Senior Occupational Therapist - Complex Medicine

NHS; Luton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Luton seeks a dedicated Senior Occupational Therapist to join its Complex Medicine team. This role includes advanced therapeutic assessments, responsibilities for caseload management, and opportunities for professional development from Band 5 to Band 6 within a supportive environment. Successful candidates will work across various wards, supporting both patients and students while contributing to continuous service improvement. Full-time position with a commitment to patient care and staff wellbeing.

Qualifications

• Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendances at recent post-graduate courses.
• Experience in wheelchair prescription.
• Evidence of working in an acute hospital environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform advanced occupational therapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations.
• Hold responsibility for own caseload and work independently.
• Plan, supervise, educate and assess the performance of occupational therapy students.

Skills

Organising

Prioritising

Excellent verbal communication

Excellent non-verbal communication

Use of IT systems

Resource management

Education

Dip COT or BSc (Hons) in OT

HCPC registration

Membership of BAOT/RCOT or similar

Job description

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Occupational Therapist - Complex Medicine

The closing date is 06 February 2026

Would you like to work in a forward thinking Occupational Therapy service? We have an exciting career development opportunity and the added benefit of being in the vibrant and diverse town of Luton.

This is a Band 5 to 6 development post to support an Occupational Therapist to achieve their potential. Moving to a band 6 can feel like a big step and this post offers clear development paths to achieve Band 6 competencies within a 12 month period. You will then continue to develop in the Band 6 role in a supportive team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a dedicated and self‑motivated Band 5, or 6, Occupational Therapist to join our friendly and innovative Complex Medicine team within the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This full time post is permanent and involves late shift and weekend working on a rota basis. You will have the chance to work across our four major ward areas which include Cardiology, Haematology, General Medicine and Elderly care.

In a team that works closely to the values, encourages projects that improve the service for patients and the staff alike and values your input, you will be supported throughout the 12 months to work towards your Band 6 competencies. You will also have the opportunity to support students and apprentices alongside managing Band 5 Therapists and support staff once you feel ready to take this on.

Interviews will be FACE-FACE ONLY

Main duties of the job

• To perform advanced occupational therapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions, to determine a diagnosis, formulate and deliver an appropriate, individualised treatment programme.
• To hold responsibility for own caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service/particular patient group, working without direct supervision. Access to advice and support from a more senior therapist is available if required. Clinical work is evaluated through regular clinical supervision with a specialist occupational therapist but day‑to‑day clinical work is not routinely reviewed.
• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
• To plan, supervise, educate and assess the performance of occupational therapy students on placement within the complex medicine wards. To work closely with the university and comply with all the standards required for the degree level qualification.
• Supported by the specialist occupational therapist, to design and undertake evidence‑based audit and research projects to further own and team's clinical practice and improve service delivery with the specialist therapist. Make recommendations and occasionally implement changes to practice or service protocols, as agreed with the specialist occupational therapist.
• To deputise for the specialist occupational therapist in their absence, taking the lead role in the day‑to‑day operational management of the team.

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding area across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics‑led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high‑performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience – we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Job responsibilities

Please see job description and person specification provided. If further information is required, please speak to our contact on advert.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• Dip COT or BSc (Hons) in OT
• HCPC registration
• Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendances at recent post graduate courses/ in‑service trainings relevant to the speciality
• Membership of BAOT/RCOT or similar
• Experience in wheelchair prescription

Experience

• Experience of working in an acute hospital environment
• Evidence of broad based postgraduate experience to include experience in medicine or elderly care
• Experience of working as part of a multi‑disciplinary team with example
• Knowledge and example of working in liaison with community therapy services and intermediate care services
• Experience of supervision of staff or students
• Experience within the NHS

Knowledge & Skills

• Examples of organising, prioritising and delegating appropriately
• Ability to be highly organised and responsive to changing workloads and situations
• Ability to apply knowledge to achieve high standards of clinical practice / performance
• Developed working knowledge of broad range of illnesses, injuries and conditions. Particularly those relevant to the clinical setting
• Evidence of use of IT systems to support their work
• Understanding of resource management eg. equipment provision
• Knowledge/ use of SOAP notes

Communication

• Example of excellent verbal and non‑verbal communication skills
• Example of where there may be barriers to understanding

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.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust