Associate Practitioner: Sponsorship Available

Job Summary

A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen within The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Occupational Therapy Medicine team are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to join our team as an Occupational Therapy (OT) Associate Practitioner.

The role of an Occupational Therapy Associate Practitioner will enable individuals within the in-patient setting to engage in meaningful occupations to enhance rehabilitation following injury/illness, whilst supporting with timely and efficient hospital discharge.

There is also a requirement to undertake delegated administrative tasks that assist the therapists and contribute towards the effective running of the department. The post holder will contribute to the day to day running of the service ensuring a high standard of care to our client group.

The job will entail working as part of a multidisciplinary team to facilitate safe and timely discharges from the acute hospital wards. The post holder will manage and co-ordinate their own non-complex caseload with support from the Occupational Therapist, as well as assisting the Occupational Therapist with more complex cases.

Main duties of the job

This will include communicating with patient and relatives/ carers to gather subjective information along with completing therapy assessments such as functional assessments, washing and dressing assessments, kitchen assessments, and environmental visits. The post holder may also be expected to run therapy groups on the ward to support with inpatient rehabilitation and to prevent deconditioning while an inpatient.

The Occupational Therapy Team work closely with the Discharge Nursing Team, Social Workers, and Physiotherapists who specialise in facilitating discharges from the acute hospital setting.

Applicants will have the relevant qualifications and significant previous experience as an OT assistant or Technical instructor, together with a good understanding of Occupational Therapy and its role in the acute hospital setting.

Applicants should have highly developed communication skills, caseload management, moving and handling and problem solving skills are essential. You will be able to prioritise your workload independently and use initiative whilst working with the therapists as part of the inter-disciplinary team.