Specialist Occupational Therapist (development post considered) WCH

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust; Whitehaven; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27-day holiday scheme

NHS Discounts

Salary Sacrifice schemes

Job summary

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Band 6 Specialist Occupational Therapist (development post considered) based at West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven. The role is full-time, 37.5 hours per week, managing a defined caseload with evidence-based, client-centered interventions in hospital and community settings.

You will lead and supervise OT staff, collaborate with MDT colleagues, and contribute to safe discharge planning and professional development

Qualifications

• Degree in occupational therapy and HCPC registration are essential.
• Postgraduate certificate/diploma relevant to development post considered an advantage.
• IT skills expected for supervision and documentation.
• Accredited wheelchair prescriber status desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise occupational therapists and support staff.
• Provide specialist assessment, planning, and evaluation in hospital and community settings.
• Coordinate workload and supervise practice placements for OT students.
• Support discharge planning and liaise with MDT and community services.

Skills

Organisational ability & time mgmt

Effective communication

Critical appraisal

Independent working

Prioritising workloads

Assessment planning execution

Presentation & training

Education

Degree in occupational therapy

HCPC registration

Postgraduate certificate or equivalent

Postgraduate diploma or equivalent

Job description

Would you like to join a centre of excellence in rural and remote healthcare?

Specialist Occupational Therapist (development post considered) WCH

NHS AfC: Band 6 or Band 5-6 Development

Main area 200031 CIC Occupational Therapy Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 or Band 5-6 Development Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 262-A-26-8210914

Site West Cumberland Hospital Town Whitehaven Salary £32,073 - £48,117 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 03/09/2026 23:59

Job overview

Band 6 Specialist Occupational Therapist / Band 5-6 development post would also be considered

We are seeking to recruit a Band 6 Occupational Therapist to work within the acute team at the West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven. The post is full time, 37.5 hours per week

The post holder will manage a defined caseload of patients, using evidence based/client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in hospital and community settings.

The post holder will work alongside the wider MDT members and community services, providing specialist assessment and treatment and facilitating safe and efficient discharge planning.

They will provide leadership and supervision to occupational therapists and support staff within the team.

They will be required to prioritise and co-ordinate the daily workload of their own and more junior staff members, to ensure rehabilitation is optimised.

They will regularly supervise occupational therapy students on practice placement.

Main duties of the job

They will use evidence based/client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions. Provide leadership and supervision for occupational therapists and support staff within the team, regularly supervising occupational therapy students on practice placements as appropriate.

The post holder will support the Clinical Team Lead of the service, deputising to certain aspects of the role as required.

The service is part of a strong Occupational Therapy network, with links to the teams at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, as well as the wider health and social care settings across North Cumbria. This provides many professional development opportunities and there is a strong focus on CPD within the team. You will have access to high quality, regular clinical supervision, and we offer an excellent induction, ongoing professional support and a highly rewarding job to the successful applicant.

Working for our organisation

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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION :

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.

CERTIFICATE OF SPONSORSHIP:

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. For further information visit theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

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 eligiblevacancies.

AHP - Return to Practice Job Advert information.This role may be suitable for individuals Returning to Practice. Please speak to the recruiting manager for more information.

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

Disclosure and Barring Service:

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.

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:

Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £6.50 = £28.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £6.50 = £56.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

NCIC can offer successful future employees the following benefits:

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

NHS Discounts*

Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work*

Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

*Subject to eligibility

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

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.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Degree in occupational therapy or equivalent
• Registered as an occupational therapist with the Health Care Professions Council
• Relevant development to postgraduate certificate or equivalent
• Relevant postgraduate diploma or equivalent
• Essential IT skills (EITS) or equivalent.
• Accredited wheelchair prescriber

Experience

• Rotation within the key acute areas as a band 5 occupational therapist, e.g. elderly, medical, orthopaedics, surgery, neuro rehabilitation and stroke rehabilitation
• Working with specialised occupational therapy equipment
• Assessing for, designing and following cross boundary procedures for provision of adaptations.
• Audit and resultant changes in practice
• Evidence of publications
• Supervision of other staff member.
• Research

Knowledge

• Continuing professional development with portfolio
• Current health and social policies, NHS modernisation agenda and how these affect OT services
• Up to date knowledge and awareness of the area of specialist practice
• Relevant national and service guidelines and their application.
• Evidence based practice
• A wide range of models of occupational therapy and their application in a range of clinical settings
• Use of standardised assessment tools
• Quality improvement
• Professional ethics, their use & application
• Multidisciplinary team working
• Relevant training within the specialist area
• Clinical supervision

Skills and Aptitudes

• Organisational ability & time management
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise performance
• Ability to work independently and set priorities
• Able to prioritise work to meet deadlines
• Ability to work across other OT specialities to maintain staffing levels
• Ability to gather and analyse information on occupational performance components of patients functioning as part of OT intervention
• Presentation and training skills.

Personal Circumstances

• Team player
• Willing to participate in planned movement at specialist OT (band 6) level.
• Commitment to research

Other Requirements

• Able to travel independently around the area served by the Trust
• Driving licence
• Member of BAOT and specialist interest group
• Commitment to service development

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.

Name Karen Barwick Job title Deputy Head of Occupational Therapy Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01228 814445

If you have problems applying, contact

Address South Parkhouse Building
Baron Way
Kingmoor Park
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA6 4SJ
Telephone [phone]