Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an 8-month secondment to join our Acute Therapy Team as a Senior Occupational Therapist.
This post is based at the Bournemouth site, which is set to become the major emergency hospital for University Hospitals Dorset. This is a fast-paced and dynamic working environment and you will be based within a well-established collaborative, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy service, with Band 7 Clinical Specialist OT's to support you. You will receive regular supervision and training and have responsibility for the supervision of others and contribute to the team training programme.
This post will also provide you with opportunities to develop managerial skills and contribute to and lead on service development within the team and wider services.
This role required HCPC Registration
Base - Bournemouth Hospital
Interview Date - 1st July 2026
Main duties of the job
You will have the opportunity to develop specialised skills including high-level assessments; moving and handling; cognitive assessments and interventions; capacity assessments; admission avoidance, and complex discharge planning.
You will have responsibility for a caseload of patients with wide ranging injuries and complexity. Alongside your own caseload you will support other less experienced team members with their caseload. University Hospital Dorset works in partnership with health and community providers within the county to enable the Discharge to Assess and Home First principles.
This role will provide you with the opportunity to support patients within the acute hospital and within their own homes to ensure they receive the right service in the best place for them.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Comprehensive knowledge of the occupational therapy assessment & treatment of a range of clinical conditions.
- Awareness of the occupational therapist’s role in the Discharge to Assess/Home First model of care
Experience
Essential
- 2+ years experience within the NHS
- experience as a Band 5 in the NHS covering the following core areas: Older adults, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Acute
- NHS Experience in an an acute physical setting
Desirable
- Involvement in audit, research & understanding of quality issues.
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy Degree
- HCPC registration
Desirable
- Member of RCOT
- Involvement in RCOT Special Interest Group
- Completion of in-house: Leadership & motivation Managing performance Time management Appraisals skills
Personal attributes
Essential
- Able to work as a team member
- Flexible
- Empathic
- Reliable
- Problem-solving
- Act professionally and responsibly at all times
Language requirement
Essential
- Able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role
Technical Skills Competencies
Essential
- Contribution to the clinical education of junior staff, students or assistants.
- Up- to-date with professional practice and new research
- Able to present information, written and verbal, in a clear & logical manner.
- Ability to organise, prioritise & delegate
- Understanding of clinical governance & its implications
- Able to carry out moderate to intense physical effort
- Able to cope in a stressful environment and with emotional or aggressive patients & carers
- Able to work well across teams to meet patient and service priorities
Desirable
- Supervision & appraisals of juniors, assistants or students
- IT skills
- Presentation skills
- Able to demonstrate leadership skills in the operational management of staff
Other requirements specific to the role
Essential
- Possession of a clean UK driving licence and access to a car for work purposes.
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 6 Occupational Therapist roles in Poole
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 Senior Occupational Therapist Acute with University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust in Poole, South West, England. It is listed as a Band 6 Occupational Therapist role. The advertised salary is £39,959 - £48,117 per annum. The contract type is Fixed term: 8 months (To backfill a career break until March 2027.). The application deadline is 22 Jun 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 (15 Jun 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.