Senior Occupational Therapist - Orthopaedics & Surgery

NHS

  • Luton
  • £38,682-46,580 per year
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 5 days ago
Would you like to work in a dynamic Occupational Therapy service with exciting career development opportunities and the added benefit of being in the vibrant and diverse town of Luton and surrounding areas?A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a dedicated and self-motivated Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join our friendly and innovative orthopaedic and surgical team within the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The role will be permanent and is a full-time position (37.5 hours per week). You will have the chance to work across our major ward areas which are comprised of Neck of femur (NOF) & local trauma, elective orthopaedics, colorectal, medicine and Head & Neck wards.You will be responsible for providing a high standard of assessment, advice, treatment and evaluation of patients referred to the acute inpatient service. This includes patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions.Our trust highly respects and values the importance of occupational therapists in the healthcare industry. As a result, we invest time in your training and development which includes access to:
  • Head & neck (Tracheostomy care training)
  • Team In-service training
  • Shadowing opportunities with specialty services (Enhanced recovery, pain team, visiting theatres to observe orthopaedic elective surgeries)
We are proactive in identifying team members training needs and supportive in accessing onsite or external training courses.Main duties of the job
  • To perform advanced occupational therapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions, to determine a diagnosis, formulate and deliver an appropriate, individualised treatment programme.
  • To hold responsibility for own caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service/particular patient group, working without direct supervision. Access to advice and support from a more senior therapist is available if required. Clinical work is evaluated through regular clinical supervision with a specialist occupational therapist but day-to-day clinical work is not routinely reviewed.
  • To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
  • To plan, supervise, educate and assess the performance of occupational therapy students on placement within the wards. To work closely with the university and comply with all the standards required for the degree level qualification.
  • Supported by the specialist occupational therapist, to design and undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and team's clinical practice and improve service delivery with the specialist therapist. Make recommendations and occasionally implement changes to practice or service protocols, as agreed with the specialist occupational therapist.
  • To deputise for the specialist occupational therapist in their absence, taking the lead role in the day-to-day operational management of the team.
About usBedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.Our valuesWe not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.DetailsDate posted29 August 2025Pay schemeAgenda for changeBandBand 6Salary£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annumContractPermanentWorking patternFull-time, Part-time, Flexible workingReference number418-DTO9029-KA-AJob locationsLuton and Dunstable HospitalLewsey RoadLutonLU4 0DZJob descriptionJob responsibilitiesPlease see job description and person specification provided. If further information is required, please speak to our contact on advert.Job descriptionJob responsibilitiesPlease see job description and person specification provided. If further information is required, please speak to our contact on advert.Person SpecificationQualifications and TrainingEssential
  • Dip COT or BSc (Hons) in OT
  • HCPC registration
  • Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendances at recent post graduate courses/ in-service trainings relevant to the speciality
Desirable
  • Membership of BAOT/RCOT or similar
  • Practice educators certificate
ExperienceEssential
  • Experience of working in an acute hospital environment
  • Evidence of broad based postgraduate experience to include experience in orthopaedics or elderly care
  • Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Work experience, student or therapy assistant supervision
Desirable
  • Experience of supervising junior staff or non-qualified
  • Experience within the NHS
  • Knowledge of working in liaison with community therapy services and intermediate care services
SkillsEssential
  • Understand the legal responsibilites of the profession
  • Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate appropriately
  • Ability to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and health and safety and meet the differing needs of the patients
Desirable
  • Awareness of wider local and national agendas and impact on OT
CommunicationEssential
  • Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills
  • Ability to communicate where there may be barriers to understanding
Person SpecificationQualifications and TrainingEssential
  • Dip COT or BSc (Hons) in OT
  • HCPC registration
  • Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendances at recent post graduate courses/ in-service trainings relevant to the speciality
Desirable
  • Membership of BAOT/RCOT or similar
  • Practice educators certificate
ExperienceEssential
  • Experience of working in an acute hospital environment
  • Evidence of broad based postgraduate experience to include experience in orthopaedics or elderly care
  • Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Work experience, student or therapy assistant supervision
Desirable
  • Experience of supervising junior staff or non-qualified
  • Experience within the NHS
  • Knowledge of working in liaison with community therapy services and intermediate care services
SkillsEssential
  • Understand the legal responsibilites of the profession
  • Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate appropriately
  • Ability to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and health and safety and meet the differing needs of the patients
Desirable
  • Awareness of wider local and national agendas and impact on OT
CommunicationEssential
  • Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills
  • Ability to communicate where there may be barriers to understanding

NHS