Highly Specialists Acute Medical Unit Occupational Therapist

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and experienced Occupational Therapist to join our Acute Medical Unit (AMU) and Older Person Short Stay Unit (OPSSU) as a Band 7 Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist. You will work alongside an established team of Band 7 therapists, helping to lead and further develop a dynamic service within a fast‑paced acute environment.

In this senior role, you will manage a varied caseload, support rapid assessment and discharge planning, and contribute to multidisciplinary care across the acute pathway. Strong interpersonal and leadership skills are essential, as you will lead a team of Band 5 and Band 6 therapists, as well as a therapy technician, ensuring high‑quality, patient‑centred care.

The successful applicant will play a key role in service development, leading on audit, research and cross‑site collaboration, and representing the therapy service at internal and external meetings. You will provide specialist training to colleagues, supervise junior staff, and support therapy students, while maintaining your own advanced clinical expertise through ongoing CPD.

All applicants must be committed to participating in the weekend service (1 in 5 weekends with rostered days off in lieu).

You will be supported by a band 8a Principle Occupational Therapist and an experienced Band 8b Clinical Therapy Lead and a highly collaborative multidisciplinary team, with opportunities for continued clinical and managerial development.

Main duties of the job

This post holder will be an autonomous practitioner, taking a lead in coordinating and providing a highly specialist therapy service to patients within the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) and the Older Person Short Stay Unit (OPSSU).

They will provide assessment and treatment for patients with a wide range of complex physical, sensory, perceptual and cognitive problems within inpatient and community settings.

They will be expected to manage their own caseload working alongside the multi disciplinary team and other external agencies to ensure highly specialist treatment plans.

To deputies for the Principle Therapist in their absence.

They will be expected to work collaboratively with patients, carers and with colleagues in health and social services to ensure effective service planning, policy and delivery of services to their specific patient group.

They will represent the department at relevant meetings both in and outside the Trust.

The post holder will contribute to departmental meetings, and lead complex audit and regularly undertakes research activities in specialist area.

Establish cross site links and flexible working practices. They will be responsible for planning and delivering highly specialist training to other therapists, professionals and Patient/Carers on all aspects of sensory, perceptual, physical and functional skills.

To participate in the weekend working rota (1 in 5 weekends - days are rostered off in the week following weekend working).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To view the main responsibility, please see the attached the Job Description and Person Specification.