Specialist Occupational Therapist

Specialist Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 25 February 2026

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest integrated organisations in the country, providing hospital and community services to a population of over 650,000. We are an ambitious and innovative organisation with a talented workforce of over 7,000 colleagues. Our vision is to be "Right First Time, Every Time" and our mission is to provide safe, compassionate and joined‑up care to the population of County Durham and Darlington.

Do you have enthusiasm and motivation to take on new challenges with our forward‑thinking Trust? Are you an excellent team worker who also has the drive to lead and influence change? Do you strive to provide seamless, holistic, patient‑centred care within a progressive multidisciplinary team? If so, we invite you to apply.

This post will be based at Bishop Auckland Hospital and cover the south of the county and the Durham Dales areas. The successful applicant will work Monday to Saturday in the community therapy team and will be instrumental in allowing people of all ages to live as independently and safely as possible within their own homes and communities.

As a member of the organisation, the post holder will independently manage their own caseload in the community, providing goal‑led interventions following a comprehensive assessment. You will assess clients in their own homes and community settings to understand their physical, cognitive and environmental needs, provide practical strategies to support daily living, and develop specialist knowledge of many conditions in community therapy, intermediate care, crisis teams and the application of occupational therapy processes with these patients.

• Develop skills in holistic assessment beyond the scope of traditional occupational therapy practice
• Develop supervisory, leadership and service‑development skills
• Support assistant staff and help with their development
• Lead and participate in peer support and service training
• Work within a dynamic multidisciplinary team

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, as BAME and disabled people are currently under‑represented.

• Provide community‑based occupational therapy to support people to live independently and safely
• Organise and prioritise own workload and monitor those you clinically supervise within a defined area
• Independently screen, prioritise and plan interventions for routine and priority referrals received within the specialist area
• Use sound clinical judgement to prioritise patients within a demanding and unpredictable environment, ensuring effective use of resources
• Assist staff under your supervision to prioritise their caseloads and advise them on appropriate interventions in response to complex cases on a daily basis
• Undertake holistic and comprehensive specialist assessments of patients, including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi‑pathologies that change across the caseload
• Utilise analytical and clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide accurate diagnosis of their condition, interpret facts, select appropriate treatment and implement rehabilitation programmes

• Ability to travel and carry small items of equipment on a daily basis to fulfil the requirements of the post
• Understanding of the local area and its demands
• Ability to meet the physical and emotional demands of the post

• BSc/MSc in Occupational Therapy
• Evidence of CPD, including attendance at recent post‑graduate courses relevant to the clinical fields in the specialism

• Comprehensive and relevant qualified experience in physical rehabilitation, including recent general rehabilitation experience in the NHS
• Experience of collaborative working within multidisciplinary teams and evidence of communication skills within a wide variety of settings
• Experience in staff appraisals and working in a variety of settings

• HCPC Registered
• Member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapy