Occupational Therapy Clinical and Administrative Support Worker

Transformationunitgm; Brighton; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 26,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a leading Trust as an Occupational Therapy Clinical and Administrative Support Worker, contributing to patient care within a collaborative team at Brighton General Hospital. Engage in both clinical and administrative tasks, ensuring smooth operations while building professional relationships with patients and supporting their health journey.

Benefits

Comprehensive induction

Ongoing regular supervision

Opportunity to be involved in service development

Qualifications

• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience of dealing with people is a must.
• Ability to develop effective working and therapeutic relationships.

Responsibilities

• Assist Occupational Therapists with treatment interventions.
• Manage a selected caseload of patients under supervision.
• Organise and look after the day-to-day running of the department.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

IT skills

Education

4 GCSE's or equivalent

Recognised qualification in an area related to post or equivalent life skills

Tools

Care-flow

Computer literacy

Job description

Main area Rheumatology Occupational Therapy Clinical Support. Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Part time - 22.5 hours per week Job ref 279-7209312-JUN25

Employer 279 University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Brighton General Hospital Town Brighton Salary £24,625 - £225,674 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 22/06/2025 23:59

Occupational Therapy Clinical and Administrative Support Worker

Band 3

About our Trust

At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK’s largest acute Trusts , we’re a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.

Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal – to always put our Patient First . In fact our mission is summed up by our ‘where better never stops’ motto and you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex.

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. 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 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in ourWellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Job overview

We are looking for an organised, enthusiastic, people loving person to join our small Rheumatology Occupational Therapy team based at Brighton General Hospital but also helping to run clinics at the Princess Royal Hospital remotely.

You will need to be an excellent communicator with great people skills and strong IT and organisational skills.

The role will be both clinical and administrative and 22.5 hours weekly. You will be booking appointments , answering telephone queries and posting information to patients. You will also be trained to advise them about and demonstrate to them, equipment that may help them to manage more independently at home and also to complete initial phone assessments to gather background information that the therapists need to know prior to their Occupational Therapy assessment.

We offer

• Comprehensive induction to build your skills and confidence in a specialist area.
• A highly supportive working environment with on-going regular supervision.
• The opportunity to be involved in service development

Main duties of the job

You will work with the Occupational Therapists to ensure that the department runs smoothly, involving tasks such as stock checks, ordering therapy equipment, photocopying and filing.

We are looking for someone to develop professional therapeutic relationships with Rheumatology out- patients and carers and assist the Occupational Therapist's with treatment interventions.

Part of this role will also be administrative to organise and look after the day to day running of the department. Full training will be given to use patient booking systems such as Care-flow to arrange appointments, process outcomes and book follow-up appointments. Answering phones, photocopying and filing are also part of the job role.

You may also be asked to contact new referrals and gather information about how they are currently coping and what they are finding challenging, to support the Occupational Therapists in their role.

Please see full specifications of the main duties within the Job description and person specification.

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First, 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 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Communication

• To develop professional therapeutic relationships with patients and carers and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture, and manage potential barriers to communication such as dysphasia, learning difficulty, deafness, another language etc.
• To ensure accurate and up-to-date documentation of all assessments of patient’s functional status in clinical notes complying with Trust, departmental and professional standards.
• To accurately feedback relevant observations and assessment outcomes of patient assessments to the Occupational Therapist and other relevant members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team, including ongoing observations and assessments of patient’s progress.
• To liaise where appropriate with other members of the team, other related statutory, private and voluntary organisations, family and carers. To deal with all telephone enquiries, including retrieval of voicemail messages, in a professional, courteous and diplomatic manner and to ensure that appropriate messages are passed onto the relevant staff in an accurate and timely fashion, respecting confidentiality at all times.
• To assist as far as practicable in non and clinical enquiries, ensuring all non-routine and clinical enquiries are referred onto the appropriate person.
• To promptly receive and distribute all incoming mail, ensuring referral letters are correctly date-stamped and recorded appropriately.
• To liaise with other administrative staff, ensuring cover arrangements are facilitated by working as a team member.
• To liaise with internal and external professionals, departments and public as required in a friendly, professional and courteous manner.
• Participate in department and administration team meetings, keeping patient notice boards up to date with current and relevant information.
• Report faults/repairs to IT or Works Departments as required.
• Seek advice from clinician/Office Manager if required/unsure/ more complex needs arise.

Service Delivery and Improvement

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.

