About this role
Job summary
We are seeking an experienced and innovative Band 7 Occupational Therapist to join the Experts at Hand programme, supporting the delivery of the national SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) reform agenda.
Experts at Hand is a transformative initiative designed to ensure that specialist SEND expertise is accessible when and where it is needed. The programme supports schools, settings, and local systems to deliver high-quality, evidence-based support through early intervention, collaboration, and workforce development.
This is an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of system-wide change, improving outcomes for children and young people with Occupational Therapy needs. We are looking for an enthusiastic, evidence driven leader with a passion for empowering others. You will play a key role in shaping inclusive practice, building workforce capability & competence and ensuring timely access to specialist expertise.
Line management experience would be beneficial as this post will support a small team of therapists but this is not essential. Applications are welcomed from individuals with established skills in the above areas and from those with transferable skills who are enthusiastic about further development. Supervision, training and support will be available.
We look forward to welcoming you to our small but highly committed team.
Informal discussions prior to application are welcome.
Main duties of the job
This role is a mix of having your own clinical caseload and providing leadership and management of the Occupational Therapists and support staff within the team to facilitate the development and transformation work.
Whilst working as an autonomous practitioner in the community, within the county of Herefordshire, plan and organise own caseload according to the needs of the children and the service. To provide highly specialist clinical support and supervision to the team.
To use evidence based standardised and non-standardised assessment tools with children, including observations in the most appropriate settings for the child/young person, in order to establish levels of functional ability to inform your practice and intervention.
To agree child focused aims, goals and objectives for all OT intervention.
To design individual therapeutic treatment plans, for children to be carried out either by you or delegated to Occupational Therapy support workers, families, carers or school staff. These interventions will take place in the most relevant environment for the child and their family - the home environment, therapy suite or schools.
See job description for further details.
About us
Wye Valley NHS Trust is a member of an NHS Foundation Group with South Warwickshire NHS FT , the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
Located on the border with Wales in the shadow of the Black Mountains, we provide acute and community services across Herefordshire and into parts of Powys and run Hereford County Hospital and the community hospitals in Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye.
We are a progressive and forward looking trust with ambitious plans to improve quality and integrate patient pathways through close collaborative working with our partners to deliver the quality of care we'd want for our family and friends.
More than 3,500 people work for the Trust - they tell us it's a great place to work, blending the busyness of a DGH with the benefits of working in a beautiful rural and unspoilt county like Herefordshire.
We can offer a great work-life balance and have a fine tradition of working with staff to help them achieve their full potential.
Russell Hardy, Trust Chairman: "The strength of the Trust is its amazing staff; a great place to work, a great place to develop your career and a great place to reach your potential."
Our values -Care, Accountability, Respect and Excellence - are at the heart of all we do. We believe in providing the right care in the right place at the right time...all the time.
Job description Job responsibilities
To view role requirements and role responsibilities in full, please view the Job description and person specification attached to this vacancy in the supporting documents.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications Essential
Professional Qualification to degree level or equivalent in Occupational Therapy HCPC Registration Significant post graduate experience and CPD relevant to Children's Occupational Therapy / Specialist courses (or equivalent experience) Evidence of or willingness to undertake further training at Masters level
Desirable
Leadership/Management qualification
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities Essential
Knowledge and experience of using both standardised and non-standardised assessments in Children's Occupational Therapy Computer Skills including word processing and e-mail Demonstration of knowledge of core and highly specialist Therapy skills Broad, developed and advanced knowledge of relevant conditions and therapy interventions Extensive evidence of ongoing CPD in relevant area Experience of multi-disciplinary communication, assessments and record keeping Able to make independent, sound, advanced clinical decisions and problem solve Able to manage and facilitate others in dealing with busy case load and prioritise Ability to work autonomously using highly specialist knowledge, skills and initiative in sometimes complex situations acknowledging role boundaries
Desirable
Knowledge of legislation pertaining to children
Experience Essential
Extensive NHS or equivalent experience in specialist area community, community services & Children's therapy Experience of team leadership, management and positive role modelling Student practice placement educator and experience of having students Experience of using/fitting adaptive equipment Supervisory experience
Personal Attributes Essential
Able to maintain confidentiality and professionalism within the environment that they are working Able to demonstrate awareness of own limitations and need to ask for help Evidence of ability to communicate effectively including difficult conversations Committed to personal and team development Ability to adapt and demonstrate flexibility in changing service needs Is dynamic and proactive Shows evidence of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence Reliable
Other Factors Essential
Ability to fulfil the travel requirements of post Able to meet physical & moving and handling requirements of post. i.e. re-positioning of a patient, use of moving & handling equipment, approved manual physical movement practices of patient Able to deal sensitively and safely with blood and bodily fluids
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Wye Valley NHS Trust
Address Benet Building, Belmont
Ruckhall Lane, Belmont
Hereford
HR2 9RP
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.wyevalley.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)