Specialist Occupational Therapist Palliative Care
Band 6
Main area: Palliative Medicine
Grade: Band 6
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 30 hours per week (Extended and weekend working is part of this role)
* Full time
* Part time
Job ref: 321-SW-7930870-B6-EXT
Site: Sobell House Hospice, Churchill Hospital Town Oxford
Salary: £39,959 - £48,117 per annum (pro rata)
Closing: 14/05/2026 23:59
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals: the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington, and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Job Overview
We are looking for an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist to join our multidisciplinary specialist palliative care teams, working across community, inpatients, hospital palliative care team and Living Well Service. A full driving licence and ability to work within Oxfordshire and South Northamptonshire is required. Both full‑time and part‑time applicants are welcome.
Main Duties of the Job
* Performs holistic assessment of patients, including those with complex presentations, and from this formulates a treatment plan, which is carried out as an autonomous practitioner.
* Provides rapid assessment and intervention to prevent admission, facilitate discharge, support carers and families, manage symptoms, improve function and quality of life, and ensure safety.
* Maintains a clinical caseload of complex patients as an autonomous practitioner.
* Communicates and collaborates with others involved in the care of patients, and engages in non‑clinical activity.
* Works as part of the MDT with patients known to Palliative Care across the settings of Community, Living Well Services, Inpatient Unit, Hospital palliative care team and Outpatients.
* Participates in the supervision, teaching and appraisal of junior or student Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants.
* Participates in maintaining and improving all aspects of evidence‑based practice and quality assurance, which may involve change management.
* Contributes to services development, clinical governance, audit, research and CPD.
Clinical Practice
* Works within scope of practice within the specialist service and practice autonomously as well as within the multi‑disciplinary specialist palliative care team.
* Initiates and co‑ordinates assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of the holistic needs of patients and families.
* Provides specialist care and uses range of knowledge in complex decision making to determine evidence‑based recommendations and therapeutic interventions.
* Plans, prioritises and manages complete episodes of care, working in partnership with others, delegating and referring as appropriate.
* Uses professional judgement in managing complex and unpredictable care events.
* Draws upon an appropriate range of multi‑agency and inter‑professional resources.
* Appropriately defines boundaries in practice in collaboration with Senior Specialist OT.
* Practises high standard of communication, including highly sensitive and complex information, to develop and sustain partnership working with individuals, groups, communities and agencies.
* Maintains adequate patient documentation for all patients seen and advice given in any practice setting and contributes to clinical activity/data collection as required.
Leadership / Management
* Collaborates with multi‑professional members of the specialist palliative care team to develop a shared vision of the service.
* Acts as a role model and resource using skilled clinical evidence‑based practice.
* Works collaboratively with colleagues to develop effective documentation, pathways, protocols and guidelines for care.
* Demonstrates a commitment to share expertise and disseminate information.
* Actively participates in the development of the team and the service to continuously improve patient care.
* Participates in implementing national standards and frameworks at a local level.
* Networks locally, regionally, and nationally and seeks opportunities to develop the OT role.
* Uses effective change management skills to initiate and assist in implementing service and practice development.
* Maintains involvement and active input in multidisciplinary meetings and appropriate local bodies and forums to contribute to practice and service development.
Education / Training
* Maintains, advances and develops personal theoretical knowledge, high standards of clinical competence and professional development through ongoing self‑education and attendance at relevant courses of study.
* Develops and maintains a peer network of support, information and learning with therapists and other palliative care specialists at a local and national level.
* Maintains own professional portfolio.
* Contributes to the development and acquisition of specialist knowledge and skills to enhance and extend the practice of other therapists, nurses and health care professionals within the service and beyond.
* Role‑models lifelong learning and relishes opportunities to share best practice.
* Identifies and addresses the educational needs of patients, families, carers and staff involved in the delivery of this service.
* Contributes to the teaching and support of students from the multi‑professional team within relevant educational programmes.
* Provides an appropriate learning environment, including mentorship, coaching and preceptorship.
* Contributes to relevant educational programmes and in‑house study days.
Improving Quality and Developing Practice
* Contributes to ongoing service review and evaluation, including seeking and monitoring patient experience and outcomes.
* Participates in research, audit and analysis to generate new evidence in the area of speciality.
* Assists in evaluating clinical practice in relation to its evidence base and clinical effectiveness, including policy and guidance.
* Develops and sustains appropriate multidisciplinary working relationships to improve health outcomes and healthcare delivery systems.
* Helps identify areas of risk and poor quality, and seeks support in addressing these through appropriate governance structures and forums.
* Participates and actively seeks peer review in practice and sound evidence for assurance purposes.
* Ensures responsibility to complete annual appraisal, agree objectives which reflect local and national service needs and develop personal development plans.
* Develops personal and professional knowledge through critical self‑appraisal, clinical supervision and networking with other health care professionals locally, nationally and internationally.
* Advocates and contributes to a working environment that promotes continuous learning and development, evidence based practice and succession planning.
* Has high level of communication skills to enable participation in the dissemination of practice through conferences and professional publications.
* Ensures statutory and mandatory training updates, as well as role/specialty updates are completed and necessary records maintained.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
* State Registration with Health and Care Professions Council.
Experience
* Previous experience working with patients with palliative care needs.
* Previous experience of end‑of‑life care.
* Supervision of staff and students.
* Experience of service or experience of complex assessment, treatment and discharge planning.
* Experience of mentoring and supporting other staff and practice innovation.
* Experience of contributing to audit and research.
* Previous experience working in a palliative care setting.
* Previous experience working in the community setting.
* Membership of speciality groups.
Skills and Abilities
* Ability to work autonomously with individuals.
* Knowledge and understanding of activity and occupation in relation to work and well‑being.
* Application of Occupational Therapy models of practice and evidence‑based practice.
* Demonstrates application of risk management to clinical practice.
* Experience working within a multi‑disciplinary team.
* Accuracy in patient record and data recording.
* Ability to prioritise multiple demands.
* Excellent communication skills and willingness to attend advanced communication skills course.
* Demonstrates ability to manage conflict.
* Computer literate.
* Understands values and principles of audit and research.
* Ability to present information in a formal and informal educational setting.
* Ability to support the supervision and education of students and Occupational Therapy Assistants.
* Able to draw upon and apply previous experience to identify and address problems with clients and provide rationale for chosen theoretical framework.
* Experience of collating data for service development.
* Experience with spreadsheets.
Personal Qualities
* Willingness to work flexibly.
* Good personal organisational and time management skills.
* Proactive, problem‑solving approach.
* Commitment to lifelong learning.
* Understanding of the impact of emotionally challenging work.
* Resilient and able to support this in others.
Other
* Adherence to Royal College of Occupational Therapy and HPCP guidelines and codes of ethics and professional conduct.
* A full driving licence and access to a car for work purposes.
Sexual Safety Charter
In 2023 NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the core principles.
Probation Period
This post is subject to a 6‑month probationary period. If you already hold a contract of employment with the Trust this will not apply. This statement does not apply to medical staff or executive appointments.
Reference Requirements
When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work‑related email addresses so references can be sought promptly.
Contact Information
For more information or to arrange a visit, please call 01865‑225871 or email PallCareTherapy@oxnet.nhs.uk.
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