Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and enthusiastic Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor to join the Medical and Surgical Specialities Team at University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust.

Working under the supervision of registered Occupational Therapists, the post holder will deliver delegated interventions, undertake rehabilitation activities, complete routine clinical and administrative tasks and support patients to maximise their independence during their hospital admission.

This hands-on, patient facing role requiring frequent direct contact, including supporting personal care, mobility activities of daily living, cognitive and functional rehabilitation and discharge planning processes.

The successful candidate will work as part of a MDT within a fast-paced acute hospital environment and will be expected to work flexibly across clinical areas to meet patient and service needs.

Clinical Areas Supported
The post holder will primarily work within:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Oncology Medicine

The post holder may also provide support within:

• General Surgery
• Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery
• Other acute inpatient specialties as required

This flexibility is essential to support patient flow and service resilience across the Medical and Surgical Occupational Therapy Service.

Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will:

• Support Occupational Therapists in the delivery of assessment, rehabilitation and discharge planning.
• Deliver delegated therapy interventions and rehabilitation programmes.
• Support patients to maximise independence in activities of daily living.
• Assist with functional, cognitive and environmental assessments as delegated.
• Support discharge planning processes and equipment provision.
• Work with patients presenting with complex physical, cognitive and psychosocial needs.
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation.
• Work collaboratively with Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Nursing, Medical and Discharge Teams.
• Work flexibly across Medical and Surgical specialties according to service need.
• Participate in weekend and bank holiday services where required.
• Work as part of a 7 day service, covering weekends and bank holidays.

Important: This is a physically demanding, hands-on rehabilitation role involving direct patient care, including personal care, mobility support, and working with patients with complex needs. Applicants must be prepared to actively participate in rehabilitation tasks. This is not an observational or administrative role, and applications not demonstrating relevant experience are unlikely to be shortlisted.

About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Job responsibilities
Primary Duties & Areas of Responsibility
Clinical Responsibilities

• Support Occupational Therapists in assessing patients' functional abilities, independence, and rehabilitation potential.
• Deliver delegated Occupational Therapy interventions and rehabilitation programmes to patients, including activities of daily living, mobility, transfers, cognitive tasks and functional practice.
• Support patients to regain independence and maximise participation in meaningful daily activities.
• Undertake delegated assessments, observations and outcome measures within agreed competencies.
• Support discharge planning processes by gathering information, arranging equipment and contributing to safe discharge plans as directed by a registered Occupational Therapist.
• Assist with the provision, fitting and instruction of standard equipment following competency assessment and delegation.
• Support patients with a range of physical, cognitive, respiratory and medical conditions, adapting interventions to meet individual needs.
• Monitor, record and report changes in patients' functional abilities, rehabilitation progress and any clinical concerns to the supervising Occupational Therapist.
• Communicate effectively with patients who may have cognitive impairment, communication difficulties, anxiety, fatigue, delirium or complex medical conditions.
• Provide clear information and guidance to patients, carers and families within the scope of the role.
• Support Occupational Therapists with home assessments, access visits and discharge planning activities where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate, timely and professional clinical records in accordance with Trust and departmental standards.

Team and Service Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively as part of the multidisciplinary team, including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Nursing Staff, Medical Staff and Discharge Teams.
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, board rounds and handovers as required.
• Support the delivery of individual and group rehabilitation activities where appropriate.
• Contribute to service development, audit, quality improvement and patient experience initiatives.
• Assist in maintaining therapy equipment, stock levels and clinical resources within the service.
• Provide support to Occupational Therapy services across Medical and Surgical specialities in response to service needs.

General and Operational Responsibilities

• Maintain safe working practices, adhering to Trust policies, infection prevention and control procedures, moving and handling guidance and health and safety requirements.
• Undertake delegated administrative and clerical duties to support service delivery.
• Participate in mandatory training, supervision, appraisal and ongoing competency development.
• Demonstrate flexibility in working across Respiratory Medicine, Oncology Medicine, General Surgery, Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery and other acute inpatient specialities as required.
• Contribute to maintaining a positive learning environment for students, new staff and colleagues.
• Comply with all Trust policies, procedures, values and professional standards.

