Job overview
Are you an experienced Band 7 Occupational Therapist or existing Band 8a looking to advance or diversify your operational and leadership career?
If so this is an excellent opportunity to provide clinical leadership and service development in the management, delivery and development of Occupational Therapy within orthopaedics at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospitals.
We are looking for a highly skilled Occupational Therapist to join the Orthopaedic Team at Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells Trust. The Trust is delighted that the Maidstone Hospital has been given the opportunity to develop the Kent & Medway Orthopaedic Centre, and the post holder will lead the Occupational Therapy orthopaedic team in developing this exciting and transformative service. We are based in the heart of Kent and with easy links from London and the Kent coast.
Please note that this role may often attract a high level of applications. Please note this role may close earlier than the original closing date so please ensure you submit your application as soon as possible.
Main duties of the job
We are looking to recruit an advanced clinical practitioner to provide an Occupational Therapy service for the orthopaedic pathway.
The successful candidate for this post will need to be self-motivated, forward thinking, and compassionate, whilst interested in improving the quality of service delivery. You will preferably have previous experience in MDT approaches to treating people on the orthopaedic pathway and enjoy leading a team.
You should have advanced clinical knowledge, risk assessment skills and Manual Handling experience and be committed to the learning and development of yourself, your team and students.
This post has responsibility for working alongside the Clinical manager, to lead on the development of the Kent & Medway Orthopaedic Centre and developing the pathway for the orthopaedic patients.
The post holder will be an autonomous practitioner providing a highly specialist Occupational Therapy service.
Working for our organisation
MTW is a large acute hospital trust in the south-east of England.
We provide a full range of general hospital services and some aspects of specialist and complex care to around 600,000 people living in west Kent and East Sussex. We have a team of over 8,000 full and part-time staff. We also provide specialist cancer services to around 2 million people across Kent and East Sussex via the Kent Oncology Centre.
In the 2024 NHS staff survey, our employees ranked MTW among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and the second-best Trust to work for in the South East.
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Once your pre-employment checks have been completed you will be contacted by Recruitment to arrange your start date which will be in line with one of our Corporate Inductions.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children).
At MTW, we seek to develop a culture where everyone can reach their full potential with opportunities to grow and develop their career. We recognise and value the unique contributions that each of our staff bring, delivering the best quality care and service to our patients. We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work.
We support our staff with disabilities to ensure they have the adjustments they need to be the best they can be in the workplace. Collaborating with Access to Work means that our staff are assessed by experts in the workplace and we ensure that their recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible. You can find out more here: Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Interview Date: To be confirmed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Graduate Diploma / BSc/ and Post Graduate Degree in Occupational Therapy/MSc or equivalent experience
2. Registered with Health Professions Council
3. Evidence of relevant in depth postgraduate study or qualification
4. Clinical Educators Course
5. Member of specialist interest group
Desirable criteria
6. Member of British Association of Occupational Therapists
7. Training in management and leadership skills
Experience
Essential criteria
8. Significant post registration experience working at a senior specialist level in a relevant field
9. Highly specialist comprehensive knowledge of occupational therapy assessment and treatment technique
10. Experience in working in any of the following areas: general medicine, acute, in-patient or community neuro-rehab, older people’s rehab
11. Evidence of contributing to clinical education and in-service training less experienced or qualified staff, students and assistants.
12. Experience of working as part of an occupational therapy team and/or multi disciplinary team
13. Experience of supervision of qualified staff, students and assistants
Skills
Essential criteria
14. Ability to pass on skills/knowledge to others within both formal and informal environments
15. Ability to communicate effectively with patients with a range of communication impairments
16. Leadership skills
17. Excellent organisational skills
18. Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills
19. Able to work collaboratively within the MDT across organisational boundaries
20. Ability to work in an unpredictable environment and to prioritise own and others workload
Desirable criteria
21. Ability to show evidence of negotiation skills across organisational boundaries at all levels both clinically and managerially
Knowledge
Essential criteria
22. Knowledge of Equality Act 2010
23. Understanding of return to work process
24. Comprehensive knowledge of equipment and minor adaptations
25. Understanding of community issues and services available
26. Wheelchair prescription
27. To be competent in handling the mental, emotional and psycho-social aspects of working with patients with complex needs
28. Understanding of clinical effectiveness and its implications for services including experience of quality issues, audit and evidence based practice.
Desirable criteria
29. Appreciation of changes in health and social care provision