Occupational Therapist Onco‑Frailty
The closing date is 04 June 2026
We are seeking an experienced, forward‑thinking Occupational Therapist to collaborate on an innovative 24‑month project focused on improving care for patients living with oncological frailty. Building on the 2022 Royal College of Radiologists' findings, this role will pioneer a stratified approach to frailty in oncology—using a multi‑functional toolkit early in the patient pathway, and ensuring timely access to specialist review and targeted services.
The post holder will play an active role in setting up, running and evaluating the Onco‑frailty service. They will assess patients in a twice weekly MDT clinic, alongside a geriatrician and other allied health professionals. They will then run their own outpatient diary alongside this. Patient assessments and follow‑ups may be face to face or telephone‑based clinics. They will be expected to make strong links with neighbourhood‑based services, ensuring appropriate onward referrals to support patients beyond the onco‑frailty.
Main duties of the job
* Use expert Occupational Therapy knowledge and advanced clinical reasoning skills to provide specialist support and advice to the Onco‑frailty project team and other multidisciplinary team members within the cancer division, and to manage an outpatient caseload of patients with highly complex conditions as an autonomous practitioner.
* Contribute to the delivery, evaluation and review of the Onco‑Frailty Project.
* Professionally represent the Occupational Therapy Service as a whole.
Working hours will fall between 08:30 and 18:00 Mon – Friday with no unsociable hours. The post will be based at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, with an expectation of support across UHSx. It is likely that clinics will run from Brighton and Worthing.
Job responsibilities
As part of the Oncological Frailty Project Team, you will combine your expert occupational therapy skills with developing the onco‑frailty project within a multi‑professional team.
* Deliver high‑quality clinical reviews for frail patients planning to and/or undergoing systemic anti‑cancer therapies (SACT) and radiotherapy both in the Cancer Centre and ambulatory assessment units.
* Develop and implement new ambulatory pathways to prevent unnecessary admissions and reduce emergency department attendances for onco‑frail patients, linked to the new supportive oncology pathways.
* Drive service innovation by improving patient selection for oncological interventions, optimising physical condition before and during treatment, and enhancing personalised care.
* Provide expert guidance to the multidisciplinary team members (MDT) acting as a resource on occupational therapy within the oncological frailty project.
* Support with education programmes to build the MDTs skills in managing oncological frailty and complex treatment toxicities.
* Collaborate closely with colleagues within the Cancer division across UHSx sites to ensure consistent, high‑quality care.
Internal applicants should note that this opportunity will be offered on a secondment basis. Before applying, internal colleagues must discuss the opportunity with their current line manager to confirm whether they can be released from their substantive role if successful. Release to undertake a secondment is not automatic and must be agreed between the colleague, their current line manager, and the recruiting line manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Experience
* Diploma in Occupational Therapy or BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy or overseas equivalent.
* Evidence of relevant post‑graduate clinical courses/CPD and reflective practice.
* HCPC Registration.
* Relevant master's level qualification— or working towards it.
* Management courses or training including recruitment.
* Experience working in an outpatient setting.
* Experience working in Frailty and Oncology specialities.
Skills
* Ability to teach high level of clinical skill in speciality area to own and other professions.
* Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with patients, carers, occupational therapy, multidisciplinary teams and other agencies.
* Ability to analyse highly complex assessment outcomes, identify problems and offer solutions.
* Excellent knowledge of equipment and environmental adaptations.
* High level of verbal and written communication, including using telemedicine to assess and follow up patients.
* Excellent time management, organisation and leadership skills.
* Ability to work under pressure and remain calm in a crisis.
* Ability to prioritise clinical and non‑clinical work within an outpatient setting.
* Proven understanding of risk management.
* Competent IT skills and ability to manage multiple outpatient IT systems.
* Experience working at B7 level.
* Experience in handling complaints and disputes.
* Critical appraisal or published research.
People management and development
* Experience in assessment of managing poor performance.
* Experience of supervising and conducting appraisals.
* Experience of giving presentations to OT colleagues and to audiences of mixed professional backgrounds, at local and national levels.
* Ability to reflect and critically appraise own and others' performance.
* Experience in motivating and empowering staff.
* Involvement in carrying out clinical audit or service evaluation.
* Experience in managing a team.
* Experience representing and promoting Occupational therapy at a senior management level, Trust wide.
* Management of other health care professionals, e.g. physiotherapist.
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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum pro rata.
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