Job overview
Occupational Therapy Technician - Surgery, Respiratory and Cardio/Stroke Orthopaedics
We are looking for a keen applicant to be part of our Orthopaedic / Surgery, Respiratory and Cardiovascular Team at St. Richard's Hospital Chichester. As an Occupational Therapy Technician you will be providing therapeutic care to patients on the acute inpatient wards as part of the orthopaedic and surgical pathways. This is a non-registered post which will offer opportunities for building skills and developing within Occupational Therapy.
Please note this is a fixed term post to cover a secondment so would ideally suit applicants with previous experience and competencies working in a similar role in Occupational Therapy services, providing direct care to patients/clients.
You will work as part of an established OT team covering in-patient wards, under the direct supervision of the Occupational Therapists. You will be required to carry out thorough treatment programmes, accompany / assist on home assessments and participate in general administration and housekeeping tasks.
The successful candidates must be able to demonstrate good communication and problem solving skills and enjoy working both independently and as part of a team.
We can provide on the job training and lots of opportunities to work with experienced staff as well as member of the multi disciplinary team to deliver high quality care.
Main duties of the job
JOB PURPOSE: To apply, under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist, technical and creative skills in the provision of a flexible, patient centred programme of Occupational Therapy assessments and treatments.
DIMENSIONS: To work effectively as a member of the multi-disciplinary team in providing a programme of Occupational Therapy assessments and
treatments for a selected caseload of patients, being able to make
alterations when required by assessment of patient progress
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
We strongly recommend that you refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for details of this post.
We offer:
Good team support
A supportive learning environment
Developmental opportunities with links to regional support worker networks
Regular formal and informal supervision with an annual personal development review
Car driver is desirable due to community aspects of this post.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Good level of education – 4 GCSE’s at Grade C or above or equivalent
Desirable criteria
2. A recognised qualification in an area related to post or equivalent life skill Relevant NVQ qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
3. Awareness of Health & Safety issues and Risk Management
4. An understanding of disability and social issues and the impact on people’s functional ability
5. Experience of working in a team
6. An understanding of disability and social issues and the impact on people’s functional ability
7. Experience working in Occupational therapy or as a rehab assistant
Skills
Essential criteria
8. Good verbal and written communication skills
9. Ability to develop effective working and therapeutic relationships
10. Ability to identify and analyse problems and offer solutions
11. Ability to collate, organise and respond effectively to information
12. Computer literacy
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
13. Commitment to patient centred, non-discriminatory practice
14. commitment to lifelong learning
15. Self motivation
16. Enthusiasm
17. A good team player
18. Willingness to undertake tasks such as cleaning equipment, personal care assessments
19. a current/valid license
Desirable criteria
20. Own Transport
21. Willingness to work flexible hours
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
22. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
23. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications