Specialist Occupational Therapist

NHS Jobs; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 6 Specialist Occupational Therapist to support children and young people through the Experts at Hand service. You will deliver specialist OT input, run school-based training, and work with families and schools to promote inclusive participation across Halton and Warrington.

You will supervise OT students, contribute to service development, and travel across the Trust area to deliver interventions in educational settings, clinics

Qualifications

• Post-registration experience in paediatric OT.
• Experience supervising OT students or staff.
• HCPC registered and eligible to practise in the UK.
• Willingness to travel across the Trust area to schools and settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist occupational therapy assessment and intervention for children aged 0–19.
• Deliver whole-school training, consultation and coaching to education staff.
• Lead and supervise junior staff and students as delegated.
• Collaborate with families and partner agencies to support inclusive participation.
• Maintain documentation and contribute to service development and governance.

Skills

OT assessment expertise

Paediatric OT

Autonomous practice

Supervision skills

Education

OT degree

HCPC registration

Job description

Go back North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH)

Specialist Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 11 October 2026

Are you an experienced and enthusiastic Band 6Occupational Therapist passionate about supporting children and young people?

Join our Childrens Community Occupational Therapy Serviceas one of 4.1 WTE Band 6 Specialist Occupational Therapists delivering Expertsat Hand across Halton and Warrington. The service supports educational settingsto identify needs early and provide inclusive support so children and youngpeople can participate, learn and thrive. Through consultation, coaching,modelling and training, you will build staff confidence to provide support atuniversal, targeted and targeted-plus levels, working with families andpartners to reduce barriers and secure the right help at the right time.

You will join a supportive, collaborative team whoseapproachable leaders value wellbeing, work-life balance and professionaldevelopment. You will receive high-quality clinical supervision andopportunities to strengthen specialist practice, contribute to serviceimprovement and share occupational therapy expertise.

If you are an innovative, motivated occupational therapistwith strong clinical reasoning, communication and collaborative working skills,we would be delighted to welcome you.

At North Cheshire and Mersey NHS FoundationTrust, our values of Kind, Open, Fair and One Team guide how we work.You will demonstrate them through compassionate care, open communication,inclusive practice and partnership working that improves outcomes for childrenand young people.

Main duties of the job

As a Band 6 Specialist Occupational Therapist within the innovative Experts at Hand service, you will provide specialistoccupational therapy advice to help schools develop the knowledge, skills andconfidence to support children and young people with occupational performance,participation and independence needs.

You will develop and deliver engaging whole-school training,consultation and coaching, enabling education staff to embed inclusiveoccupational therapy approaches and use appropriate targeted, evidence-based strategies.You will work collaboratively with colleagues, sharing specialist knowledge andcontributing to reflective practice and service development.

You will deliver drop-in consultation sessions withinschools, supporting staff to identify occupational needs early, agree practicalstrategies and navigate pathways so children receive support at a universal,targeted or specialist level. Working collaboratively with education staff, familiesand partner agencies, you will promote inclusive environments and help embed effectiveapproaches into everyday routines across school communities.

You will contribute to the evaluation and continuousimprovement of the service by recording outcomes, gathering feedback and using performanceinformation to demonstrate the impact of the Experts at Hand model onstaff confidence, inclusive practice and outcomes for children and youngpeople.

Provisional interview dates: 21st & 22ndOctober 2026

About us

Flexible working will be considered for all roles.

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM) serves more than one million residents across the Halton and Warrington boroughs and the wider North West region.

Bringing together community and out-of-hospital services (formerly provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare) with inpatient and elective care (formerly Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals) we provide services at two hospital sites and more than 70 community hubs and facilities.

Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM).

They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation.

Our mission

We will be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other

Our vision

We will be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn

Our values

• Kind: We are caring, supportive and respectful to everyone
• Open: We are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working
• Fair: We listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all
• One team: We work well together and with our communities

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose: To provide Occupational Therapy intervention to children (aged 0 to 19 years), with a variety of conditions.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose: To provide Occupational Therapy intervention to children (aged 0 to 19 years), with a variety of conditions.

To work across the geographical areas within the allocated borough.

To manage a defined caseload using evidence based/client centre principles to access, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.

To regularly supervise Occupational Therapy students on practice placement.

To provide leadership and clinical supervision for other staff as delegated.

To continue own professional development.

