Senior Occupational Therapist: Sponsorship Available

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Job Summary

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Gateshead Occupational Therapy Department; working as part of the Older Person’s Team . This role is suited to an existing or emerging Band 6 who has a passion for supporting older people to manage functional decline, to support skill maintenance and proactively plan hospital discharges .

The aim of the role is to support patients to return home from hospital through the delivery of timely assessment and intervention; we are seeking an enthusiastic and flexible therapist who has sound clinical reasoning and risk management skills.

You will have excellent development opportunities including service improvement. You will be supported by the clinical MDT’s as well as the Occupational Therapy Department; including regular clinical and professional supervision, peer support and access to CPD opportunities.

You will be required to work a shift pattern between the hours of 08:00 – 17:00 and will be required to support delivery of the weekend working rota. The post holder is required to hold a UK driving license with access to a vehicle for work purposes; you will be based at one of the Gateshead Health Locations or as directed by your line manager.

Main duties of the job

  1. To act as an experienced autonomous practitioner, providing specialised occupational therapy assessment and treatment plans for patients with complex acute and/or chronic medical conditions which require intervention to prevent hospital admission/ support discharge.
  2. To independently manage a caseload, using evidence based and holistic principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
  3. To work as a key member of the MDT.
  4. To deliver care within a variety of clinical settings and within the patient’s own home.
  5. To support and supervise qualified and non-qualified staff within the department.
  6. To contribute to service development and the learning culture within the department.

 

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of MDT working to deliver holistic patient centered approach to care
  • Experience of supervising students and support staff
  • Enthusiasm for and experience of working with frail older people/ those medically unwell
  • Experience of working in/ across complex health systems (acute and community)

Desirable

  • Experience of working within acute front of house services and inpatient wards

Qualifications and Training

Essential

  • Hold a qualification enabling registration with the Health Professions Council (HCPC) as an Occupational Therapist
  • Maintain HCPC Registration
  • Evidence of knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of complex of Frail Elderly patients or those with complex medical conditions, utilising a holistic approach.

Desirable

  • Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
  • Understanding of NHS organisation

Skills

Essential

  • Full UK driving liscence with access to vehicle for work purposes

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).

Closing Date: 09 January 2026

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