Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist

Fairlie Healthcare Group
Fairlie Healthcare Group is a leading specialist provider of high-quality care, established in 1999. We specialise in supporting adults with complex neurological conditions, including patients with tracheostomies and those requiring ventilator support.

We operate three specialist homes: Fairlie House in West Norwood, Highfield House in Purley and Woodstown House in Banstead. All three homes have achieved an Outstanding CQC rating, reflecting our commitment to delivering exceptional care and continually improving the lives of the people we support.

The Opportunity
We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist to join our multidisciplinary team and provide specialist neurological occupational therapy across our three homes.
This is a senior clinical role offering the opportunity to work autonomously, provide expert clinical leadership and contribute to the continued development of our occupational therapy service.
You will manage a complex clinical caseload while providing specialist advice, guidance and support to colleagues, residents, families and carers. You will also play a key role in developing meaningful activity, sensory stimulation and rehabilitation programmes that promote residents’ independence, engagement and quality of life.

Scope of the Role

• Provide highly specialist occupational therapy assessment, clinical reasoning and intervention for residents with complex neurological and physical disabilities.
• Manage a specialist clinical caseload across Fairlie House and Woodstown House.
• Provide expert advice and clinical guidance to the wider multidisciplinary team, junior therapists, therapy assistants, healthcare assistants, activity staff, families and carers.
• Provide clinical leadership and contribute to the development of occupational therapy practice across the three homes.
• Lead and support meaningful leisure, recreation, sensory stimulation and cognitive activity programmes tailored to residents’ individual needs and interests.
• Work collaboratively with the MDT to ensure residents receive holistic, person-centred care.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake comprehensive specialist occupational therapy assessments and develop evidence-based, resident-centred intervention plans.
• Provide specialist neurological interventions, including postural management, cognitive rehabilitation, sensory stimulation, ADL/IADL interventions and functional rehabilitation.
• Undertake and interpret specialist assessments for residents with disorders of consciousness and complex cognitive presentations, including WHIM, SMART and CRS-R, where appropriate.
• Use clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice to determine appropriate therapeutic interventions and review outcomes.
• Provide professional leadership, supervision and support to junior staff and therapy assistants.
• Contribute to clinical, management and service development meetings as a representative of the occupational therapy service.
• Support the development and implementation of clinical pathways, policies and best practice within the OT service.
• Promote effective communication with residents and their families, adapting approaches to meet complex communication needs.
• Work closely with the wider MDT to maximise residents’ rehabilitation potential, independence, wellbeing and quality of life.
• Maintain accurate clinical documentation and ensure all practice meets professional, legal and organisational standards.
• Support service development, audit, quality improvement and continuing professional development.

What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Significant post-registration occupational therapy experience, ideally within neurological rehabilitation, complex care or a similar specialist environment.
• Strong clinical reasoning and assessment skills.
• Experience working with adults with complex neurological and physical disabilities.
• Knowledge and experience of cognitive assessment and rehabilitation, including disorders of consciousness.
• The ability to work autonomously while providing strong clinical leadership within a multidisciplinary environment.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and leadership skills.
• A compassionate, creative and person-centred approach to therapy.
• The ability to develop meaningful therapeutic activities that promote engagement, participation and quality of life.
• Commitment to evidence-based practice, professional development and service improvement.
• Registration with the HCPC and relevant professional qualifications.

What’s In It For Me?

• Paid breaks
• Free onsite parking
• Free meals while working on shift
• Company pension scheme
• Free staff minibus service at the start and end of your shift
• Free staff uniform and DBS
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Comprehensive on-the-job training and ongoing professional support
• Opportunity to develop specialist neurological expertise within an Outstanding-rated specialist care environment
• Opportunity to provide senior clinical leadership and influence the development of the OT service across three specialist homes

Equal Opportunities
Fairlie Healthcare Group is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is treated with dignity, respect and fairness.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake a DBS check.