Job summary
We are looking to recruit a Specialist Band 6 Occupational Therapist into our Care of the Elderly Team at Sunderland Royal Hospital. The Occupational Therapy Department is well established and is a friendly and supportive place to work. The successful applicant will work predominantly in the clinical speciality of Elderly Medicine but may be required to use their skills and knowledge to assist other specialities if required. There will also be a requirement to provide supervision to junior and support staff, as well as to support undergraduate and pre-registrations students on clinical placement.

The acute therapy team work closely with our community partners as part of the hospital discharge planning process and this is a great opportunity to help shape future services as a senior therapist. This is a challenging and demanding, but very rewarding post, with scope for ongoing personal and professional development.

Pre application/interview queries and visits are welcome.

Main duties of the job
The Occupational Therapy inpatient team based at Sunderland Royal Hospital sits within the Directorate of Therapy Services and provides intervention and assessment for discharge from hospital. As a Specialist Occupational Therapist, you will hold your own caseload of hospital inpatients and will use your skills and knowledge to plan and deliver safe and effective discharges from hospital. Whilst working as part of the wider multidisciplinary team and with community partners. You will need comprehensive and concise knowledge of discharge pathways and of the principles of Discharge to Assess and Home First. Due to the demands of acute care delivery, you will need to be innovative, resourceful and flexible to meet the daily requirements of the post and to ensure that you contribute to effective Patient flow through the hospital.

You will need to be able to document patient notes efficiently and effectively and provide supervision of junior and support staff. Also, due to the need to sometimes visit patients homes as part of the discharge planning assessment, you must be able to meet the travel requirements of the post.

About us
One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for us. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via our Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,746 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Care Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements. If you use AI, and it poses a risk to the integrity of your individual recruitment process, we may withdraw your application at any stage of the process.

Details
Date posted: 16 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: C9155-CSAHP-0726-40
Job locations: Sunderland Royal Hospital, Kayll Road, Sunderland, SR4 7TP, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• To work as an autonomous practitioner using advanced clinical reasoning skills to provide specialist therapy assessment, treatment and advice to an independently managed caseload which will incorporate a range of presentation of conditions.
• To be involved in clinical practice issues, raising the profile of the service and offering specialist advice to planning and service development in order to assist the team leader/service manager in the implementation of service improvements.
• To work towards improving quality services including implementing evidence based practice.
• To work toward the achievement of specific response time targets.
• To complete effective, concise documentation of patients records in line with Trust, professional & department standards.
• To ensure accurate data entry takes place in line with departmental standards.
• To participate in the clinical education of staff within the specialism and be responsible for the supervision of unqualified, newly qualified therapists and undergraduates who work under your direct supervision.
• To participate in the service and patient pathways in line with clinical standards and best practice.
• To participate in research activities pertinent to the role.
• To assist in raising the profile of the service.
• To maintain professional development through participation in relevant professional training programmes
• To comply with the trusts vision, values and behavioural compact.

FOR FULL JOB DESCRIPTION PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT

Person Specification
Skills and Knowledge
Essential

• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills
• Highly developed written communication skills including report writing and maintaining patient records
• Developed analytical & judgemental skills
• Skills to prioritise workload and make judgements on priorities when there are several competing demands.
• Able to present information, written and orally in a clear and logical manner
• Basic IT skills
• Presentational skills
• Knowledge of evidence based guidelines e.g. NICE guidelines and of current health and social care legislation
• Ability to supervise lower grade staff and students.

Desirable

• Evidence of ability to be innovative and proactive
• Intermediate IT skills
• Experience of participating in audits

Experience
Essential

• Significant previous experience working as an Occupational Therapist at Band 5 level in a physical health setting.
• Evidence of high level communication skills within a wide variety of settings
• Evidence of working within multidisciplinary, cross agency teams
• Evidence of attendance at courses relevant to the role or evidence of CPD in relevant topic areas
• Evidence of an understanding of Clinical Governance
• Evidence of an understanding of Health & Safety relating to work activities

Desirable

• Significant previous experience working as an Occupational Therapist at Band 5 level in the speciality area
• Evidence of planning, delivering and evaluating training to others
• Evidence of a sound understanding or clinical governance and risk management
• Experience of completing audits within Therapies

Physical skills
Essential

• Ability to carry out moderate to intense physical effort throughout the working day and to work within an environment with competing demands
• Ability to assist patients to move as per Trust Moving and Handling Policy
• Ability to drive the OT department vehicles
• Ability to sit at a work station to complete electronic patient records and other tasks on a computer

Qualifications
Essential

• Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Evidence of appropriate learning in speciality area (e.g.: short courses or CPD activities)
• Current HCPC Registration
• Comprehensive experience at Band 5 level as a therapist in the relevant profession incorporating experience within a range of specialities in a physical health setting.
• Evidence of specialist level knowledge and experience in Occupational Therapy.
• Knowledge of the speciality area
• Post graduate education/CPD activities relevant to the role.
• Evidence base in specialism developed from the application of post graduate study.
• Evidence of maintaining CPD activities.
• Developed knowledge of current best practice principles

Desirable

• Post graduate qualification in relevant healthcare area such as post graduate diploma
• Post graduate training in leadership
• An understanding of South Tyneside and Sunderland Foundation Trust, its culture, strategic direction & achievements
• Membership of relevant professional body Royal College of Occupational Therapy

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: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Sunderland Royal Hospital, Kayll Road, Sunderland, SR4 7TP, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Deputy Head of Occupational Therapy
Gemma Hood
gemma.hood5@nhs.net