Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor

Job overview

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.

Detailed job description and main 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.***

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.