Occupational Therapist

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Hutt Valley; Lower Hutt; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora invites an Occupational Therapist to join the inpatient team at Hutt Hospital. The role provides variety across acute wards and rehabilitation, including Older Persons' Rehabilitation Services, with a focus on maximising independence and timely discharges.

You will assess, intervene and educate, prescribing equipment and contributing to discharge planning alongside whānau and a multidisciplinary team, in a fast-paced, clinically diverse setting.

Qualifications

• Registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of NZ and Annual Practising Certificate.
• Minimum two years' post-graduate clinical experience in acute hospital or inpatient rehab.
• Strong assessment, clinical reasoning and discharge planning skills in health or rehab.
• Ability to work autonomously within a multidisciplinary team.
• Commitment to culturally safe practice, health equity for Māori and priority populations.

Responsibilities

• Provide OT services across acute wards and rehabilitation settings.
• Complete functional, cognitive and environmental assessments to inform care.
• Prescribe equipment, deliver interventions and education; support discharge planning.
• Collaborate with patients, whānau and the multidisciplinary team to optimise outcomes.

Skills

Clinical reasoning

Discharge planning

Autonomy

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

NZ Registered OT

Annual Practising Certificate

Job description

Location: Hutt Hospital

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we're building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the Role

As an Occupational Therapist within our inpatient team, no two days are the same. This is a varied and rewarding float position providing occupational therapy services across acute wards and rehabilitation settings, including Older Persons' Rehabilitation Services (OPRS). You will work with patients experiencing a wide range of medical, neurological, orthopaedic, surgical, and age-related conditions, supporting them to maximise independence and achieve safe, timely discharges. You'll use your clinical reasoning skills to complete functional, cognitive, and environmental assessments, prescribe equipment, provide intervention and education, and contribute to discharge planning alongside patients, whānau, and the multidisciplinary team. This role offers the opportunity to develop broad clinical expertise while working in a fast-paced environment where your input has a direct impact on patient outcomes and hospital flow.

About the Team/Service Location

The Hutt Hospital Occupational Therapy team is part of a supportive and collaborative Allied Health service committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred care. Our inpatient team consists of eleven staff, including nine Occupational Therapists and two Allied Health Assistants, working closely together to support patients across a range of acute and rehabilitation settings. We are a friendly and supportive team with a mix of experienced clinicians and rotational staff, fostering a culture of clinical learning, collaboration, and professional growth. We work closely with physiotherapists, social workers, speech language therapists, dietitians, nursing staff, and medical teams to support patients throughout their hospital journey. This role sits within our inpatient service and provides flexibility to work across a range of clinical areas, offering excellent opportunities for professional growth, skill development, and exposure to diverse clinical presentations.

About you

We are seeking an Occupational Therapist who enjoys variety, works well within multidisciplinary teams, and is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-informed care.

You will have:

• Registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand and a current Annual Practising Certificate.
• A minimum of two years' post-graduate clinical experience in an acute hospital or inpatient rehabilitation setting.
• Strong assessment, clinical reasoning, and discharge planning skills within a health or rehabilitation setting.
• The ability to work autonomously while contributing positively to multidisciplinary team processes.
• A commitment to culturally safe practice, health equity, and improving outcomes for Māori and other priority populations.

Desirable:

• Experience supervising students or supporting less experienced staff.
• An interest in quality improvement, service development, and evidence-based practice.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is 'the weaving of wellness'. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact [e-mail]

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.