Go back County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Senior Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 13 May 2026
Step into a role where your expertise truly transforms lives. Our 32 bed inpatient general rehabilitation ward supports adults with a wide range of complex physical, cognitive, and functional needs. As a Senior Occupational Therapist, you’ll play a pivotal part in delivering high quality, person‑centred rehabilitation that empowers patients to regain independence and confidence during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
This is an opportunity to lead by example, shaping clinical practice, supporting junior staff, and driving innovative approaches to rehabilitation within a dynamic multidisciplinary team. If you’re passionate about complex case management, creative problem‑solving, and making a meaningful impact every day, this role offers the scope and challenge you’re looking for.
The Occupational Therapy team will provide friendly support, by providing individual supervision, appraisal, continuous professional development opportunities, in‑service training and career progression.
Main duties of the job
In this senior role, the Occupational Therapist will provide specialist, person‑centred assessment and intervention for adults with complex physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs within a busy 32 bed inpatient rehabilitation ward. They will use advanced clinical reasoning to develop and deliver evidence‑based treatment plans that promote independence, safety, and meaningful occupation, while working collaboratively as a key member of the multidisciplinary team to support coordinated rehabilitation, goal setting, and safe discharge planning.
The post holder will offer clinical leadership to junior staff and students through supervision, coaching, and day‑to‑day guidance, and will contribute to service development, quality improvement, and the implementation of best practice.
The role also involves completing functional and home‑based assessments, recommending equipment and adaptations, maintaining high standards of documentation and governance, and championing innovative, patient‑centred approaches to rehabilitation within an evolving and dynamic clinical environment.
Job responsibilities
As a successful candidate you will be expected to work as a member of the Adult Occupational Therapy team, contributing to team development and providing high quality care to patients. You will support and supervise junior Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy assistants, and educate and mentor student Occupational Therapists through their placements. You will deliver Occupational therapy assessments and interventions with patients on an individual or group basis and in a variety of settings.
You will carry out planned interventions of care by identifying goals and using outcome measures. You will delegate appropriately to others to assist in the planning and running of groups and individual treatment sessions.
You will complete timely and accurate documentation using the EPR electronic system.
You will work flexibly and autonomously across different sites if service demand requires and provide a seven‑day service.
The post holder will provide administrative support and advice to the team and will actively participate in any service training and development deemed appropriate to the role.
Special Skills & Knowledge
* Knowledge and application of a range of assessments and interventions used with complex patients.
* Comprehensive knowledge of a variety of equipment and adaptations including moving and handling equipment.
* Able to demonstrate up to date knowledge and skills in relevant areas of practice, demonstrating use of evidence based practice.
* Applied knowledge of current legislation related to healthcare and occupational therapy practice, with the ability to explain how this affects practice.
* Ability to work safely at all times including selection of appropriate hazard control and risk management techniques, in accordance with health and safety legislation.
* Good understanding of clinical governance and its implications for services, with experience of participation in clinical governance activities.
* Ability to keep accurate and comprehensive electronic patient records, fulfilling all requirements of the trust’s record‑keeping policy and regulatory bodies.
* Substantial knowledge and understanding of professional competence and conduct with the ability to apply this in all areas of practice and to promote the same from others.
* Ability to demonstrate effective and appropriate communication skills with the ability to adapt styles to overcome communication differences.
* Ability to reflect on and review own practice using various methods.
* Ability to organise and prioritise a complex caseload taking into account organisational pressures. To demonstrate the ability to work efficiently prioritising and delegating appropriately to support patient flow.
* Evidence of participation in research.
* Participation in events or activities to promote the role of occupational therapy.
* Evidence of ability to plan and organise appropriate professional development activities to benefit the service.
* An understanding of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, its culture, strategic direction, achievements and NHS standing.
Statutory Registration
* HCPC Registration
* Member of RCOT
Qualifications
* Degree in Occupational Therapy
* Evidence of CPD including attendance at recent post‑graduate courses relevant to occupational therapy practice with inpatients.
* Additional Leadership/supervisor or teaching qualification/training.
* Approved wheelchair referrer.
* Member of relevant special interest group.
Special Requirements
* A proactive ability to represent the profession and the Trust with positive enthusiasm, commitment, motivation.
* Ability to travel across the Trust area to meet the requirements of the post with willingness to work flexibly.
* Ability to carry out moderate to intense physical effort throughout the working day and to carry out concurrent activities.
* Ability to cover working pattern across a 7 day service.
Experience
* Experience of a Junior rotational post in the NHS – an acute/rehabilitation setting.
* Experience of completing a range of cognitive assessments with the ability to interpret results and plan relevant treatment programmes to improve cognitive function.
* Considerable experience of discharge planning, working collaboratively to facilitate the safe discharge of patients, including those with complex needs.
* Experience of managing a vast and complex caseload in a fast‑paced setting autonomously.
* Experience of providing supervision and support for support staff and less experienced staff members.
* Experience as a practice educator, supporting the education and training of occupational therapy students.
* Evidence of working on strategic planning and development.
* Experience of developing links with and supporting educational institutes to provide education and development opportunities for students.
* Experience of completing appraisals for support staff or less experienced staff members.
* Experience of completing Trusted Assessments.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
£39,959 to £48,117 a year AFC Band 6 per annum pro rata
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