Advanced Occupational Therapist - Cardiac ICU
Band 7
Main area Clinical Support Grade Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours
* Part time
* Flexible working
30 hours per week Job ref 188-CL060225
Site Southampton General Hospital Town Southampton Salary £46,148 - £52,809 per annum (PA) Pro rata Closing 19/02/2025 23:59 Interview date 06/03/2025
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for a detailed job description for the role.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a B7 Occupational Therapist to join our Cardiac ICU team. This is a new and exciting opportunity to join a well-established therapy team, developing the service alongside an expert multi professional team.
Our cardiac ICU is one of the largest and most reputable centres in the UK, performing around 1,600 operations a year. We're the best performing centre in the country, with the lowest risk adjusted mortality rate of 1.48% (compared to the national average of 2.74%). We serve 3.5 million people along the south coast and the Channel Islands.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The successful postholder will:
* Establish a new OT service for our Cardiac ICU
* Prioritise and carry a clinical caseload
* Assess and treat complex ICU patients, including post-op, delirious, or neurological presentations.
* Raise awareness of /screen for non-physical morbidity
* Demonstrate proficient leadership and management skills.
* Pro-actively engage in our culture of education and development, both for self and others.
* Lead on service development projects, working with therapy colleagues and the wider MDT.
* Supervise B4-7 staff and support both OT and Physio students.
You will be part of a large department of over 300 Therapy staff including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and support staff. You will be closely supported by our B8a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in critical care, and you will also benefit from the peer support of our B7 Occupational Therapy Lead for the General ICU at UHS.
OT in intensive care is a rare but evolving role with huge potential. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for rehabilitation after critical illness in adults (CG83) recommends early intervention from a multi-professional therapy team to deliver patient-centred, goal directed rehabilitation programmes. Experienced occupational therapists are an essential part of the team to ensure delivery of meaningful, functional interventions which address patients’ complex physical, cognitive, psychological, and social needs (GPICS 2021).
This is a fantastic opportunity for a B7 OT with a keen interest to work specifically on the Cardiac ICU, or an experienced B6 who is looking to progress into a leadership role for the first time and further develop their career in acute care. The patient caseload is varied across elective and emergency surgery, and some palliative care. Patients may require neurological assessment and treatment skills, trauma, or delirium management skills.
The postholder will promote the role of OT in ICU, engaging with and providing training and supervision. An enthusiasm for developing a rehabilitation culture and humanising the care we provide is essential for this post.
Person specification
As well as the essential skills listed in the Job description, we are also looking for the following:
* Experience assessing for, and fitting, complex equipment, including pressure care.
* Clear written and verbal communication.
* Clearly expressed desire to work within UHS therapy services.
* Clearly expressed desire to work in cardiac/intensive care setting.
We run a 7-day therapy service so weekend working, on a roster basis, will be expected as part of your working hours. This will include covering Bank Holidays.
We welcome informal enquiries, so please email or phone to hear more about this new opportunity.
We look forward to your application.
Trust Values
* Patients first
* Always Improving
* Working Together
Skills and competencies
* Communication
* Time management
* Interpersonal skills
* Report Writing
Qualifications, knowledge and experience
* Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent level of experience
* Current HCPC registration
* Significant relevant clinical experience or with the ability to demonstrate significant experience in Occupational Therapy practice
* Evidence of proven leadership and supervisory skills
* Previous experience within relevant clinical area
* Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
* Evidence of continuing professional development
* Evidence of implementing change in a clinical environment
* Experience of audit, evaluation, or research
* Leadership qualification, or experience
* Able to demonstrate sound understanding of healthcare priorities and political agendas
* Attendance at post-graduation courses, or conferences, relevant to clinical area
* Experience working in an acute hospital setting
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.
Getting to work should be as easy as possible and that’s why we have introduced the UHS travel promise – a commitment from the Trust that we will provide reasonable travel options for every member of staff. Every member of staff can apply for a permit to use our park & ride facility. Eligibility for on-site parking is dependent on the nature and requirement of the role. All staff can also access a range of discounted benefits relating to travel including reduced price bus tickets, purchase of salary sacrifice bikes and ultra-low emission cars.
Our commitment to equality
Equality remains at the centre of our policymaking, service delivery, and employment practice, giving all employees equal opportunity to develop, apply for promotions, and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work-life balance.
UHS actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. We also closely monitor recruitment activity, training, development, and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and age.
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Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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