Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Community Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 05 December 2025

Job summary

We are excited to offer a 12 month fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for a dynamic, motivated Occupational Therapists.

Internal applicants who wish to be considered for a secondment opportunity should discuss with their line manager the suitability of a possible secondment

This is an excellent chance for:

  • Experienced Band 5 cliniciansseeking a development opportunity, or
  • Established Band 6 OTslooking for a new challenge in a supportive environment.

The Role will sit withing out community core team based at Collingwood HouseFocus on patients with longer-term conditions, providing holistic assessments and interventions within patients' homes. This role involves autonomous working in the community, managing a caseload across Gloucester and surrounding areas.

Key Responsibilities

  • Conduct comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessments
  • Develop individualised, goal-oriented treatment plans
  • Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
  • Support timely discharges and promote patient independence
  • Contribute to service development and quality improvement initiatives

Requirements

  • HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist
  • Car driver with access to a vehicle (essential)
  • Excellent communication, time management, team-working skills
  • Flexible, patient-centred approach with a focus on promoting independence

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an experienced, flexible and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist with a good understanding of rehabilitation and a passion for community work. Candidates should have a good variety of clinical experience and be committed to providing the highest standard of assessment and treatment.

The successful applicant will have excellent communication skills, will enjoy working in a team and be able to support junior staff and support staff. They will be experienced in working with adults with physical health conditions in a variety of health and social care settings.

If you have a passion for community work, and delivering personalised care, then we would love to hear from you.

The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.

About us

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:

  • 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
  • 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
  • 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.

This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.

Details

Date posted

24 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

327-25-975

Job locations

Collingwood House

Horton Road

Gloucester

GL1 3PX


Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities- To manage as an independent skilled practitioner, using advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflection and analytical skills. To be accountable for own professional actions- To be competent in assessing a persons support needs and identifying specific support and where rehabilitation would improve independence.- To monitor, evaluate and modify goals/treatment using appropriate outcome measures to ensure effectiveness of interventions.- To be competent in environmental risk assessments and managing risk autonomously within the home environment. To promote a positive risk taking approach to facilitate retention of patient independence and well-being.- To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload. This may involve complex decision making regarding patients being safe to remain in their place of residence or requiring admission to hospital.- To assess patients capacity, gain valid informed consent to treatment and where such capacity is lacking/absent, to work within a legal framework to manage the patient appropriately.- To provide spontaneous and planned advice and instruction to relatives, carers, other disciplines and agencies to promote understanding of the aims of occupational therapyfor each individual patient, and to ensure continuation of the individualised goal plan that has been set in collaboration with the patient/family/carer. This will include moving andhandling advice and falls prevention.- To attend and initiate multidisciplinary / multi agency team meetings and case conferences to ensure the coordination of patient care. This will include review of patient progress, setting of short and long-term goals, and discharge planning.- To ensure all personal and team written and electronic documentation is kept up to date and accurate and handle records and all other information in accordance with professional standards, applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines; nationally.- To undertake ongoing measurement and evaluation of own work through audit, outcome measurement, and the application of evidence-based practice and research where appropriate.- To work to Trust and Royal College of Occupational Therapy clinical guidelines and have a good working knowledge of relevant national standards to which quality of practice should be monitored.- To meet potential requirements of flexible working as part of potential changes in service re-design or to support staffing difficulties.- To identify and employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients, relatives and carers who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating for example, hearing loss, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, dementia, pain, fear or the inability to accept diagnosis (including the terminally ill patient).- To educate patients/relatives/carers regarding the nature of the condition/prognosis, the aims of occupational therapy intervention and long-term management in the home.- To engage the patient, and relatives/carers where appropriate, in the planning and agreement of goals to maximise rehabilitation potential.- To employ appropriate skills to facilitate motivation and gain co-operation in the continuation of the agreed goal plan/treatment programme and management of the patients condition.- To communicate with empathy, patient information which may be of a complex and sensitive nature.- To communicate complex patient-related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with other professionals across health and external agencies- To assist the senior staff with the prioritisation and management of a designated departmental caseload, as well as with urgent referrals.

- To supervise, train, advise, support and manage occupational therapists, occupationaltherapy assistants, students and community care workers performance who report to the post-holder.- To deal with issues relating to performance management in consultation with line manager and professional lead as appropriate- To attend and contribute to departmental, countywide and wider organisational meetings to ensure the effective exchange of information across the team and co-ordination of local service delivery.- Supervise work experience students.- To take responsibility for the appropriate selection, issue and education regarding the safe use of equipment to patients (following specialist assessment)- To undertake specific tasks as designated by more senior staff and to delegate specific tasks or workload to unregistered staff.- To contribute to the occupational therapy service development through audit and dissemination of information.- To propose service changes for own work area based on specialist knowledge, and if requested lead local project groups. Once agreed then implement, monitor and audit if appropriate.- To participate in the trusts individual review process as an appraisee and appraiser, with responsibility for clinical supervision (formally every 8 weeks as a minimum) for all staff that are line managed by the post holder.- To adhere to the policies and procedures of the Trust and occupational therapy service.

