Senior Occupational Therapist

About Us

Are you dynamic, motivated and have a passion for providing high quality care to your patients? We are looking for an experienced Occupational Therapist to join our large, well-established and friendly community team. 

Tiverton and Cullompton have excellent transport links and we are a short journey off the M5, giving quick access to Dartmoor, Exeter and Bristol. The North Devon Link Road can transport you to the beautiful shorelines of the North Devon Coast, Exmoor and Blackdown Hills, Area of Natural Beauty. You can also access direct trains to London from Tiverton Parkway, taking less than 2 hours.

We manage a varied caseload from post-op rehab, Pathway 2 rehab in care homes to long-term condition management, falls prevention and same-day equipment assessments to keep patients safe at home. Applicants will require sound moving and handling skills, good problem solving, prioritisation and excellent communication. Our offices are shared with Community Nurses, Social Workers and Urgent Community Response, allowing a high level of integrated working to the benefit of our patients.

We are committed to the continuing professional development of all our team members and offer a supportive environment with regular supervision, CPD groups, training and peer support. We also have access to a Champion’s Network that links you with therapists who are keen to share the knowledge of their special interest. The successful candidate will be responsible for the supervision and development of Band 5 Occupational Therapists, students, and support staff assigned to them. Excellent IT skills are required to coordinate the smooth running of the service and utilise the benefits of our online MyCare portal.

The post-holder will require a driving licence and access to a car to complete their community visits, however we are exploring the option of pool cars and e-bikes in response to the rising cost of fuel. Whilst the majority of shifts are completed 8.30 to 4.30, the successful candidate will be entered onto the team rota for late shifts (either 10-6pm or 12-8pm depending on capacity) and weekends (with toil time provided to compensate). This is to support admission avoidance and facilitate timely hospital discharge to the benefit of our local community.

We can be flexible with the hours offered according to the successful candidate. 

Interview Date: TBC

If you would like any more information about this post, please contact the Therapy Manager, Emily Webb on Emily.webb5@nhs.net

Preference will be given to staff with ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy when sufficient applications have been received.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was established in April 2022, bringing together the expertise of both the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.

Role Summary

Provide specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment and advice to patients and their carers. The caseload will include a wide range of acute and chronic care cases, many having complex disabilities and needs. Some services will also include terminal care cases.

About the Role

We will work together to maintain a culture that develops and supports you and your team.

This might include funding for a care certificate, a degree or leadership qualifications. Or it might include days off to study, engage in CPD or rotational placements to help you hone your skills. Wherever you are heading in the NHS, we'll help you get there.

Looking after you is important to us.

We strive to help our staff create a healthy work-life balance through flexible working schemes and our family friendly policies.

If you're starting out in the NHS, you’ll start with 27 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 33 days plus bank holidays.

You'll benefit from access to our own comprehensive occupational health services, including counselling, onsite wellbeing activities and groups.

Salary is not the only financial benefit

You'll have access to an extensive range of staff discounts on shopping, fitness and leisure options and you can spread the cost of technology and home appliance purchases from major retailers. You will also have access to other benefits including:

• National discount services such as the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts.
• Salary sacrifice options including our OFSTED rated outstanding nursery onsite at Exeter
• Car lease schemes.
• The NHS Pension scheme (one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK).
• Cycle to work scheme

These are just a few of the benefits available – if the role is something you are interested in, we'd love to hear from you.

Benefits

Stretching across Northern, Eastern and Mid Devon, we have a workforce of over 15,000 staff, making us the largest employer in Devon. Our core services, which we provide to more than 615,000 people, cover more than 2,000 square miles across Devon, while some of our specialist services cover the whole of the peninsula, extending our reach as far as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

We deliver a wide range of emergency, specialist and general medical services through North Devon District Hospital and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). Alongside our two acute hospitals, we provide integrated health and social care services across a variety of settings, including community inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and within people’s own homes. We also offer primary care services, a range of specialist community services, and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC).

Our state-of-the-art equipment, leading technologies and strong links to local universities put us at the forefront of research and innovations, enabling us to provide world-class care to our local communities.

It’s never been a more exciting time to join the Royal Devon, as you'll help to shape our services as we continue along our integration journey.