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

• To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work and to maintain overall accountability for delegated duties of treatment to junior staff for patients on your caseload.
• To use a wide variety of Occupational Therapy assessment methods to identify clients who require Occupational Therapy intervention.
• To prioritise referrals and caseload using local guidelines/care pathways.
• To insure interventions take place in the most appropriate setting, e.g. hospital or clients homes
• To plan, prepare and undertake client assessments for a designated caseload.
• To identify areas of occupational performance and skill deficit in all functional activities of daily life.
• To work with clients and/or carers to identify goals as part of an overall care plan in co-operation with the multi professional team.
• To plan and implement individual and/or group interventions in collaboration with clients using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals.
• To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for clients with multiple needs/pathology in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• To demonstrate and apply a broad level of understanding of the effect of disability and recommend adaptations to the clients physical and social environment.
• To justify own clinical judgments when differences of opinion occur
• To act as an advocate for patients needs when necessary
• To demonstrate effective communication skills with carers, team members, occupational therapy colleagues and other agencies.
• To be able to take a lead in Multi-Disciplinary Team Meetings.
• To maintain good working relationships.
• To convey information on diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plans in a range of verbal and non-verbal forms that clients/relatives can understand.
• Using a variety of skills gain consent and co-operation to treatment plans.
• To educate children, parents/guardians and teachers in conditions and their effects in order to achieve maximum development.
• To contribute to client related developments and activities within the multi-professional team.
• To prepare reports for Education, Health and Care Plans within the appropriate timescale, and contribute written and verbal reports for IEPs, annual reviews and transition, contributing appropriately to development of young peoples Health Action Plans.

Record Keeping

• To maintain accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with Trust Policies and Royal College of Occupational Therapy and Health Care Professional Council Standards of Practice.
• To maintain timely statistics and other records as requested by the Occupational Therapy Service and the Trust.
• To monitor the quality of record keeping for support staff and students.

Professional Ethics

To comply with the Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT) Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Guidance and National and Trust Policies and Procedures.

To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of clients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

Service Responsibilities

• To participate in the day-to-day organisation and development of the service.
• To contribute to the Trusts clinical governance arrangements and quality agenda.
• To demonstrate understanding of national and local guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on service delivery.
• Be responsible for the monitoring of materials and equipment and bring defects or deficits to the attention of the Team Leader.
• To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
• To advise the Team Leader on resources required to carry out the job.
• To review and reflect on own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.
• To maintain a professional portfolio of Continuing Professional Development recording learning outcomes through participation in internal and external development opportunities.
• To comply with annual PDR and appraisal system.
• To plan and implement the induction of junior staff/students.
• To receive, plan and deliver training for own profession and others.To undertake the supervision of junior staff as delegated by senior staff.
• To regularly supervise, evaluate and assess Occupational Therapy students to include negotiating learning contracts and setting objectives.
• To adhere to Health and Safety Policies and Procedures and carry out responsibilities accordingly.

Please see full job description attached.

Person Specification

Experience

• Demonstrable post registration including a specialism.
• Documented evidence of continuing professional development.
• Supervision of students.
• Experience in a broad range of physical and mental health settings.
• Supervision of junior staff.

Qualifications

• Diploma/Degree in OT.
• Health and Care Professionals Council registration

Job Specific Requirements

• Commitment to client-centred, non-discriminatory practice.
• Able to move and handle children of all ages and disabilities.
• Able to move and handle equipment.
• Knowledge and/or further training in moving and handling techniques.
• The ability to travel independent area across the Trust
• The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs
• Membership of Royal College of Occupational Therapy
• Membership of relevant special interest groups

Right to Work

• Do you currently have the unrestricted right to work in the UK?
• If appointed, will you require sponsorship under a UK work visa route (now or in the future)?
• Please note that sponsorship is not available for all roles. Sponsorship will only be considered where the post meets the relevant UK immigration requirements and where the organisation determines that sponsorship is appropriate for the role.

Skills and Knowledge

• Specialist knowledge and application of Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions to paediatric client group.
• Extensive understanding of core skills of Occupational Therapy.
• Extensive understanding of Occupational Therapy process.
• Understanding of Occupational Therapy outcome measures.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Able to set own priorities.
• Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
• Supervisory and appraisal skills.
• Able to reflect and critically appraise self and others.
• Ability to organize and respond efficiently to complex information.
• Ability to build effective working relationships.
• In depth knowledge of team dynamics.
• Knowledge of current legislation/guidelines around paediatrics.
• Knowledge of principles of Clinical Governance.
• Presentation and training skills.
• Knowledge of models of Occupational Therapy practice.
• Experience of audit of Occupational Therapy outcomes.

Relationships

• If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.

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 Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH)