Rotational Occupational Therapist

About the Role

We are looking for an enthusiastic, well‑motivated Occupational Therapist to join the Therapy department at Northampton General Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire group. The post involves working as part of a joint therapy team (OTs, Physios and Support Staff) with rotations including Acute Medicine, Elderly Care, Urgent Care and Frailty, Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Stroke, Respiratory and Hand Therapy.

The successful candidate will work within our 7‑day service, with weekend working required. As a Band 5 clinician, you will deliver a quality Occupational Therapy Service in close collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Team – Physiotherapy, Technical Instructors, Nurses, Medics and the Hospital Complex case discharge Team.

• Surgery
• Acute Medicine
• Elderly Care
• Stroke
• Hand Therapy
• Trauma & Orthopaedics
• Urgent Care & Frailty
• Respiratory

• Provide a professional Occupational Therapy service to patients on own caseload, under the supervision of senior colleagues.
• Select, plan and implement assessments and treatment interventions for patients either in the hospital or in their own home or community setting.
• Use clinical reasoning to balance risk, safety, patient choice and eligibility for services.
• Manage a caseload on designated ward(s), seeking guidance from Therapy colleagues as required.
• Assess patients for safe discharge, referring on to appropriate community services.
• Assess and prescribe equipment, adaptations, ongoing rehabilitation and care provision as appropriate and necessary for a safe discharge.
• Carry out assessments within patients' homes as appropriate within departmental guidelines.
• Communicate effectively with patients, family members, carers, MDT members, Therapy colleagues and other agencies.
• Provide support to patients and carers, sharing information to enable them to make informed decisions regarding Occupational Therapy recommendations and discharge arrangements.
• Advise patients and carers, demonstrating safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise functional ability, safety and independence.
• Liaise with health and social care professionals and related statutory, private and voluntary organisations, providing verbal and written reports and referrals where appropriate, in accordance with data protection principles.
• Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to a service sensitive to these needs.
• Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
• Submit accurate timesheets within set departmental timescales for additional hours worked.
• Work flexibly to meet prioritised needs within specific clinical areas and across all service areas when Therapy colleagues are absent.
• Adhere to guidelines and eligibility criteria relating to the provision of home adaptations, equipment and wheelchairs to ensure equity of service.
• Give guidance and training to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff where required.
• Assist Therapy colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the Therapy services.
• Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements.
• Provide formal clinical reports for the MDT as required.
• Collect, record and submit accurate clinical and personal statistical data in line with departmental requirements and guidelines.
• Participate in the Therapy in‑service training programme, taking the lead in designated sessions as appropriate.
• Attend and participate in Therapy service staff meetings regularly.
• Identify own learning and development needs with support from senior Therapy colleagues, contributing to the production of a Personal Development Plan.
• Build an ongoing Continuing Professional Development portfolio, recording learning outcomes of development opportunities.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current Occupational Therapy research and apply this to practice in conjunction with the Therapy team.
• Contribute to audit and research activity within the Therapy Service as appropriate.
• Review and reflect on own practice, actively participating in regular supervision and annual appraisal.

• Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide safe patient care and participate in maintenance and training.

• Contribute to the Therapy Service governance arrangements and to the work of selected departmental groups (e.g., Risk Management, Health & Safety).
• Delegate work tasks appropriately to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff.

• Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions.
• Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within the Therapy Service to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Comply with…