Physical Effort

• Frequent requirement to undertake moderate to high levels of physical activity throughout the working day.
• Frequent walking between wards, departments and clinical areas.
• Sustained periods of standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching and working in restricted positions.
• Assisting patients with personal care tasks, mobility, transfers and rehabilitation activities.
• Supporting patients during functional assessments, activities of daily living and mobility practice.
• Daily use of moving and handling equipment, including hoists, slide sheets, wheelchairs and mobility aids.
• Moving and adjusting patients, furniture and clinical environments to maximise safety, function and independence.
• Working within busy and occasionally confined clinical environments whilst maintaining patient and staff safety.

Mental Effort

• Frequent concentration required when working with patients presenting with complex physical, cognitive, psychological and communication needs.
• Regular requirement to observe and interpret functional performance and report findings accurately to registered Occupational Therapists.
• Adapting communication and rehabilitation approaches to support patients with impaired understanding, reduced insight, fatigue, distress or behavioural changes.
• Regular need to prioritise workload, manage competing demands and switch between clinical activities, documentation and team communication.
• Ability to follow delegated treatment plans whilst adapting activities appropriately within own competency level.
• Frequent use of electronic patient record systems and digital communication tools.

Emotional Effort

• Regular exposure to patients and families experiencing significant illness, disability, deterioration, end-of-life care and life-changing health conditions.
• Requirement to respond professionally and compassionately to anxious, distressed, confused or upset patients and carers.
• Supporting patients who may have received difficult diagnoses, including oncology and complex medical conditions.
• Occasional exposure to challenging behaviours, safeguarding concerns or emotionally demanding situations.
• Managing the emotional impact of patient deterioration, poor outcomes and bereavement whilst maintaining professional standards.

Working Conditions

• Frequent exposure to unpleasant conditions including bodily fluids, unpleasant odours and soiled environments.
• Frequent work within acute inpatient ward environments with exposure to patients experiencing complex medical conditions.
• Occasional exposure to infectious conditions requiring the use of personal protective equipment and adherence to infection prevention procedures.
• Rare exposure to pests or infestations including lice, scabies or other environmental factors.
• Occasional exposure to verbal aggression, challenging behaviours or distressed patients and visitors.
• Requirement to work across multiple ward areas and clinical environments within the acute hospital setting.
• Frequent use of display screen equipment for documentation and communication purpose

Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as Priority and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• GCSE Maths and English (Grade 4-9/ C or above) Or Functional Skills Level 2
• NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care AND relevant clinical experience
• OR Significant demonstrable experience working within a therapy, rehabilitation or acute healthcare setting

Desirable

• Completion of Therapy assistant competencies
• Attendance on training and courses relevant to this post
• Manual Handling Training

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Demonstrable experience working with adults within health, social care, or rehabilitation setting
• Demonstrable experience supporting individuals with mobility, personal care or rehabilitation needs
• Demonstrable experience working within an MDT
• Understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries

Desirable

• Previous demonstrable experience working in an acute hospital
• Demonstrable experience supporting Occupational Therapy interventions
• Demonstrable experience working with older adults or patients with complex needs
• Demonstrable experience of respiratory oncology, surgical or rehabilitation services

Aptitudes and Abilities
Essential

• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently following delegation
• Ability to priorities workload and manage competing demands
• Ability to build positive relationships with patients and colleagues
• Basic IT Skills
• Ability to accurately document clinical interventions

Disopsition / Motivation
Essential

• Positive and compassionate approach to patient care
• Flexible and adaptable attitude
• Commitment to person-centred care
• Reliability and professional behaviour
• Willingness to participate in training and competency development

Other Factors
Essential

• Able to undertake frequent walking, standing and physical activity throughout the working day
• Able to participate in the physical aspects of patient care and rehabilitation
• Able to work flexibly across medical and surgical wards
• Able to participate in the physical aspects of patient care and rehabilitation

Desirable

• Holds a valid and clean driving licence

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).

Employer details
Employer name: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Address: Level 7 Occupational Therapy General Medical Team, Derriford Road, Plymouth, PL6 8DH, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Team Lead for Medical & Surgical OT, Hayley Wonnacott, h.wonnacott@nhs.net, 01752432220