Overview
Main area Occupational Therapy Grade 6 Contract Fixed term: 9 months (Maternity leave cover) Hours: 19 hours per week (rolling 7 day 4 week rota). Part time, Flexible working. Job ref 412-DCSS-7393688. Employer: Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Site: Leighton Hospital, Crewe. Salary £38,682 - £46,580 per annum. Closing: 08/10/2025 23:59.
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist - REACT
6
Job overview
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist - Admission Avoidance
19hrs fixed term contract
We are recruiting a B6 or experienced B5 Occupational Therapist to join our Emergency Care Therapy Team. Requires excellent time management, organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure to manage a caseload in a fast-paced acute setting.
Candidates should demonstrate confident clinical decision making in a timely manner and have post graduate experience in a fast-paced acute hospital setting using the OT process. An understanding of discharge pathways and community services is essential, with a basic understanding of SAFER principles and the Discharge to Assess model.
Excellent communication skills are required, and you should be confident working with colleagues within the MDT at all levels. You will be an autonomous clinician using analytical and clinical reasoning to interpret assessments, set goals, and provide appropriate treatment plans.
The service supports strong interdisciplinary work across frailty, emergency care, and community services, with positive relationships with medical, nursing and social care colleagues.
Main duties of the job
The Rapid Emergency Assessment Care Team (REACT) comprises Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants. The team aims to avoid hospital admission by providing comprehensive assessments in the A&E Department and timely discharge assessments on medical assessment wards. Assessments and detailed intervention plans streamline patient journeys and prioritise discharge planning.
Experience in service improvement and audits is advantageous. The team supports student placements; mentorship experience is desirable.
The team is welcoming and supportive, with regular supervision, CPD time, in-service training and peer review sessions to support professional development.
We provide a 7-day service with a fixed four-week rotating rota; days are longer but condensed over 4 days per week to support work-life balance, including one weekend every 4 weeks.
Working for our organisation
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital and community services for East Cheshire and West Cheshire. Our services include planned and unplanned care, cardiac and critical care, child health, maternity, and intermediate care across Leighton Hospital, Victoria Infirmary, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre. The Trust collaborates with 26 medical centres and schools via Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership.
Since the formation of Integrated Care Systems, the Trust has partnered with regional systems and collaboratives to align strategic goals. As part of the national New Hospital Programme, Leighton Hospital is being reimagined to improve health and care delivery. Learn more on our Healthier Futures website.
Our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• Provide high-standard, comprehensive OT assessment and treatment for patients with complex presentations; provide clinical leadership and support to delegated staff.
• Work across A&E, assessment and short-stay wards to prevent or facilitate early discharge.
• Collaborate with patients and the multidisciplinary team to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Contribute to service development and innovation.
• Manage a defined complex patient caseload autonomously within a multidisciplinary team.
• Contribute to delivery of the service in clinical settings including in-patient wards and patients’ homes.
• Attend ward rounds, case conferences and other MDT meetings to inform patient care decisions.
• Maintain accurate documentation in line with professional standards and local policies.
• Use advanced communication skills to deliver treatment plans sensitively to patients and carers.
• Manage a specialist caseload with effective time management and organization.
• Contribute to daily service organization, including coordination of junior staff and assistants to meet priorities.
• Provide clinical leadership and supervision to junior staff, including development and monitoring of competencies.
Person specification
Experience
* BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy degree or equivalent
* Further education/training in Acute medicine/urgent care settings
Experience
* Completed varied inpatient rotations including Admission Avoidance, A&E or Urgent Care clinical areas
* Understanding of the demands of working in A&E, Admission Avoidance and Urgent Care areas
Skills
* Excellent communication skills with experience of different forms of communication
* Evidence of additional communication training/courses
Skills
* Experience in service development, project management, or audits
* Training in service development/project management and audits
Key Messages
• Please request adjustments to the recruitment process if needed.
• All correspondence will be sent via the TRAC email address.
• Selection based on the Trust values and the role's criteria.
• Sponsorship possibilities exist for some roles; not all NHS roles are eligible. See government guidance for sponsorship eligibility.
• Staff recruited from outside the NHS are typically appointed at the bottom point of the pay band.
• Appointments include a 6-month probationary period. LED Doctors have a 3-month probationary period.
• Provide a referee contact email on application; references requested after offer.
• DBS disclosure may be required; costs may be deducted from pay; DBS update service is encouraged.
• Travel expenses to interviews are not reimbursed.
• Secondments considered for fixed-term positions with mutual agreement.
Employer certification / accreditation
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and Disclosure to the DBS.
Name: Megan Bayley, Job title: Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist for REACT, Email: megan.bayley@mcht.nhs.uk, Phone: 01270 617122
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