Job summary
We are seeking an experienced, dynamic, and highly motivated Hand Therapy Lead to provide senior leadership and operational management for our internationally renowned Pulvertaft Hand Unit. This is a pivotal leadership role within the Trauma & Orthopaedics division, responsible for ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, specialist hand therapy service across physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The post holder will work closely with consultants, senior managers, and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure the service remains safe, responsive, efficient, and sustainable. The Pulvertaft Hand Unit is a nationally and internationally recognised centre of excellence for hand surgery and therapy. You will be joining a high-performing, forward-thinking team delivering specialist care to a complex and diverse patient population. This role plays a critical function in managing day-to-day operational pressures within the service and reducing escalation, supporting timely and effective decision-making across the unit. While primarily a leadership role, the post includes a defined advanced clinical component, maintaining expert clinical credibility within specialist hand therapy practice.

Main duties of the job

• Leading and developing a highly specialised multidisciplinary Hand Therapy workforce
• Providing supervision, appraisal, and performance management across the service
• Service planning, demand and capacity management, and operational delivery
• Clinical governance, audit, risk management, and regulatory compliance
• Financial management, including responsibility for pay and non-pay budgets
• Driving service improvement, innovation, and transformation initiatives
• Supporting advanced clinical practice and extended scope roles
• Acting as a key point of contact for workforce, recruitment, and operational challenges
• Ensuring high standards of patient care, experience and outcome

About us
As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together. Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work. In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
• On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
• Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England - an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day - 3rd largest in the country.
• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
• UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

Details
Date posted: 08 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year pro rata pa
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 320-SURG-1422
Job locations: Royal Derby Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Derby, DE22 3NE

Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job description and Person Specification. To apply please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.

UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AIgenerated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click on the link to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship. Skilled worker: Health and Care Visa | NHS Employers

Your application (for shortlisting purposes) is assessed based on the Person Specification in the job advert (below).

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree in Occupational Therapy or physiotherapy
• HCPC Registration
• Leadership programme

Desirable

• MSc degree or equivalent
• Management qualifications

Experience
Essential

• 5 years post registration experience in an Acute NHS Trust
• Advanced experience in hand therapy
• Line Management Experience - leading teams and operational management

Desirable

• Leading a service change or improvement project

Skills and Ability
Essential

• Participation in Audit QI project
• Planning future service developments and training events
• Evidence of planning or developing services / business cases
• Ability to analyse service data, demand and capacity

Desirable

• Participation in National Research Project

Communication
Essential

• Ability to present complex information to diverse audiences
• Deliver formal presentations in the last 1-2 years
• Knowledge of governance / risk incident management

Desirable

• Presenting at National / International conference

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.