Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist - Cardiorespiratory
Closing date: 18 January 2026
A fabulous opportunity to work as a clinical specialist cardio‑respiratory OT at The Royal Brompton Hospital. This post will include inpatient rehab within Critical Care, Cardiothoracic surgery and Respiratory Medicine spanning both NHS and Private Inpatient services and will work closely with other Allied Health Professionals within a multi‑disciplinary team model.
The successful postholder will work alongside Occupational Therapists within the HLCC clinical care group, managing a variable and complex clinical caseload with a high proportion of complex surgical and critical care conditions.
The post holder will need excellent communication and leadership skills.
As part of Guys and St Thomas Trust, we care about our staff.
We offer:
10 days of study leave a year and excellent opportunities in research and quality improvement, a comprehensive health and well‑being service.
Main duties of the job
To provide high quality occupational therapy interventions to a specialist caseload of in and outpatients including high dependency environments, inpatient wards (cardiac and respiratory), private inpatients and outpatient services including Pulmonary Rehab (PR) at Royal Brompton.
To provide highly specialist Occupational Therapy interventions using advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflection and analysis to support assessments using a client centred approach to adult patients within the service.
To be a key senior member of the Adult Heart and Adult Lung Therapies Team at RBH.
To assist junior staff in the management of complex cases requiring advanced clinical reasoning.
To manage a caseload of patients with highly complex needs, using evidence‑based and client‑centred principles to assess, plan and implement interventions demonstrating high‑level problem solving and clinical reasoning skills.
To provide leadership for staff, through regular supervision and annual appraisal.
The post holder will be base at The Royal Brompton Hospital but may be required to work at other GSTT sites.
Job responsibilities
* Receive referrals from adult wards and document all referrals in accordance with departmental and professional standards.
* Prioritise all new referrals to ensure that the response time reflects the departmental standard.
* Assess all newly referred patients within the time frame specified and keep the ward and multidisciplinary team (MDT) updated of the progress towards discharge.
* Provide the most complex individual and group client centred assessments to Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) and Respiratory patients.
* Manage the most complex cases addressing the occupational performance skills, patterns, contexts and activity demands in collaboration with patients and carers.
* Undertake Occupational Therapy specialist multi‑needs assessments using complex and advanced clinical reasoning demonstrating critical thinking, reflection and analysis to develop individual and group goal and task oriented treatment plans.
* Carry out specialist complex, physical and functional assessments and treatments using dexterity, coordination, manual and sensory skills to facilitate and promote functional independence.
* Prepare and disseminate reports and data including highly sensitive information regarding clinical examination and prognostic indicators for functional performance to vulnerable patient groups.
* Act as a source of clinical expertise and advice providing clinical leadership and a resource for other teams as appropriate.
* Develop collaborative treatment plans with patients, carers and colleagues both in the hospital and patients home environment, demonstrating ethical clinical reasoning and problem solving techniques to determine agreed outcomes across health and social care.
* Adapt treatment programmes according to the patient’s medical progress, following the patient between the critical care and high dependency unit to the wards.
* Assess and treat patients on the neurological pathway following the NICE guidelines for Stroke as well as the Trust and departmental standards.
* Ensure safety for self and others during all occupational therapy interventions in hospital, on home visits and appropriate environments.
* Liaise with Social Services, District nursing teams and community therapy teams to ensure rehabilitation packages and equipment are in place.
* Complete transfer and discharge summaries for all patients being transferred to other hospitals or home in order to provide continuity of care.
* Follow the infection control guidelines when issuing and retrieving equipment and providing other interventions to patients in isolation due to infective pathogens.
* Provide informal support and counselling to patients and their families and liaise with Psychology and Psychiatry support as appropriate.
* Conduct home assessments, if indicated, liaising with hospital and community professionals. Arrange access and home visits with the community team should it be impossible to conduct a home visit due to geographical location.
* Work alongside MDT colleagues and other rehab and therapies services to ensure services are delivered at a high and consistent quality.
* Ensure consistent attendance and OT presence at all MDTs.
* Undertake complex risk assessments and advise others in determining appropriate management specifically relating to moving and handling, safe use of equipment, pre‑discharge access visits and home assessments ensuring safety during Occupational Therapy interventions both in hospital and the patients home.
