supportive working environment with opportunities for continuous professional development.

Benefits

Regular supervision and CPD opportunities

Supportive working environment

Opportunity to contribute to service development

Qualifications

• Experience in Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, or similar role.
• Good understanding of the difficulties of disability.
• Proactive in own learning, supervision, and appraisal.

Responsibilities

• Assess and discharge routine non-complex patients.
• Apply patient-centred programmes of Occupational Therapy.
• Work as a part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Skills

Communication with patients

Experience in MDT working

Ability to manage conflict situations

Education

Health Care related qualification at NVQ level 3 or equivalent

Job description

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Occupational Therapy assistant has arisen within the acute palliative care team at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. The palliative care team consists of Palliative Care Consultants, Palliative care matron, Clinical nurse specialists, Occupational therapists & support workers. We work closely with the acute discharge co‑ordinators to identify appropriate discharge destinations with the patient, family & multidisciplinary team.

The successful candidate will be supporting the Occupational Therapists interventions to palliative patients admitted for an acute episode of care; supporting functional needs to facilitate safe and timely discharges out of hospital.

Main Duties

• To undertake the assessment and discharge of routine non‑complex patients following a specified protocol and within own competencies.
• To apply, under the general supervision of a registered Occupational Therapist, technical and creative skills in the provision of a flexible, patient centred programme of Occupational Therapy assessments and treatments.
• To manage a designated patient caseload and treat according to treatment protocols; being able to make alterations when required by assessment of patient progression.
• To work in varied and unsupervised settings, with personal or telephone access to qualified Occupational Therapist.
• To provide non‑clinical services to the speciality team e.g. administrative duties, maintaining a safe environment and maintaining equipment.
• To undertake delegated projects.
• To provide educational support to patients / carers in unsupervised settings.
• To interpret the elements of the patient performance in order to form appropriate intervention plans guided by a qualified Occupational Therapist where appropriate.
• To work effectively as a member of the multi‑disciplinary team in providing a programme of Occupational Therapy assessments and treatments for a selected caseload of patients, being able to make alterations when required by assessment of patient progress.

We can Offer

• A supportive working environment with regular supervision and CPD opportunities.
• A good profile within a well‑integrated hospital and community services.
• Therapy Assistant peer support.
• Opportunity to contribute to service development.

About Us

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Candidate Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack/

Job Responsibilities

Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.

Attached you will find the job description and person specification which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role.

We highly recommend you view this document and use it when completing the application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting.

Person Specification

Experience/Qualifications – Essential

• Health Care related qualification at NVQ level 3 or equivalent
• Experience in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy or similar role with transferable skills
• Good understanding of the difficulties of disability

Experience/Qualifications – Desirable

• Evidence of own development of knowledge and skills
• Good understanding of speciality area
• Experience of ordering equipment

Skills – Essential

• Experience of communicating with patients, relatives and the MDT
• Able to communicate with tact, reassurance and able to adapt communication to overcome barriers. E.g. Hearing loss, dementia, sensitive circumstances.
• Experience of MDT working and building rapport with colleagues, patients and carers

Skills – Desirable

• Ability to manage conflict situations and know when and how to escalate appropriately
• Able to interpret clinical observations in light of OT treatment

People Management and Development – Essential

• Be proactive in own learning, supervision and appraisal
• Evidence of supporting others in development
• Be involved in service objectives and service development

Specific Requirements – Essential

• Team worker
• Passionate about working in Palliative care

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – Essential

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

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.

Employer Details

Employer name: University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address: Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE

Employer website: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Date posted: 05 November 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 4

Salary: £27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Job share

Reference number: 279-7564419-NOV25

Job location: Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE