Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Occupational Therapy Team Lead - Surgery & Orthopaedics

The closing date is 01 February 2026

Job summary

Band 7 Occupational Therapy Team Lead - Surgery & Orthopaedics

**This is a fixed-term/secondment opportunity for 10 months to cover maternity leave.**

Are you a dynamic individual with specialist inpatient orthopaedic & surgery experience?

Are you passionate about patient-centred care and do you value working in a positive team environment focused on peer support and development?

We are pleased to offer this exciting opportunity to come and join our team at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. We are looking to employ a skilled, forward thinking, dynamic individual as Orthopaedics & Surgery Team Lead Occupational Therapist.

The post is suitable for an experienced OT with past leadership and service development experience. The post will be operating across both elective and trauma orthopaedics, general surgery, urology and ENT inpatient areas, working with individuals with a variety of complex needs. Additionally, there are outpatient responsibilities for the regular pre-op hip and knee schools.

The successful applicant will have extensive NHS inpatient orthopaedics and surgery experience and possess excellent assessment, clinical reasoning, treatment and teaching skills. You will have sound IT skills and demonstrate the Trust's CARE values.

Main duties of the job

  • To be an occupational therapist clinical expert in the management of patients in Orthopaedics & Surgery (Elective, Trauma, ENT, Urology & Gynae) for the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Hospital (RBFT).
  • To be responsible for the operational management and clinical leadership of the occupational therapy team in conjunction with the Professional Lead.
  • To use expert occupational therapy knowledge and advanced clinical reasoning skills to provide specialist support and advice to the occupational therapy team and other healthcare staff, and to manage own caseload of patients with highly complex conditions as an autonomous practitioner.
  • To ensure a high quality and effective occupational therapy service.
  • To be a member of the Occupational Therapy Department Management team, contributing to planning and policy development in the multi-disciplinary team and department.
  • To deputise for the Professional Lead as required.

About us

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest District General Hospitals in the country. The hospital achieved Foundation Trust status on 1st June 2006. It was the first Foundation Trust in the South Central Strategic Health Authority.

The Trust has a successful track record of delivering high quality acute medical and surgical services for 500,000 patients across West Berkshire, an area extending from Newbury in the west to Henley-on-Thames in the east, and including Wokingham and parts of Hampshire to the south and parts of Oxfordshire to the north. The Trust is Readings biggest employer.

We are fortunate to be supported by a dynamic and forward-thinking Therapies Practice Education Team. Please follow the link to see how we support our staff in the delivery of excellent patient care: https://youtu.be/dFeVzr_UqCw

Reading sits on the river Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.

The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.

Our "CARE" values:Compassionate,Aspirational,Resourceful,Excellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.

Details

Date posted

15 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

193-7698897NCG

Job locations

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Craven Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the role.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Proven leadership experience
  • Experience at Band 6 or above in relevant area of practice
  • Evidence of specialist clinical skills in practice
  • Experience in performance management
  • Experience in managing/supervising staff and students

Desirable

  • Experience in managing complex team issues
  • Band 7 level experience in relevant area of practice

Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of highly specialist knowledge of OT within the field of Ortho and/or Surgery
  • Knowledge of current issues and policy relating to field of practice
  • Registered OT with HCPC

Desirable

  • Attendance at specialist courses relating to OT within the field of Ortho and/or Surgery
  • Completion of relevant QI projects
  • Evidence of CPD
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Proven leadership experience
  • Experience at Band 6 or above in relevant area of practice
  • Evidence of specialist clinical skills in practice
  • Experience in performance management
  • Experience in managing/supervising staff and students

Desirable

  • Experience in managing complex team issues
  • Band 7 level experience in relevant area of practice

Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of highly specialist knowledge of OT within the field of Ortho and/or Surgery
  • Knowledge of current issues and policy relating to field of practice
  • Registered OT with HCPC

Desirable

  • Attendance at specialist courses relating to OT within the field of Ortho and/or Surgery
  • Completion of relevant QI projects
  • Evidence of CPD

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Craven Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Craven Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Occupational Therapy Professional Lead

Josie Caffrey

josie.caffrey@royalberkshire.nhs.uk

01183225215

Details

Date posted

15 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

193-7698897NCG

Job locations

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Craven Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Supporting documents

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