Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 02 August 2026

Job summary
37.5 hours per week. An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Occupational Therapist with a range of clinical skills to join our Care Home Services Therapies team. Our Team are Hybrid workers, who utilise hot desking across the city to maximise our efficiency. We are a holistic patient focussed team who provide a multi-disciplinary approach to maximising independence, safety and preventing admission. The team covers physical health care homes city wide and have a strong emphasis on providing evidence based practice, including project work and targeted support. The team benefits from parallel working with Primary Care Networks, condition specific services and focus upon optimizing independence and quality of life for our patients; whilst educating and empowering the care providers. We are looking for someone who has flexible problem solving skills, can work alone or with colleagues from the integrated multi-disciplinary team (physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, adult social care, nursing and support staff). Our team empower patients and their care providers and so having articulate communication skills, as well as competency in a wide range of clinical areas including manual handling, neurology, palliative care, orthopaedics and frailty is required of the post holder. Further information or to arrange an informal visit - please contact Sue Potter (Senior Occupational Therapist) on 01752 434267 or suepotter@nhs.net or livewell.carehomeliaisonservice@nhs.net

Main duties of the job

• The post holder will ensure that their clinical practice is evidence based and in accordance with NICE, RCOT, CSP and local guidance.
• The post holder will be individually accountable for their practice in accordance with the HPC professional code of conduct.
• Ability to frequently travel independently and in a timely manner between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations.
• To assess the functional needs of patients to promote independence and autonomy of choice.
• To support in developing bespoke therapy specific care plans.
• To assess, plan and implement interventions and evaluating at appropriate intervals.
• To liaise with/ joint work with the Multi Disciplinary team, community partners and community resources.
• To maintain a caseload of patients with various and multiple physical health diagnosis. This may mean supporting patients who have cognitive impairments and mental health diagnosis.
• To have an awareness of mental capacity, Deprivation of liberty safeguards and safeguarding adults.
• To work collaboratively by liaising, providing advice, educating and developing/ maintaining good relationships with service users, carers, relatives and integrated health and social care professionals.
• This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.
• Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.
• All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs. As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve. We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives. We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation. Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Details
Date posted: 17 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year pa, pro-rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
Reference number: B9832-26-0049
Job locations: 200 Mount Gould Road, Mount Gould, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7PY, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
These are key points from the Job description. Please see attached document for full details.

• To work as a member of the clinical team providing a high standard of Occupational Therapy interventions, assessments, and evaluation
• To assist the team lead and Specialist therapists in planning, coordinating, and delivering Occupational Therapy services on a day-to-day basis.
• To manage a defined caseload using evidence-based/client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions and contribute to the service provision.
• To provide assessment and treatment of service users.
• To maintain up to date, accurate and complete records of all activity and clinical input (all formats of service user contacts, MDT care plans, assessments, reports), ensuring confidentiality at all times, complying with Livewell SW Health & Corporate Records policy and HCPC requirements for thorough and sufficient records
• To participate in providing instruction, learning opportunities, work experience and training staff and students from other units/disciplines/schools/colleges and training schemes as agreed with supervising Therapist and Therapy Team Lead.
• To plan, organise and lead when delegated both formal and informal treatments and health education groups for both service users and formal/informal carers.
• To educate service users and both formal/informal carers regarding the impact of cognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits that affect service user safety and independence in the hospital and home, leisure and workplace.
• To assess seating and positioning needs and treat as appropriate including assessment for and prescription of standard wheelchairs and accessories when accredited, referring on to AJM Wheelchair Service as required for assessment of complex and specialist mobility and seating needs.
• To identify the need for splinting and positioning to prevent and manage deformity and improve function for the upper limb, and subsequently referring to specialist services or colleagues to meet this need.
• To actively engage in caseload supervision with line manager, taking responsibility for ensuring own personal and professional development and statutory training demonstrating the ability to apply skills / knowledge as defined by identified competencies.
• To comply with the Lone Working Policy and procedures, utilising safety devices and/or apps, and always informing the department of your whereabouts during work hours.
• To take responsibility for ensuring own personal and professional development and statutory training demonstrating the ability to apply acquired skills/knowledge and maintaining fitness to practice.
• To provide written communication with outside agencies and charitable bodies to support the need for services and equipment on discharge or when transferred.
• To report accidents, incidents, complaints, or faulty equipment in line with Livewell SW policy and procedures.
• To ensure the service user is aware of the role and philosophy of Occupational Therapy and components of the OT process, utilising all means necessary to enable individuals to understand the nature and purpose of proposed actions or intervention, including explaining any possible risks involved.
• To respect the individuals values, cultural and religious diversity of service users and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to those needs.
• To provide education and advice to service users, carers and/or family members regarding the impact of cognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits on service user safety and independence in the home, leisure, and workplace. This can include imparting sensitive information and advice to service users and carers which could have life changing consequences.
• To provide an opportunity for people and carers to express their feelings whilst encouraging acceptance and adjustment to their new circumstances.
• To understand and comply with the safeguarding process and understand how and when alerts are required. To contribute to safeguarding investigations with support of other colleagues.
• To demonstrate a high level of understanding of conditions relevant to the diagnostic area and those service users presenting with multi pathology, using a selection of both standardised and non-standardised assessments to assist and aid diagnosis of sensory, perceptual, behavioural, physical, psychosocial, and social functioning.
• To carry out baseline medical investigations e.g. temperature, respirations and blood pressure checks to assist with medical diagnoses and identification of most appropriate treatment pathway.
• To carry out environmental home assessments, pre discharge home assessments discharge home visits and follow up as required. The assessment involves reviewing ergonomic layout of the property to maximise functional ability within the home, assessment of disabled access, equipment needs recommendation for minor and major house adaptations, risk and safety review and referring to other agencies and Social Services as necessary.
• To ensure continuation of care in the community, or transfer of service users to other hospital settings, by establishing a comprehensive discharge plan and completing onward referrals, with good communication to statutory and voluntary services.
• To refer to follow up services to ensure treatment programmes are in place to progress functional independence based on identified needs at discharge. Demonstrating to and informing community staff re ongoing service user needs in the community i.e., home carers and reablement assistance.
• To maintain competence in the use of complex manual handling techniques and equipment including the prescriptions of manual handling equipment for use in the home, demonstrating the use to formal and/or informal carers.
• To demonstrate leadership skills through the management of designated projects.
• To actively contribute to service development and contribute to Livewell SWs clinical governance arrangements and quality agenda
• To use, maintain and be responsible for the security of issued IT equipment in line with Livewells Information Governance & Data Protection policies.
• To attend and contribute to staff meetings and attend relevant professional meetings appropriate to the clinical setting (ward MDTs, case conferences, clinical meetings).
• To demonstrate understanding and application of professional, local and national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care provision.
• To review and reflect on own practice through effective use of professional and clinical supervision in line with Livewell SW policies, procedures and to maintain an up-to-date CPD portfolio.
• To be proficient in written and spoken English, e.g. face-to face, email, telephone, letter, presentation. Communication may be 1:1, or in groups.
• To work in a person centred way, using a range of verbal and non-verbal communication methods with people, (e.g. instructions, diagrams, pictures, motivational interviewing, problem solving, cognitive behavioural techniques, strength-based goal planning) who may have difficulty in understanding or communicating e.g., service users may be aphasic, low in mood, lack insight, hearing and/or visually impaired or who may be unable to accept diagnosis, or unrealistic expectations of intervention.