• To contribute positively to the effectiveness and efficiency of the Occupational Therapy and MDT team/service.
• To take responsibility for risk management and health and safety in the workplace by adhering to and promoting Health and Safety regulations, trust and departmental policies.
• To adhere to the College of Occupational Therapist Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, the Trust’s Code of Conduct for Non-Qualified Staff and all other relevant policies and procedures.
• To comply with Equal Opportunities, Disability Discrimination and Data Protection legislation
• Undertake delegated tasks to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the Occupational Therapy service.
• To have an awareness of good resource management, to maintain and advise on stock and resources necessary to carry out the work of the Occupational Therapy service. To use own knowledge and previous experience to make judgements and problem solve where barriers to implementing usual processes arise, systems break down error occur, or new situations arise.
• At request analyse spreadsheets to determine trends and problems and produce summaries to highlight these.
• Be versatile and adaptable to changing demands of the team; e.g. staff absences, changes to hours/working patterns and adjust patient appointments accordingly.
• To allocate patient appointment times into designated slots and send out invite letters / record attendance on Care Flow and within patient notes.
• Ensure correct and up-to-date forms/documents are used and comply with department, professional and Trust standards.

People Management and Development

• To seek supervision from an Occupational Therapist to inform analysis and reasoning, and when more complex needs or situations become apparent.
• To actively participate in supervision and appraisal using reflection and analysis to inform practice.
• To participate in the induction, support, training and education of students and new staff.
• To participate in the dissemination and sharing of information and skills with staff, students and volunteers.
• To gather and accurately record information where required, to enable patient referrals to be prioritised.
• To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with professional and trust standards.
• Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with line manager as part of the personal development planning process.
• To fully participate in the Trust’s appraisal system review and personal development planning process on an annual basis.
• To keep a record of own training and development in line with department guidelines.
• To keep informed of best practice and developments and to incorporate them into own practice under guidance of an Occupational Therapist.
• To participate in clinical governance and quality improvement projects under the guidance of a registered Occupational Therapist, including audits and research projects as applicable.
• To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and all key relationships and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
• To achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales. To seek supervision from an Occupational Therapist to inform analysis and reasoning, and when more complex needs or situations become apparent.
• Comply with fire, health & safety, infection control and all other departmental procedures.
• Report all complaints/incidents to the immediate senior member of staff and document accordingly.

Patient Care Delivery

• T o manage a selected caseload of patients, under regular but not constant supervision of a registered Occupational Therapist, to carry out the assessment and treatment of individual patients with Rheumatology conditions and potentially groups. To assist the occupational therapist on home visits where necessary.
• To arrange, under guidance from an Occupational Therapist, for the provision of standard specialist disability equipment and to teach and demonstrate the use of equipment or other techniques to optimise the patient’s functional ability, independence and safety.
• To analyse outcomes of assessments and apply them to the formation of patient centred treatment plans and in engaging patients in therapeutic activities to promote independence and well-being.
• To apply a basic understanding of the effect of disability and relevant conditions on patients and their environments.
• Prioritise and create new referrals on CareFlow ensuring appropriate letter and correspondence are posted to patients and ensuring the rheumatology database is updated accordingly.
• To be responsible for making and updating clinic appointments on CareFlow, at own site, in a timely and accurate manner and arriving patients within required time scales.
• Order, collate and dispatch orthotic orders for individual patients and for stock replenishment.
• Produce and collate patient and group satisfaction surveys as and when required.
• Order patient information leaflets from Verus Arthritis and NRAS and others as required.
• Ensure the department patient database complies with data protection and is maintained and up to date at all times.
• Ensure all patient notes are stored safely in accordance to trust confidentiality guidelines.
• Undertake any duties that may be deemed necessary to support the department’s high-quality service.

Learning and Development

• Attend mandatory training updates as required.
• Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
• Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
• Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager
• Participate in the Trust’s appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.

This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.

Person specification

Skills

• Good Verbal and Written communication Skills, good command of English
• Ability to identify and analyse problems and offer solutions
• Ability to collate, organise and respond effectively to information and manage own time effectively
• Ability to develop effective working and therapeutic relationships

Experience

• Good level of education - 4 GCSE's or equivalent
• A recognised qualification in an area related to post or equivalent life skills E.g Relevant NVQ qualifications
• Experience of dealing with people
• Experience of working in a team
• An understanding of disability and social issues and the impact on peoples functional ability.

Specific Requirments

• Computer literacy, outlook, word, excel
• Self Motivation
• Recognises own limitations and seeks advice and guidance from more experienced colleagues as appropriate
• A current / valid driving licence
• Experience of client information systems / databases e.g careflow, panda, system one.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

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

Important information for applicants:

A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.

Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.

Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.

Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.

DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check . We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.

Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria.For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.

UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications

Further Information

For help with the application process for Nursing vacancies, please email [e-mail].

For help with the application process for Non-Nursing vacancies, please email [e-mail].

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This advert has been capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, it will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in this post to prevent you from missing out on applying for this opportunity.

Name Jenny Whales Job title Rheumatology Team lead for Occupational Therapy Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01444 441881 Additional information

Please email in first instance with a contact number and Jenny will make contact.

Alternatively speak to Jane von der Becke (Operational Lead Occupational Therapist) on 01444 441881 x 65499