Job summaryWe have an exciting opportunity for an Occupational Therapist in South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust to join the Occupational Therapy, Care of the Elderly Acute Team at Sunderland Royal Hospital. You will be responsible for managing an independently managed caseload, delivering specialist occupational therapy assessments, treatments, and interventions for patients with a wide range of conditions. Using advanced clinical reasoning skills, you will support patients to maximise their independence and achieve positive outcomes while contributing to the delivery of evidence-based practice and service improvements. You will also play an active role in supporting patient pathways, achieving service targets, maintaining accurate clinical records and data, participating in research activities, and promoting the profile of the service in line with the Trust's vision and values
Main duties of the jobAs an Occupational Therapist, you will be responsible for practising in accordance with HCPC standards of conduct, performance, and ethics, always maintaining professional accountability and a personal duty of care. You will support the safe and effective management of the clinical environment, ensuring the appropriate use, maintenance, and allocation of equipment and resources. You will be responsible for contributing to workforce development through the supervision of junior colleagues, assistants, and students, while actively participating in training initiatives that support professional excellence and high-quality service delivery across the team.
About usHere at NHS Professionals, we run England's largest NHS staff bank and are experts at putting people in places to care. Every year we help thousands of dedicated and highly skilled NHS workers enjoy better career opportunities, more flexible shifts, and a healthier work-life balance across our partnered Trusts.
Career Progression access to Learning & Development opportunities, so that you can take on new roles and challenges
Work-life Balance flexible shifts, committed shifts, wellbeing resources and build paid annual leave
Opportunity & Access over 50 partner NHS Trusts to give you the flexibility of choice to work how and where you want
Job responsibilities- To communicate complex and sensitive information effectively to patients, carers, relatives, and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring individuals are supported to make informed decisions regarding their care and treatment plans.
- To utilise advanced analytical and judgement skills to assess changing patient needs, evaluate outcomes, and make timely clinical decisions to support safe and effective interventions.
- To support coordinated discharge planning and ongoing care pathways, working collaboratively with internal and external agencies to facilitate seamless transitions and optimise patient outcomes.
- To maintain patient confidentiality and information governance standards, ensuring records, reports, and data are managed accurately and in accordance with Trust and legislative requirements.
- To participate in audit, service evaluation, and quality monitoring activities, supporting the identification of opportunities to enhance patient experience and clinical effectiveness.
- To prioritise and organise workloads effectively, responding to changing service demands, providing specialist support across clinical areas, and contributing to the efficient delivery of care.
Person SpecificationQualificationsEssential- HCPC registered Occupational Therapist with a Degree in Occupational Therapy.
- Significant post-registration experience within an acute hospital setting, ideally within Care of the Elderly services.
- Proven experience managing hospital discharge pathways and complex discharge planning.
- Strong clinical reasoning, communication, and multidisciplinary team-working skills within fast-paced acute environments.
- Evidence of ongoing CPD and the ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision.
Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.
UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
