Job summary
Clinical Lead Hand Therapist - Occupational Therapist or physiotherapist

Agenda for Change Band 7
£49,387 - £56,515 per annum
0.1 WTE 37.5 hours- 12-month Fixed Term Contract - maternity leave cover

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Clinical Lead Hand Therapist to join our specialist Hand Therapy Team on a 12-month fixed-term contract.

Our established team comprises 1 WTE Band 7 Occupational Therapist, 3 WTE Band 6 Occupational Therapists, 1 WTE rotational Band 5 Physiotherapist, and 1 WTE Band 4 Therapy Assistant. We are looking for a skilled clinician who is passionate about delivering high-quality, patient-centred care and contributing to the continued development of our specialist service.

The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and re subject to change.

Main duties of the job
In this role, you will provide expert assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and advice for patients with a wide range of upper limb conditions, including traumatic and soft tissue injuries, degenerative conditions, nerve injuries, and complex scar management. You will work closely with our Plastic Surgery team, supporting consultant-led clinics and providing specialist hand therapy across both inpatient and outpatient settings.

The successful applicant will have substantial experience in Hand Therapy and evidence of postgraduate training within this specialist field. You will demonstrate advanced clinical knowledge of hand and upper limb conditions, including advanced splinting techniques, and use evidence-based practice to deliver excellent patient outcomes. You will also play a key role in supporting the development of colleagues, contributing to service improvement, and promoting research and innovation within the team.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, proactive, and compassionate therapist with excellent clinical reasoning, communication, organisational, and time management skills. You will adopt a holistic approach to patient care and be committed to delivering high standards of rehabilitation while keeping patients at the centre of everything you do.

About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.

Job responsibilities
A flexible approach is essential to meet the changing needs of the service. We value individuals who are committed to working collaboratively and who consistently strive to deliver an outstanding experience for patients and their families.

This post offers an excellent opportunity to further develop your specialist expertise through protected Continuing Professional Development (CPD), supported by a comprehensive clinical supervision programme. We are committed to investing in our staff and fostering a culture of learning, development, and continuous improvement.

Flexibility and adaptability are essential. The successful applicant may be required to work across different sites and, where necessary, support the delivery of community-based services.

In return, we offer:

• A friendly, welcoming, and supportive team environment.
• A structured and comprehensive clinical supervision programme.
• Protected Continuing Professional Development (CPD) time.
• Flexible working opportunities and family-friendly policies.
• Opportunities to contribute to service development, quality improvement, and research.

All appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including occupational health clearance and an enhanced DBS check (formerly CRB). Please note that, if appointed, you will be required to pay the cost of the enhanced DBS disclosure in line with the Trust's current policy.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC registration
• Clinical Educators Certificate or equivalent/experience

Desirable

• MSc in relevant health studies or equivalent qualification/experience

Experience
Essential

• Advanced clinical knowledge relevant to the care environment and evidence of evidence based practise in relevant health setting
• Awareness of own strengths and limitations
• Knowledge of relevant national policies and guidance and relevant assessment tools
• Experience of leadership of a team including change management
• Evidence of effective working within an MDT
• Experience of Service development
• Demonstrate experience of problem solving approaches
• Audit and research in a clinical area
• Demonstrates continuous Professional Development

Skills
Essential

• Demonstrates ability to motivate team performance to achieve objectives
• Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
• Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings
• Accurate record keeping, report writing and IT skills including presentation skills
• Have a flexible approach to working with good time management

Other
Essential

• Ability to travel various hospital locations by own car/ assisted driver

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).