Senior Occupational Therapist

Senior Occupational Therapist – Band 6 (Locum)

Location: University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust – Poole Hospital

Area: South West NHS

Rate: £Negotiable

Contract: Locum, Ongoing

About the Role

Poole Hospital is seeking a skilled and motivated Band 6 Senior Occupational Therapist to join the Acute Inpatient team. This role requires strong clinical experience across core Occupational Therapy areas and the ability to work confidently within a fast-paced acute environment. You will support patients across older adults, neurology, orthopaedics and general acute pathways, delivering high-quality assessment and patient-centred interventions.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive OT assessments and interventions for acute inpatients across a range of clinical areas.
• Apply strong clinical reasoning to develop, implement and evaluate individual treatment plans.
• Teach patients, relatives, carers and staff, promoting understanding of therapeutic goals and rehabilitation strategies.
• Delegate tasks appropriately and supervise junior staff, students and assistants.
• Use excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills to build effective rapport with patients and MDT colleagues.
• Use research and evidence-based practice, including the ability to critique research articles to inform clinical decision-making.
• Maintain accurate clinical documentation in line with professional and Trust guidelines.
• Work collaboratively within the MDT to support safe and timely discharge planning.
• Manage and prioritise a varied caseload effectively.

Requirements

• BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy and HCPC registration.
• Minimum 6 months NHS experience.
• Previous Band 5 experience across core areas: older adults, neurology, orthopaedics and acute settings.
• NHS experience within an acute physical environment is essential.
• Ability to drive with a clean driving licence.
• Strong teaching, supervision and delegation skills.
• Excellent communication skills and strong MDT working ability.
• Good IT skills and effective time management.
• Ability to prioritise clinical workload in a busy acute setting.

Working Hours

• Shift pattern: 08:00 – 16:00.

Why Join?

• Competitive negotiable rate.
• Opportunity to further develop acute inpatient experience within a supportive NHS Trust.
• Varied caseload across multiple core OT specialties.
• Engaging role with opportunities to supervise and develop junior staff.

Ready to bring your acute expertise to a leading South West NHS Trust?

Apply today to join the Occupational Therapy team at Poole Hospital.

Code: U. GKQ6C.017011. BE18946