
Search for more jobs in London
Job overview
The Therapies team at the Royal Free Hospital is innovative, creative, and truly inter-disciplinary. This team always focuses on delivering high quality, patient centred care. Our team is friendly and supportive with a strong emphasis on supportive supervision, an active learning environment, staff welfare and teamwork using the “What matters to you?” framework.
**VISA SPONSORSHIP DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS ROLE**
This fantastic opportunity awaits dynamic, motivated Specialist Occupational Therapists looking to develop clinical, operational and leadership skills, as we are currently seeking experienced occupational therapists to join our therapy (rotational) team as Bank staff.
The successful candidate is required to be able to demonstrate the Trust values, the responsibilities of the job description and person specification. You should have proven experience of working in the relevant areas of clinical therapy services.
If you believe you meet the criteria of the person specification and would like to join the Royal Free bank at this time, we would be interested in receiving your applications.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate together with physiotherapy, nursing, medical and psychosocial colleagues will be an integral member of a highly skilled multidisciplinary team providing acute care services to people presenting to The Royal Free Hospital.
Main Duties for the Post Holder :-
1.To be responsible for the provision of Occupational Therapy ensuring that services support the discharge of patients by providing specialist assessment and discharge planning.
2.To work with the multidisciplinary team to ensure timely discharge from the acute setting.
3.To work flexibly across different settings in order to meet the service’s needs.
4.Requires highly skilled time management and priority skills during the working day.
5.To work autonomously under both direct and indirect supervision.
6.Requires the ability to perform manual handling tasks such as the hoisting and/or transfer of patients, fitting and delivery of ADL equipment and basic IT skills.
7.Ensures clinical effectiveness of OT intervention incorporating evidence-based practice and professional standards.
8.Line manages and supervises qualified Therapy, support staff and students, while leading on and complying with professional and departmental standards of practice within own clinical area.
**For further information please refer to the attached JD/PS**
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Royal Free World Class Values:
The post holder will offer World Class Care to service users, staff, colleagues, clients and patients alike.
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
1.To work flexibly across teams and have overall accountability for the planning and management of a specialist clinical caseload.
2.To facilitate patient involvement in decision making at all stages of their clinical management, ensuring that they have consented to therapy intervention in line with Trust ethico-legal policies and the relevant Professional Code of Conduct.
3.Using expert specialist knowledge of the clinical area to undertake complex therapy assessments which include an evaluation of the impact of patients' diagnoses, stage of disease and agreed treatment plans on their ability to function and overall quality of life and make clinical decisions on the most appropriate form of therapy intervention, both short and long term.
4.To provide expert therapeutic advice to patients, carers and clinicians using evidence-based practice or, in the absence of a robust evidence base, advanced clinical judgment acquired through professional expertise.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
1.To contribute to service planning in liaison with other team leads, relevant clinical specialists, Professional Lead and/or the therapy service delivery unit manager.
2.To actively participate in uni-professional or multidisciplinary working groups, questioning and evaluating current clinical practice to consistency and a high standard of patient care.
3.To support in developing patient-focussed, clinically effective and evidence-based standards, procedures and policies.
4.To contribute to annual service review and objective setting through participation in away days.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION
1.To support with training needs analyses for the therapy team within area of responsibility, ensuring that training needs are identified and action plans initiated.
2.To develop, implement and audit innovative methods of delivering education sessions, e.g. group workshops for patients and their carer’s.
3.To design, deliver and evaluate regular teaching sessions to both therapy colleagues and other healthcare professionals within and outside the trust.
4.To act as a resource to healthcare professionals outside the Trust on the specialist clinical area, where required.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
1.To advocate a research environment within area of remit.
2.To identify research and audit needs of the service.
3.To facilitate the involvement of junior members of staff in audit and research.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADING AND MANAGING
1.To ensure that all new staff within the team have induction plans that are implemented appropriately, including mandatory training and development of competencies.
2.To coordinate workload allocation within the team during periods of sickness and leave.
3.To ensure that all Therapy staff within the team plan their leave appropriately and that leave records are maintained.
**For further information please refer to the attached JD/PS**
Person specification
Others
Essential
- Understanding and compliance of current NHS and Social Care Policies and Equal Opportunities.
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post-graduate work experience as an Occupational Therapist, predominately working with patients with physical and cognitive disabilities.
- Experience of working with elderly patients.
- Considerable experience of being a Band 6 OT in the acute setting.
- Experience of teaching and supervising less experienced staff.
- Experience of teaching and supervising OT students.
- Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and use own initiative.
- Motivational Interviewing/ Behaviour Change training (CBT or facilitation skills).
Skills and aptitudes
Essential
- Evidence of advanced clinical reasoning and the management of complex cases.
- Evidence of a clear understanding of the role of OT in relevant specialised area.
- Knowledge and experience in the use of occupational therapy models of practice.
- Evidence of understanding the skills required for service development and evaluation
- Demonstrate effective communication skills to a range of audiences eg users, carers and other professionals
- Ability to prioritise own workload and that of others and effective time management
- Experience of working effectively and efficiently as part of an MDT
- Demonstrated clear understanding of clinical governance and its application to the work setting
- Ability to demonstrate a commitment to best practice and awareness of relevant national standards/guidelines
- Knowledge of quality assurance and audit programmes in line with requirements for Clinical Governance
- Ability to demonstrate self-direction in thought and practice
- Knowledge of research and development process, Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
- Ability to lead a small team
Royal Free World Class Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Personal Qualities & attributes
Essential
- Professional fluent in written and oral English.
- Ability to carry out manual handling practices.
- A flexible approach to service delivery and needs.
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy
- HCPC Registration in OT
- Completed relevant post registration specialist courses for example : OT assessments of specific conditions, OT treatment approaches, Outcome measures, Supervision Skills Training for staff and students, OT Practice Educator course.
Desirable
- Member of Specialist OT Section group
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 7 Occupational Therapist roles in London
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Bank Highly Specialised Occupational Therapist Band 7 (Rotational) with Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Occupational Therapist role. The advertised salary is £29.56 Hourly. The contract type is Bank. The application deadline is 21 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (07 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.
