Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Specialist hand therapist

The closing date is 11 August 2025

Job summary

As one of London's leading NHS trusts, we have a world-class reputation for clinical care, teaching and research. This is an exciting opportunity to become built up Band 7 experience and become a key member of the hand therapy service and manage a varied and complex caseload of patients from trauma, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, rheumatology, A&E and major trauma.

We are looking to recruit an inspiring, innovative and highly specialist occupational therapist or physiotherapist to join our hand therapy team to offer clinical and operational expertise and leadership. In collaboration with other senior Therapy staff you will support delivery of a high quality and responsive service.

This is a fixed term contract band 7 for a total of 6 months from the start date.

Main duties of the job

  • To plan and deliver a client centred hand therapy service to patients in hospital and in outpatient hand therapy clinics.
  • To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid, informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
  • The ability to manage, treat, and discharge a diagnostically varied and complex patient caseload.
  • To communicate and liaise effectively with other professionals, patients, family/carers and other agencies to ensure an integrated pattern of service delivery. Use formal and informal reporting mechanisms including electronic reporting, to ensure effective communication related to health and social care referral procedures.
  • To remain informed on developments and trends in hand therapy through study of the current literature available, adapting own working practices accordingly.
  • To develop clinical, leadership and teaching skills via continuous professional development (CPD), including maintenance of an up to date CPD portfolio.
  • To organise the induction and/or training of staff, both within or external to the department.
  • Build and sustain relationships as an independent practitioner and collaboratively as a member of a team.
  • To participate in the delivery of the Directorate / Therapy business plan, including operational planning and implementation of policy and service development within the team, leading on delegated projects.

About us

At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care.

Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You'll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career.

Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part time or job share. Please talk to us at interview. .

Details

Date posted

30 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£56,276 to £63,176 a year pa inclusive

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

290-MIC-1754

Job locations

Trustwide

London

W2 1NY


Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required.

For both overviews, please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required.

For both overviews, please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree/Diploma OT / Physiotherapy
  • HCPC registration
  • Adequate English to fulfil job requirements
  • Demonstration of continued education / training in speciality area

Desirable

  • Postgraduate training at masters module level or equivalent related to clinical speciality (BAHT level 2 or equivalent)
  • Placement practice educator trained
  • Clinical Supervisors course

Experience

Essential

  • A level of post-graduate OT / Physiotherapy experience proportional to the competencies associated with the post including experience of working in an outpatient Hand Therapy department
  • Experience of treating a variety of commonly seen orthopaedic and acquired hand conditions, using appropriately designed evidence based protocols
  • Experience of making a variety of splints commonly used in hand therapy, or of using suitable pre-fab options to meet treatment aims
  • Experience splinting and protocols for the post-surgical management of commonly seen hand conditions
  • Experience of choosing, using, accurately recording and evaluating standardised assessments frequently used in hand therapy
  • Experience of developing individual treatment programmes specific to presenting symptoms and therapeutic / MDT goals
  • Experience of carrying out a range of therapeutic modalities specific to hand therapy
  • Teaching, supervision and guidance of junior staff and other professions including supervision and support of therapy students and students of other professions
  • Team work and effective communication / liaison
  • Recording and reporting on intervention and maintenance of activity data
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
  • Knowledge of core therapeutic skills in managing patients with mental health problems

Desirable

  • Previous Band 7 experience
  • Experience of working in MDT clinics or major trauma centre
  • Experience of dynamic splinting for conservative or post-surgical management of hand conditions
  • Developing, monitoring, evaluating and auditing services
  • Experience or formal training in research or evidence of implementation of research findings in day to day practice

Skills/Knowledge/ Abilities

Essential

  • Management of a varied caseload of patients with acquired or traumatic conditions
  • Evidence of knowledge of plastic surgery protocols and advanced skills in Hand Therapy
  • Advanced knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics of the hand and upper limb
  • Knowledge of wound healing processes and dressings
  • Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner seeking guidance when necessary for more complex patients
  • Clinical reasoning and problem solving to identify and develop relevant client-centred, goal orientated treatment plans for routine trauma patients
  • Ability to fabricate static and dynamic splints for the conservative management of a variety of conditions commonly seen in hand therapy
  • Advanced knowledge of outcome measures and standardised assessments commonly used in hand therapy
  • Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information and feedback appropriately to Consultant colleagues
  • Ability to undertake team leadership roles where appropriate, including staff management and supervisory skills
  • Ability to cope with pressurised working environments. Skills to manage and be accountable for team workload prioritisation.

Desirable

  • Evidence of presentation & training skills; writing for publication
  • Evidence of training in leadership/ team building skills
  • Skills in the treatment of post-surgical tendon injuries
  • Training in measuring for pressure garments
Person Specification

Education/ Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree/Diploma OT / Physiotherapy
  • HCPC registration
  • Adequate English to fulfil job requirements
  • Demonstration of continued education / training in speciality area

Desirable

  • Postgraduate training at masters module level or equivalent related to clinical speciality (BAHT level 2 or equivalent)
  • Placement practice educator trained
  • Clinical Supervisors course

Experience

Essential

  • A level of post-graduate OT / Physiotherapy experience proportional to the competencies associated with the post including experience of working in an outpatient Hand Therapy department
  • Experience of treating a variety of commonly seen orthopaedic and acquired hand conditions, using appropriately designed evidence based protocols
  • Experience of making a variety of splints commonly used in hand therapy, or of using suitable pre-fab options to meet treatment aims
  • Experience splinting and protocols for the post-surgical management of commonly seen hand conditions
  • Experience of choosing, using, accurately recording and evaluating standardised assessments frequently used in hand therapy
  • Experience of developing individual treatment programmes specific to presenting symptoms and therapeutic / MDT goals
  • Experience of carrying out a range of therapeutic modalities specific to hand therapy
  • Teaching, supervision and guidance of junior staff and other professions including supervision and support of therapy students and students of other professions
  • Team work and effective communication / liaison
  • Recording and reporting on intervention and maintenance of activity data
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
  • Knowledge of core therapeutic skills in managing patients with mental health problems

Desirable

  • Previous Band 7 experience
  • Experience of working in MDT clinics or major trauma centre
  • Experience of dynamic splinting for conservative or post-surgical management of hand conditions
  • Developing, monitoring, evaluating and auditing services
  • Experience or formal training in research or evidence of implementation of research findings in day to day practice

Skills/Knowledge/ Abilities

Essential

  • Management of a varied caseload of patients with acquired or traumatic conditions
  • Evidence of knowledge of plastic surgery protocols and advanced skills in Hand Therapy
  • Advanced knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics of the hand and upper limb
  • Knowledge of wound healing processes and dressings
  • Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner seeking guidance when necessary for more complex patients
  • Clinical reasoning and problem solving to identify and develop relevant client-centred, goal orientated treatment plans for routine trauma patients
  • Ability to fabricate static and dynamic splints for the conservative management of a variety of conditions commonly seen in hand therapy
  • Advanced knowledge of outcome measures and standardised assessments commonly used in hand therapy
  • Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information and feedback appropriately to Consultant colleagues
  • Ability to undertake team leadership roles where appropriate, including staff management and supervisory skills
  • Ability to cope with pressurised working environments. Skills to manage and be accountable for team workload prioritisation.

Desirable

  • Evidence of presentation & training skills; writing for publication
  • Evidence of training in leadership/ team building skills
  • Skills in the treatment of post-surgical tendon injuries
  • Training in measuring for pressure garments

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Address

Trustwide

London

W2 1NY


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Address

Trustwide

London

W2 1NY


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Clinical Academic for OT

Donna Kennedy

donna.kennedy1@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

30 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£56,276 to £63,176 a year pa inclusive

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

290-MIC-1754

Job locations

Trustwide

London

W2 1NY


Supporting documents

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