Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Specialist Occupational Therapistto join our dynamic Surgery Team within the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This permanent Band 6 role offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to high-quality patient care across a range of surgical and cardio wards. You will play a key role in supporting patients through their recovery and discharge planning, ensuring timely and effective interventions in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Key Responsibilities
- Deliver specialist occupational therapy interventions within an acute hospital setting.
- Support effective and timely discharge planning in partnership with the MDT.
- Supervise junior staff and contribute to the education of students on placement.
- Assist the team lead with daily caseload management and lead service development initiatives.
About You We are seeking a professional who brings:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Sound knowledge of occupational therapy practice in acute care settings.
- Ability to work collaboratively within an MDT environment.
- Commitment to high standards of patient care and service improvement.
- Interview Date Monday 23 February 2026
- 22 Hours 30 Minutes/Week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
Discharge planning skills are key to this post, and you will need to be able to make timely decisions regarding the patients on your caseload.
Your professional growth will be supported by experienced Band 7 therapists. Excellent time management and organizational skills and the ability to work under pressure are also essential requirements of this post.
We are looking for a proactive team player with strong communication skills, who will have the opportunity to teach, supervise, and appraise junior staff, assistants, and students.
About us
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Freeman Hospital
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Cramlington Manor Walks
- Urgent treatment centres
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a high standard of occupational therapy care to complex and highly complex patients within a specialist area evidencing high level problem solving, reasoning skills and independence of judgement.
- The specialist practitioner is the clinical lead for the Occupational Therapy Service within the area of practice providing highly specialist knowledge within the Trust and externally to therapists and other health care professionals from secondary and primary care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a high standard of occupational therapy care to complex and highly complex patients within a specialist area evidencing high level problem solving, reasoning skills and independence of judgement.
- The specialist practitioner is the clinical lead for the Occupational Therapy Service within the area of practice providing highly specialist knowledge within the Trust and externally to therapists and other health care professionals from secondary and primary care.
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- In-depth clinical knowledge of medical conditions and their effect on occupational performance
- Highly developed understanding of OT process within acute setting
- In-depth knowledge of health and social care policy, risk assessment and management
- Extensive knowledge of a range of disability equipment
- Extensive knowledge of eligibility criteria and procedures/policies relevant to disability equipment, minor housing adaptations
- Highly specialist knowledge of moving and handling legislation and knowledge of current moving and handling best practice and associated equipment
- Excellent understanding of professional ethics and their application into practice
- Good knowledge of clinical governance
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable
- Knowledge of undertaking research and audit projects
- Knowledge of team dynamics and team building
SKILLS
Essential
- Good organisation, time management, problem solving and prioritisation skills
- Supervisory, team management skills
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Commitment to personal and service development
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
Desirable
- IT skills
- Presentation skills
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Significant post-registration experience incl experience within physical health
- Use of functional assessment and activity analysis
Desirable
- Experience of working with patients with physical disability eg reduced mobility
- Team management
- Experience in supervising staff
QUALIFICATION
Essential
- Degree/Diploma in OT
- State registered with Health Professions Council
- Member of BAOT
- Post graduate experience
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- In-depth clinical knowledge of medical conditions and their effect on occupational performance
- Highly developed understanding of OT process within acute setting
- In-depth knowledge of health and social care policy, risk assessment and management
- Extensive knowledge of a range of disability equipment
- Extensive knowledge of eligibility criteria and procedures/policies relevant to disability equipment, minor housing adaptations
- Highly specialist knowledge of moving and handling legislation and knowledge of current moving and handling best practice and associated equipment
- Excellent understanding of professional ethics and their application into practice
- Good knowledge of clinical governance
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable
- Knowledge of undertaking research and audit projects
- Knowledge of team dynamics and team building
SKILLS
Essential
- Good organisation, time management, problem solving and prioritisation skills
- Supervisory, team management skills
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Commitment to personal and service development
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
Desirable
- IT skills
- Presentation skills
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Significant post-registration experience incl experience within physical health
- Use of functional assessment and activity analysis
Desirable
- Experience of working with patients with physical disability eg reduced mobility
- Team management
- Experience in supervising staff
QUALIFICATION
Essential
- Degree/Diploma in OT
- State registered with Health Professions Council
- Member of BAOT
- Post graduate experience
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.
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.
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).
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