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North Bristol NHS Trust

Occupational Therapist

The closing date is 20 January 2026

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Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to lead our specialist outpatient team providing a service to Rheumatology. The role is based at Southmead Hospital and will encompass a range of rheumatological conditions including inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases and osteoarthritis .

This advert may close early, if we have received a sufficient amount of applications. Therefore you are highly advised to apply as soon as possible if you are interested in this position.

Main duties of the job

The caseload is interesting and challenging with provision of comprehensive assessment, education, coping strategies and facilitated self-management to address occupational needs, lifestyle change and prevention of complications. This requires a range of therapeutic skills and knowledge including splinting.

There is close team working and links within the network and wider system to address needs at all stages of the clinical pathway, with occupational therapy playing a crucial role.

The role will support the MSK pathway lead to deliver an occupational therapy service within the specialty. This includes day to day operational management of the team and responsibility for a specialist clinical caseload within outpatient rheumatology.

To understand more about Occupational Therapy at NBT, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9hiZdsBZ20 to watch our video.

About us

North Bristol NHS Trust is a great place to work. Situated in the vibrant city of Bristol is our award-winning building opened in 2014, offering exceptional facilities for patients and staff. We are a large teaching Trust that provides multiple specialties including regional services for neurosciences, major trauma, orthopaedics and surgery (major arterial centre and burns & plastics).

There is both peer and senior support within the pathway and wider service. Various professional development opportunities and training courses are available, with quality improvement projects and service development ideas actively encouraged. Additional benefits include award schemes for excellence, staff restaurants, green spaces and an extensive well being programme.

Details

Date posted

06 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

339-CCS3764-LH

Job locations

Southmead Hospital

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide and develop a highly specialist Occupational Therapy service to patients within specialty area, providing advanced clinical leadership and acting as a clinical advisor for the specialty to occupational therapists working in North Bristol NHS Trust.

Work as an autonomous and highly skilled clinician, without supervision, and be accountable for own professional actions managing a caseload of adult patients with complex needs, using advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking, evidence-based principles, and best practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.

Provide leadership and line management for a specialist occupational therapy service to adult patients, ensuring service provision is prioritised across the specialty team and service delivery is effective within resources available. This is to be done within the parameters of all relevant legislation, national and local policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines.

Ensure staff in the team are supervised and developed, and deal with staffing issues as they arise.

Provide specialist input, strong professional leadership, and direction to the specialty team in the planning, co-ordination and evaluation of the occupational therapy service and assist the occupational therapy manager in the strategic development of the service.

Provide training and education to other health care professionals.

Contribute to the maintenance and development of the Trust wide Occupational Therapy service, leading initiatives related to service development such as audit, research, and training.

Provide highly specialist clinical and service development advice, and act as a specialist resource within the occupational therapy service.

Contribute to undergraduate occupational therapy education and regularly supervise students on practice placement.

Provide specialist input and professional leadership in service development projects within specialty, representing the Occupational Therapy service.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide and develop a highly specialist Occupational Therapy service to patients within specialty area, providing advanced clinical leadership and acting as a clinical advisor for the specialty to occupational therapists working in North Bristol NHS Trust.

Work as an autonomous and highly skilled clinician, without supervision, and be accountable for own professional actions managing a caseload of adult patients with complex needs, using advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking, evidence-based principles, and best practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.

Provide leadership and line management for a specialist occupational therapy service to adult patients, ensuring service provision is prioritised across the specialty team and service delivery is effective within resources available. This is to be done within the parameters of all relevant legislation, national and local policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines.

Ensure staff in the team are supervised and developed, and deal with staffing issues as they arise.

Provide specialist input, strong professional leadership, and direction to the specialty team in the planning, co-ordination and evaluation of the occupational therapy service and assist the occupational therapy manager in the strategic development of the service.

Provide training and education to other health care professionals.

Contribute to the maintenance and development of the Trust wide Occupational Therapy service, leading initiatives related to service development such as audit, research, and training.

Provide highly specialist clinical and service development advice, and act as a specialist resource within the occupational therapy service.

Contribute to undergraduate occupational therapy education and regularly supervise students on practice placement.

Provide specialist input and professional leadership in service development projects within specialty, representing the Occupational Therapy service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Occupational Therapy (or equivalent)
  • HCPC Registration
  • Student Educator - experience/qualification (or within one year)

Desirable

  • Post Graduate Training/CPD relevant to specialty
  • Basic Management/Leadership Training

Work Experience

Essential

  • Post registration specialty experience
  • Experience in using range of assessments relevant to specialty
  • Experience of supervising staff

Desirable

  • Experience of research or audit

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential

  • Effective written skills
  • Digital skills
  • Knowledge of OT process within specialty evidenced by CPD record
  • Splinting skills

Personal Qualities

Desirable

  • Membership of RCOT
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Occupational Therapy (or equivalent)
  • HCPC Registration
  • Student Educator - experience/qualification (or within one year)

Desirable

  • Post Graduate Training/CPD relevant to specialty
  • Basic Management/Leadership Training

Work Experience

Essential

  • Post registration specialty experience
  • Experience in using range of assessments relevant to specialty
  • Experience of supervising staff

Desirable

  • Experience of research or audit

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential

  • Effective written skills
  • Digital skills
  • Knowledge of OT process within specialty evidenced by CPD record
  • Splinting skills

Personal Qualities

Desirable

  • Membership of RCOT

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

North Bristol NHS Trust

Address

Southmead Hospital

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

North Bristol NHS Trust

Address

Southmead Hospital

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Pathway Lead Occupational Therapist (MSK)

Suzanne Billings

Suzanne.Billings2@nbt.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

06 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

339-CCS3764-LH

Job locations

Southmead Hospital

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Supporting documents

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