<div><h3>Occupational Therapist (Rotational)</h3><p>South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting an existing or new graduate Band 5 Occupational Therapist onto our physical specialities rotation. <b>Closing date: 29 June 2026.</b></p><p>We are looking to recruit onto our physical specialities rotation across Sunderland Royal Hospital, South Tyneside Hospital and Recovery at Home. The rotation covers the following specialities:</p><ul><li>South Tyneside Hospital: Acute medicine, Orthopaedics and Surgery, Care of the Elderly.</li><li>Sunderland Royal Hospital: Medicine and Surgery, Care of the Elderly, Acute Stroke and Neurology, Interface Team, Trauma and Orthopaedics.</li><li>South Tyneside Recovery at Home Therapy Team (Community).</li><li>Sunderland Recovery at Home Therapy Team (Community).</li></ul><p>Our teams are large, friendly and supportive. Supervision will be provided by a senior therapist. A 12-month preceptorship programme supports the development of essential skills and knowledge. There is a wide scope for ongoing personal and professional development.</p><h3>Main duties of the job</h3><p>Our physical specialities rotation provides the opportunity to experience therapy intervention with patients throughout the whole acute patient journey. The interface team works in ED and EAU to prevent hospital admission and facilitate safe, timely discharges. Our inpatient OT teams assess patients for discharge from base wards and our Recovery at Home Therapy Teams assess and work with patients at home on discharge from hospital, responding to situations to help prevent admission to hospital.</p><p>In each rotation you will hold your own caseload of patients and be responsible for assessing their functional needs to either prevent admission to hospital or facilitate discharge. You will also assess and prescribe aids, equipment and wheelchairs, liaising with partner agencies while adapting your core skills to the specialty you are working in. Your manual handling skills and knowledge of specialist equipment will further develop.</p><p>Due to the need to visit patients’ homes as part of assessment and treatment interventions, you will need a valid UK driving licence and the ability to drive department vehicles in the acute teams at Sunderland Royal Hospital. You must also have access to a vehicle for the Recovery at Home rotations.</p><h3>Person Specification</h3><h3>Qualifications</h3><ul><li>Recognised degree in Occupational Therapy (completed or pending completion for new graduates).</li><li>HCPC registration (application pending for new graduates on confirmation of passing Degree).</li><li>Valid UK driving licence.</li><li>Membership of Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT).</li></ul><h3>Experience</h3><ul><li>Experience as a student Occupational Therapist in a physical health setting.</li><li>Experience of working, either paid or voluntary, within a care or therapy setting.</li></ul><h3>Physical Skills</h3><ul><li>Ability to engage in physical activity throughout the day and undertake moving and handling assessments with or without the use of equipment.</li><li>Ability to sit at a workstation as necessary to complete administrative aspects of the post.</li><li>Ability to drive department vehicles.</li><li>Access to a vehicle for work purposes/community visits.</li><li>Ability to work in restricted spaces where there is a requirement to bend or kneel down.</li><li>Ability to lift and carry equipment such as toilet or bathing equipment used for assessments.</li></ul><h3>Skills and Knowledge</h3><ul><li>Developed verbal communication and interpersonal skills.</li><li>Proven written communication skills including report writing and maintaining patient records.</li><li>Able to demonstrate analytical and judgmental skills.</li><li>Skills to prioritise workload and make judgments on priorities when there are several competing demands.</li><li>Able to present information, written and orally, in a clear and logical manner.</li><li>Basic IT skills.</li><li>Presentational skills.</li><li>Knowledge and understanding of South Tyneside and Sunderland Foundation Trust, its culture, strategic direction & achievements.</li><li>Basic knowledge of adaptive aids and equipment used to facilitate functional independence.</li><li>Knowledge of current legislation and guidelines which underpin practice.</li><li>Knowledge of community and local authority services relevant to Sunderland, South Tyneside and surrounding areas.</li><li>Knowledge of standard wheelchairs and the indications for safe use.</li></ul><h3>Disclosure and Barring Service Check</h3><p>This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) is required to check for any previous convictions.</p><p>We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under‑represented groups.</p><p>We offer our staff benefits including a fitness centre (South Tyneside Hospital), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a care co‑ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements.</p><p>South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust</p></div>