Rotational Band 5 Occupational Therapist

Job overview

This advert seeks candidates for employment by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust or Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust

Are you a final year Occupational Therapy student or a qualified Occupational Therapist who is looking for the next opportunity working as a Rotational OT in Dorset?

Do you have excellent communication skills, a professional and flexible approach and a strong skill base to provide high quality care for our patients?

We are looking to recruit motivated, enthusiastic and forward-thinking Band 5 Occupational Therapists to join the rotational schemes across University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust.

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust is based on three sites: Christchurch Hospital, Poole Hospital and The Royal Bournemouth Hospital and offers the opportunity to work on acute inpatient wards and assessment units; rehabilitation facilities, and in the community, including through our rotational partnership with Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust.

Our rotational posts include:

• Acute Care (Oncology, Surgery, Medicine)
• Older Persons Medicine (Admission Avoidance, Short stay, and Rehabilitation)
• Neurotherapy (Stroke Unit)
• Rehabilitation: inpatient community hospital; home-based community therapy
• Paediatrics
• Local Authority- Social Services

Interview date 9th November 2026

Main duties of the job

• To establish effective communication networks with the patients, carers, multi-disciplinary colleagues in health, social and care settings contributing to clear decision making with regard to treatment principles and discharge planning
• To form professional relationships with patients / carers and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture, and taking into consideration differences and difficulties
• To communicate effectively sensitive and unwelcome information regarding the patient’s likely rehabilitation outcomes and problems surrounding discharge and placement within the community
• To attend and feedback relevant information at ward/ board rounds, team meetings, MDT meetings and case conferences as appropriate to the patient programme
• To demonstrate to relatives, in-formal, and formal carers, specific rehabilitation and manual handling techniques prior to the patient’s discharge, to ensure optimum patient care in the community
• To liaise and make appropriate referrals to the Dorset Integrated Health and Care

System and voluntary partners, to voluntary and statutory services in the community

• To be responsible for the maintenance of accurate, comprehensive and contemporaneous patient records detailing all Occupational Therapy interventions and significant events, following Trust and departmental policies

Additional contact information

Laura Johns- Early Careers Lead - uhd.therapiesworkforcedevelopmentandtraining@nhs.net

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To participate in the rotational scheme, this involves working across the Trust in inpatient and community settings
• To work as part of the Dorset Integrated Care System, enabling the Discharge to Assess and Home First Principles for patients across all appropriate rotational areas
• To consolidate Occupational Therapy core skills across the range of clinical areas developing own skills and knowledge through active learning
• To show flexibility in the differing clinical Occupational Therapy skills required in the various environments that the rotational system provides
• To manage a defined caseload, using evidence based / client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in hospital and community settings
• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner under the direction of more senior qualified staff
• To participate in weekend working and extended hours as required, ensuring efficient therapy service provision in line with Trust priorities

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.