Band 5 Occupational Therapist - Rotation

Job overview

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust: Investing in Rehabilitation and Home First services to deliver ‘The Art of the Possible’

At East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT), we’re not just imagining a better future for healthcare—we’re building it.

We are committed to improving outcomes for patients, and driven by a quality improvement approach we’re rethinking what’s possible for patient care through a bold and forward-looking plan. We are investing in our Acute Therapy, Urgent Community Response, and Virtual Ward services.

As part of our "Art of the Possible" vision, we’re delivering rehabilitation and care that is:

• Closer to home
• Faster to access
• Seamlessly coordinated
• Built around our patients

Our Home First and Virtual Ward models are at the heart of this transformation—enabling people to recover in their own homes with hospital-level support, surrounded by comfort, dignity, and expert care.

✅ This means:

• Faster recovery and fewer hospital admissions
• Truly personalised care, wherever it’s needed
• Greater independence and better outcomes for our communities

But innovation doesn’t happen without passionate people. That’s why we’re investing not just in services—but in you.

Main duties of the job

The band 5 rotation offers the post holder a fantastic opportunity to gain experience within a number of areas and throughout the patient journey, helping you develop as a confident and competent qualified practitioner. Each rotation area lasts 6 months and you will gain experience working with a multitude of conditions and opportunity to consolidate theory into practice whilst working through the OT Process.

We seek motivated and innovative practitioners, with excellent communication skills and the ability to work under pressure. In return we will help you to achieve your potential by providing supportive learning environments with a well -established training and development programme. We have a comprehensive preceptorship programme and an Occupational Therapy Development Lead to provide you with support with the transition from student to qualified practitioner. We offer regular supervision, appraisals and peer forums.

You will be fully supported to develop your occupational therapy and inter-professional clinical skills, and areas of special clinical interest. These posts are an excellent opportunity to develop clinically and as you progress, supervision, service development and leadership skills to effectively transition to a Band 6 OT role within ESHT.

We are committed to fostering a culture of equality, diversity, and belonging. We actively welcome and encourage applications from individuals belonging to marginalised communities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Your Next Opportunity Starts Here

We’re recruiting now for talented individuals to join our expanding teams in both acute and community settings.

We’re looking for:  • Occupational Therapists  • Physiotherapists  • Speech and Language Therapists  • Dietitians  • Registered Nurses  • Support Workers across Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Dietetics & Nursing

Multiple roles available across Agenda for Change bandings, with flexible options to suit your lifestyle and ambitions.

Why Choose ESHT?

✔️ NHS Pension Scheme  ✔️ Staff discount schemes  ✔️ On-site nurseries  ✔️ Access to Occupational Health  ✔️ Staff restaurants on acute sites  ✔️ Forward-thinking, supportive teams  ✔️ A real chance to shape the future of healthcare

This is more than just a job. It's your opportunity to be part of a transformational journey, where innovation meets compassion, and where your ideas and impact truly matter.

Want to chat before you apply? Reach out to our friendly team:

📩 Nigel Ellens, Service Manager – Acute Therapy: [email protected]  📩 Claire Lockwood, Service Manager – Urgent Community Response: [email protected]  📩 Amy Marsden, Service Manager – Virtual Ward: [email protected]  📩 Laura Jones, Head of SLT: [email protected]  📩 Hannah Perry, Service Manager – Dietetics: [email protected]