Specialist Occupational Therapist

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Job summary

Specialist Occupational Therapist – Band 6 Permanent

2-hour Urgent Crisis Response (UCR) and Community Frailty Team

37.5 hours post

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Occupational Therapist to join the St Helens 2-hour UCR, Community Frailty and Virtual Ward Therapy Team. This integrated multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team will provide specialist rapid assessment and interventions to our local population of St Helens. Whilst being predominantly community based you will also work as part of a larger team in several Frailty specialist areas. Working in a diverse environment offers scope to build on skills across all our pathways including the community, a high paced AED setting as well as a specialist service within Bevan Court – our Frailty and Reablement Unit.

Our progressive working environment will manage ‘crisis’ on a daily basis, taking referrals from community, care homes and acute colleagues as well as self-referrals. Your clinical skillset will contribute to people being able to remain safely and supported in their own homes wherever possible and preventing unnecessary A&E attendances.

Our Crisis Response Service operates as a clinically led multi-disciplinary team comprising of Frailty Consultants, Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Occupational therapists, Physiotherapists, Nurses, Social Workers and support workers.

The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and are subject to change.

Main duties of the job

The service provides a 7 day, 8am-8pm, urgent and timely response to referrals. Following this, a rapid assessment and community intervention for up to 72 hours will support adults ‘in crisis’ with health or social care needs at home.

You will be a champion of an integrated community care approach, a strong team player with experience of MDT working and an excellent communicator. You will be adaptable, committed, able to organise and prioritise work effectively and able to work well under pressure. You must be able to travel around various community locations delivering care. You must be motivated, enthusiastic and have proven experience of working as an autonomous practitioner. A commitment to improving the patient’s experience is essential.

The successful candidate should have a working knowledge and experience of community or acute services and be familiar with the patient pathways between hospital and home. You will be required to process referrals, manage a caseload independently and take responsibility for providing assessment and treatment of patients with a variety of medical conditions.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Occupational Therapist
  • HCPC registration

Desirable

  • Clinical Educators Certificate
  • Post Grad accredited study e.g. MSc in relevant health studies

Experience

Essential

  • Advanced clinical knowledge relevant to the care environment and evidence of evidence-based practise in relevant health setting
  • Awareness of own strengths and limitations
  • Knowledge of relevant national policies and guidance and relevant assessment tools
  • Experience of line managing a team including setting objectives, conducting appraisals and effective delegation and co-ordination
  • Evidence of effective working within an MDT
  • Experience of Service development
  • Demonstrate experience of problem-solving approaches
  • Demonstrates continuous Professional Development

Desirable

  • Audit and research in a clinical area

Skills

Essential

  • Demonstrates ability to motivate team performance to achieve objectives
  • Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
  • Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings
  • Accurate record keeping, report writing and IT skills including presentation skills
  • Have a flexible approach to working with good time management

Desirable

  • Mentorship skills

Other

Essential

  • Ability to travel various hospital locations by own car/ assisted driver

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 2 August 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.