Senior Occupational Therapist (or Band 5/6 development post)

NHS; Cleator Moor; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization is seeking a Senior Occupational Therapist to join the community rehabilitation team in Cleator Moor. This role involves managing patient caseloads, providing leadership to staff, and focusing on improving patient independence. Candidates should have a BSc in Occupational Therapy and relevant clinical experience. This position offers full-time, part-time, and flexible working options.

Benefits

27-day holiday scheme

Access to NHS discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Post-registration clinical experience required.
• Evidence of supervision of junior staff and students.
• Experience of audit procedures.

Responsibilities

• Manage a defined caseload of patients.
• Provide leadership and supervision to staff.
• Facilitate safe and efficient discharge planning.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Ability to work autonomously

Ability to supervise junior or support staff

Education

BSc Hons in Occupational Therapy or equivalent

Registration with the Health Professions Council

Job description

Overview

Senior Occupational Therapist (or Band 5/6 development post)

The closing date is 01 October 2025.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Occupational Therapist to work within the community rehabilitation therapy team at Copeland ICC. The post is full time, 37.5 hours per week which includes some evening and weekend working, with part-time and flexible working patterns considered.

For the right candidate, we would actively consider the role being a development post for an established Band 5 Occupational Therapist. The successful candidate would remain as a Band 5 while they work towards achieving a supported action plan to develop the clinical and leadership knowledge and experience required to undertake the role of Senior Occupational Therapist. It would be expected that the action plan would be completed within a timescale of 12 months.

We are a friendly and supportive team that consists of OTs, Physios, HCP co-ordinators, APs, Hub administrators, Rehab Assistants and Home Care Practitioners. We work closely with the MDT including DNs, GP practices as well as many other community services, agencies and professionals.

The post holder will manage a defined caseload of patients, using evidence based/client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in community hospital ward and community settings whilst facilitating safe and efficient discharge planning. They will provide leadership and supervision to support staff and students within the team.

Main duties of the job

The Community Care Group provides a range of services to people over 18 living within North Cumbria. Its key community health focus is to provide care to prevent hospital admissions, facilitate early discharge and where possible to enable patients to manage their own conditions and remain in their own homes, enhancing both their independence and quality of life.

The Community Rehab Teams within Copeland ICC provide specialist assessment and rehabilitation for patients with a wide range of long and short-term conditions, working closely with our health and social care colleagues.

Patients are seen as in-patients (in Community Hospital beds or Interim Community beds); in their own homes (including residential and nursing homes).

There is a strong focus on professional development opportunities and CPD within the team. You will have access to quality, regular clinical supervision, and we offer induction, ongoing professional support and an interesting and highly rewarding job to the successful applicant.

The core working hours of the service are Mon to Fri 8.00-16.00 but the post holder will be included on a rota to cover late shifts, weekend working and bank holidays. This is to support ICC working 7 days a week, 365 days a year 8am until 8pm.

About us

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of "safe, high quality care every time":

• Being a clinically led organisation

• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust

• A positive patient experience every time

• A great place to work

• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

Registered Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals returning to practice, moving into new roles or changing clinical environments, may access an agreed preceptorship period.

• Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
• If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:

• Junk Mail is checked regularly

Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:

• Junk Mail is checked regularly

Disclosure and Barring Service:

On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.

The changes mean that:

• youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
• the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.

If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.

Unlock Tel: [phone], email [e-mail] or complete the online form on the Unlock website

The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:

Please note the cost of the DBS check has increased from 2nd December 2024

Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £5.90 = £27.40. Deducted from salary over following 4 months or one off payment.

Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £5.90 = £55.40. Deducted from salary over following 4 months or one off payment.

As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.

A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies

EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

These schemes are subject to availability

Person Specification

Qualifications

• BSc Hons in Occupational Therapy or equivalent Occupational Therapy qualification
• Ability to share/cascade relevant knowledge and skills
• Registration with the Health Professions Council
• Evidence of CPD

Experience

• Post-registration clinical experience where a degree of autonomous working has been required.
• Evidence of working on own initiative, managing time and prioritising
• Experience of extended role clinical responsibilities.
• Experience of supervision of junior staff and students.
• Experience of Audit procedures.
• Extensive clinical experience, including individual and group work.
• Experience of working within a range of settings.
• Experience of conducting audit and / or research Experience of staff management.
• Experience of providing staff supervision and appraisal to both qualified and non professionally aligned staff.
• Clinical application of a variety of standardised assessment such as the MOHO tools

Knowledge

• Specialist knowledge and application of Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions relevant to client group.
• Knowledge and experience of Occupational Therapy outcome measures.
• Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of therapeutic interventions/techniques related to clinical specialty.
• Demonstrable knowledge and confidence in communicating the role of Occupational Therapy.
• Knowledge of current NHS trends/policy which influence service provision.
• Understanding of evidence based practice and its application.
• Detailed knowledge of legislation related to current practice.
• Detailed knowledge of the principals of clinical governance and its application.
• Knowledge of evidence based practice relating to occupational therapy
• Knowledge and understanding of a range of physical and mental health conditions
• Understanding of professional ethics and their application in practice
• Understanding of team dynamics
• Knowledge of the basic principles of clinical governance
• Training and presentation skills.
• Understanding of current political climate affecting Health issues.
• I.T. Use of Databases and word processing and standard office packages.
• Critically analyse research and apply to practice Have understanding and knowledge of local area and facilities that clients may access.

Skills and Aptitudes

• Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities.
• Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
• Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information.
• Ability to build effective working relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to supervise junior or support staff.
• Credibility in main area of practice.
• Ability to perform under pressure across different service areas, quickly and effectively, making timely decisions and following through available agreed care pathways.
• Ability to assess, prioritise and co-ordinate the need for treatment.
• Ability to use learned knowledge to change practice and motivate staff
• Ability to make decisions autonomously and delegate work appropriately.
• Ability to work alone as well as part of a team.
• Ability to deliver training to colleagues in health and/or other agencies.
• Provision of Clinical Supervision.
• Experience in clinical audit.
• Training and Presentation Skills.
• Understanding of clinical competence.
• Knowledge of Infection Control issues.
• Understand and commitment to the principle of equal opportunities in service delivery.

Personal Circumstances

• Excellent communicator with all members of multi-disciplinary care teams.
• Self motivator.
• Professional attitude to work and team members.
• Able to work independently or as part of a team.
• A keen desire and ability to continue to develop the departmental Service.
• Commitment to Professional Development.
• Commitment to maintaining evidence based practice.
• Able to travel (and at times) transport patients within the locality.
• Able to work 7 days per week.

Other Requirements

• Registration with the Health professions Council Membership of professional body
• Driving licence
• Membership of special interest group

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.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Copeland community Rehabilitation Service

£31,049 to £46,580 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours

Reference number

262-A-24-6720528-F

Job locations

Copeland community Rehabilitation Service