East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
The closing date is 14 May 2026
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist Critical Care and Neurology
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist to join our Critical Care / Surgical / Neuro Team at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital. The successful candidate will support the clinical leadership team to deliver excellent patient care as part of a dynamic, flexible, supportive and forward‑thinking therapy workforce.
This Band 7 position offers an opportunity to lead the rehabilitation of our Critical Care and Neurological patients on the wards at QEQM and to work with the team of clinical specialists at an enhanced practice level, providing care aligned to the four pillars of advanced practice.
Main duties of the job
* Be responsible for the day‑to‑day operational delivery of Occupational Therapy services in Critical Care, Critical Care follow‑up and the Critical Care step‑down patients residing on the wards at QEQM
* Provide specialist Occupational Therapy to patients with neurological conditions in critical care and the wards at QEQM; collaborate with the Neurology and Stroke Therapy Services at Kent and Canterbury Hospital for teaching, learning and clinical supervision
* Manage and support the Occupational Therapy team, providing clinical supervision and line management of 1 x Band 6, 1 x Band 5, 1 x Band 4 staff
* Take a leading role in advanced assessment and management of patients with complex and multi‑pathology presentations including critical illness, post‑operative problems, post‑cardiac intervention, neurology and long‑term respiratory conditions
* Collaborate with the MDT to determine optimal care pathways
* Lead service development aligned with national and local strategies
* Participate in quality improvement projects, audits and research activities
* Coordinate a 7‑day working rota for OT service provision on weekends and bank holidays, and be expected to participate in 7‑day working
About the trust
We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is ‘great healthcare from great people’. Everything we do is guided by our values: ‘People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference’. We have a new way of working called ‘We care’, about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day‑to‑day. We are looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.
Governance
* Understanding of quality governance, patient safety and patient experience tools to support clinical practice and service improvement
* Sound knowledge of national policy and guidance and developments in the NHS including NICE, CQC and GIRFT
* Utilisation of clinical effectiveness tools to deliver quality improvement, e.g., risk management and clinical audit
* Evidence of innovative practice utilising research and audit
* Experience of contributing to quality improvement in safety/quality improvement projects
* Experience of writing reports and presenting to teams or small groups
* Experience of implementing and evaluating improvements in care
Clinical skills and experience
* Significant postgraduate healthcare experience equivalent to level 7 demonstrating professional development across the four pillars of practice
* Significant experience of care of the Critical Care patient
* Experience of working with patients/service users to resolve concerns and improve their experience
* Experience of supervising staff and delivering training
* Experience of assessing patients and providing high quality intervention for complex patients
* Ability to demonstrate high quality clinical and evidence‑based practice
* Significant experience of Neurological patients
* Experience of presenting to groups of staff/public
Qualifications
* BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy
* HCPC registration
* Member of RCOT
* Member of a SIG
* Leadership training
Personal and professional attributes
* Ability to work within a team to achieve goals for a shared vision
* Evidence of service development and delivery in practice
* Knowledge of health policy and application to practice
* Ability to problem‑solve, anticipate and plan, individually and within a team
* Demonstrate self‑awareness and critical reflection
* Ability to prioritise care delivery in a professional manner, considering Trust policies and procedures
* Knowledge of quality assurance and improvement methodology
* Ability to organise and manage own work
* Knowledge of quality assurance and improvement methodology
Other requirements
* Flexibility in working patterns to meet the needs of the service
* Commitment to equity and diversity
* Self‑motivated, positive, adaptable and flexible approach
* Upholds and role‑models the Trust values
* Able to travel around East Kent and between Trust hospital sites
* Member of regional/national specialist interest groups/networks
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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