Physical Effort: Moderate to intense physical effort on a daily/frequent basis. Tasks include: Static postures (kneeling/standing). Moving/positioning inert adult limbs, unconscious/semi-conscious patients and patients with altered tone. Supporting patients whilst walking. Assisting patients during transfers. Pushing wheelchairs. Using hoists and other equipment. Moving/adjustment of equipment in patients immediate environment to maximise their independence and safety.

Mental Effort: Dealing with complex patients for long periods on a daily basis e.g. 1-2 hour assessments. Daily requirement for prolonged periods of concentration e.g., assessment and treatment of complex and sometimes unpredictable patients (which could take up to a few hours at any one time). Ensuring good communications with patients who have impaired understanding or communication difficulties. Frequently using complex problem-solving skills, making and dealing with difficult clinical decisions. Daily requirement for multi-tasking e.g., writing notes, communicating with team, telephone calls, with regular interruptions. Writing set goals and plans for the patient. Summarise treatment and outcomes when writing discharge reports.

Emotional Effort: Dealing with patients and families undergoing major changes in their health and social position, e.g., anxious and/or angry carers, family, family breakdown, isolated and depressed patients and carers on a daily basis. Frequently helping patients and carers come to terms with their impairments, disability and handicap. Dealing with death, bereavement, the terminally ill, distressing conditions and treatments. Immediate response to complaints/demands from distressed or anxious carers and other professionals. Occasionally dealing with confrontation and differing professional and ethical opinions regarding case management.

Working Conditions: Clinical contact with patients on the ward, in their own homes and in community locations. Occasional exposure to bodily fluids e.g. vomit and soiled linen. Likely exposure to domesticated pets and working in pet inhabited environments, in the community setting. On rare occasions contact with fleas, lice, and scabies. Occasional exposure to verbal and physical aggression, frequently to unpredictable behaviour, particularly when dealing with neurological conditions. Occasional risk of exposure to contagious conditions e.g. diarrhoea and vomiting. Driving of the Livewell SW vehicles. Daily use of VDU. Food handling.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy.
• HCPC registration

Experience

• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy.
• HCPC registration
• Ability to frequently travel independently and in a timely manner between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations including areas not served by public transport.
• Knowledge of current best practice in OT.
• Understanding of professional ethics and their application in practice.
• Understanding of team dynamics and ability to work as a member of a team.
• Basic knowledge of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on service provision
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
• Health, safety, and risk awareness
• Team working
• Use of functional assessment and activity analysis
• Working with groups
• Ability to work autonomously with individuals.
• Group work skills
• Effective written and oral communication skills
• Computer literate
• Good personal organisation skills
• Commitment to client centred, non-discriminatory practice

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).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).