The Trust is required to work in line with the Governments UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities- To manage as an independent skilled practitioner, using advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflection and analytical skills. To be accountable for own professional actions- To be competent in assessing a persons support needs and identifying specific support and where rehabilitation would improve independence.- To monitor, evaluate and modify goals/treatment using appropriate outcome measures to ensure effectiveness of interventions.- To be competent in environmental risk assessments and managing risk autonomously within the home environment. To promote a positive risk taking approach to facilitate retention of patient independence and well-being.- To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload. This may involve complex decision making regarding patients being safe to remain in their place of residence or requiring admission to hospital.- To assess patients capacity, gain valid informed consent to treatment and where such capacity is lacking/absent, to work within a legal framework to manage the patient appropriately.- To provide spontaneous and planned advice and instruction to relatives, carers, other disciplines and agencies to promote understanding of the aims of occupational therapyfor each individual patient, and to ensure continuation of the individualised goal plan that has been set in collaboration with the patient/family/carer. This will include moving andhandling advice and falls prevention.- To attend and initiate multidisciplinary / multi agency team meetings and case conferences to ensure the coordination of patient care. This will include review of patient progress, setting of short and long-term goals, and discharge planning.- To ensure all personal and team written and electronic documentation is kept up to date and accurate and handle records and all other information in accordance with professional standards, applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines; nationally.- To undertake ongoing measurement and evaluation of own work through audit, outcome measurement, and the application of evidence-based practice and research where appropriate.- To work to Trust and Royal College of Occupational Therapy clinical guidelines and have a good working knowledge of relevant national standards to which quality of practice should be monitored.- To meet potential requirements of flexible working as part of potential changes in service re-design or to support staffing difficulties.- To identify and employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients, relatives and carers who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating for example, hearing loss, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, dementia, pain, fear or the inability to accept diagnosis (including the terminally ill patient).- To educate patients/relatives/carers regarding the nature of the condition/prognosis, the aims of occupational therapy intervention and long-term management in the home.- To engage the patient, and relatives/carers where appropriate, in the planning and agreement of goals to maximise rehabilitation potential.- To employ appropriate skills to facilitate motivation and gain co-operation in the continuation of the agreed goal plan/treatment programme and management of the patients condition.- To communicate with empathy, patient information which may be of a complex and sensitive nature.- To communicate complex patient-related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with other professionals across health and external agencies- To assist the senior staff with the prioritisation and management of a designated departmental caseload, as well as with urgent referrals.

- To supervise, train, advise, support and manage occupational therapists, occupationaltherapy assistants, students and community care workers performance who report to the post-holder.- To deal with issues relating to performance management in consultation with line manager and professional lead as appropriate- To attend and contribute to departmental, countywide and wider organisational meetings to ensure the effective exchange of information across the team and co-ordination of local service delivery.- Supervise work experience students.- To take responsibility for the appropriate selection, issue and education regarding the safe use of equipment to patients (following specialist assessment)- To undertake specific tasks as designated by more senior staff and to delegate specific tasks or workload to unregistered staff.- To contribute to the occupational therapy service development through audit and dissemination of information.- To propose service changes for own work area based on specialist knowledge, and if requested lead local project groups. Once agreed then implement, monitor and audit if appropriate.- To participate in the trusts individual review process as an appraisee and appraiser, with responsibility for clinical supervision (formally every 8 weeks as a minimum) for all staff that are line managed by the post holder.- To adhere to the policies and procedures of the Trust and occupational therapy service.

The Trust is required to work in line with the Governments UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registered
  • Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy

Desirable

  • Moving and Handling Training

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working within the community
  • Independently managing own caseload
  • Experience in rehabilitation

Desirable

  • Experience of using the housing regeneration act in relation to Disabled Facilities Grants
  • Experience or recommending major adaptations in patient homes to enable independence

Other requirements

Essential

  • Ability to travel around the locality

Knowledge

Essential

  • Effective communication skills, written and verbal
  • Positive leadership skills
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registered
  • Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy

Desirable

  • Moving and Handling Training

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working within the community
  • Independently managing own caseload
  • Experience in rehabilitation

Desirable

  • Experience of using the housing regeneration act in relation to Disabled Facilities Grants
  • Experience or recommending major adaptations in patient homes to enable independence

Other requirements

Essential

  • Ability to travel around the locality

Knowledge

Essential

  • Effective communication skills, written and verbal
  • Positive leadership skills

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

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Collingwood House

Horton Road

Gloucester

GL1 3PX


Employer's website

https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/who-we-are/jobs/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Collingwood House

Horton Road

Gloucester

GL1 3PX


Employer's website

https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/who-we-are/jobs/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Community Occupational Therapy Lead

Zoe Danter/Kate Gwilliam

zoe.danter@ghc.nhs.uk

03004213700

Details

Date posted

24 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

327-25-975

Job locations

Collingwood House

Horton Road

Gloucester

GL1 3PX


Supporting documents

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