* Understand and apply national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care in Occupational Therapy practice.
* Take a lead in developing and implementing clinical training programmes and in‑service training for Occupational Therapy staff and other professionals.
* Support and advise occupational therapy colleagues in the assessment and treatment of patients with PR, PPS and Respiratory Disease.
* Act as a link with community colleagues as appropriate, establishing effective working relationships within the adult heart and lung teams.
Managerial
* Manage designated Occupational Therapy Staff, providing effective guidance, supervision and performance management including the education and management of students on practice placements.
* Comply with relevant legislation such as Health and Safety, Medical Devices and Data Protection Act in particular relation to provision of hoists, related accessories and manual handling equipment.
* Develop and coordinate training for all Occupational Therapy staff. Keep up to date records of staff competency.
* Comply with recording and reporting in accordance with departmental and service standards, ensuring that all staff complete risk assessment documentation for assessment and prescription of hoists including recommendations and re‑assessment as indicated.
* Contribute to the Trusts, Directorates and Teams Clinical Governance and Quality assurance programmes, setting and monitoring practice standards within the Occupational Therapy Service and in liaison with interdisciplinary colleagues.
* Inform the Occupational Therapy Service of changes in clinical practice which may influence Occupational Therapy Service delivery, business planning and strategic reviews to support the delivery of the annual Occupational Therapy plan, meeting agreed objectives.
* Ensure accurate and up to date records of all professional judgements, decisions taken, related statistical information are kept and reported in accordance with Occupational Therapy policies.
* Participate as required in the recruitment selection and induction of junior Occupational Therapy Staff.
Communication
* Articulate and work to the value base and principles which underpin Occupational Therapy practice representing the unique role of Occupational Therapy in relation to interdisciplinary working.
* Use effective interpersonal skills to communicate complex and frequently unwelcome news regarding prognosis where agreement and cooperation is required and where there are barriers to understanding such as vulnerable and at risk patients.
* Utilise formal and informal reporting mechanisms including electronic reporting to ensure effective communication across health and social care.
* Use effective interpersonal skills to encourage patients and carers active participation in the Occupational Therapy process.
* Use verbal and non‑verbal communication to receive and disseminate complex clinical information in all therapeutic, educational programmes and professional contexts acknowledging sensitivity and utilising approaches appropriate to the complexity of the context or culture.
* Maintain confidentiality consistent with Trust and Service policies.
* Act as an advocate on behalf of patients and carers by adopting a client centred approach to support meaningful participation in life roles.
* Maintain and develop professional communication links across health and social care including representation at multidisciplinary collaborative forums and networks.
Professional Development
* Maintain professional status and competence at a Senior level taking responsibility for keeping own knowledge and skills up to date by engaging in and directing continuous professional development and lifelong learning.
* Actively participate in internal and external post registration education programmes.
* Use supervision monitoring and performance development plans to promote clinical and personal effectiveness of self and others.
* Share clinical knowledge and skills with colleagues and peers both at a local and national level.
Research Audit and Quality
* Commit to evidence based practice by leading and contributing to audit projects and research opportunities relevant to Occupational Therapy.
* Participate in research forums within the heart, lung and critical care group and activities to develop research knowledge and skills base.
* Lead and develop designated Occupational Therapy Service audits reporting findings and actions at local and directorate levels.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
* Recognised degree or diploma in Occupational Therapy
* HCPC registration
* Post qualification courses in relevant clinical area
* Royal College of Occupational Therapy membership
* Further postgraduate study in the form of courses, a taught masters programme or a research‑based degree.
* Wheelchair assessors course
Experience and Knowledge
* Post‑qualification experience commensurate to the position in general medicine/care of the elderly/cardio‑respiratory/critical care.
* Delivery of occupational therapy services that comply with professional standards and experience of a specialist in the field of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery.
* Supervision of junior OT staff members and assistants.
* Supervision of students.
* Clinical experience in management of chronic disease (including respiratory patients).
* Clinical experience of neurological rehabilitation.
* Clinical experience of working with private patients.
* Developing, monitoring, evaluating and auditing services.
Skills and Abilities
* Knowledge of adult community, voluntary, social services resources
* Ability to undertake team leadership roles where appropriate
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.
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
£56,276 to £63,176 a year incl. HCA
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