Band 7 Advanced Occupational Therapist

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for an Advanced Occupational Therapist to join West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. You will be based within Inpatient Therapies Frailty and the Emergency Department at Watford General Hospital, where you will plan, coordinate, and evaluate the Occupational Therapy service on a day-to-day basis. You will manage a complex clinical caseload while participating in the seven-day inpatient therapy rota, ensuring continuity and quality of care across the service.

Main duties of the job

As an Advanced Occupational Therapist, you will provide expert leadership in patient management, applying specialist knowledge and clinical reasoning to deliver targeted therapeutic interventions. You will lead and contribute to audit, service evaluation, and research projects, translating evidence into practice, implementing improvements, and supporting the development of updated protocols and pathways. Your role will also involve supervising Band 6 Occupational Therapists, junior staff, and students, promote professional development, and enhance overall service performance.

About us

Here at NHS Professionals, we run England's largest NHS staff bank and are experts at putting people in places to care. Every year we help thousands of dedicated and highly skilled NHS workers enjoy better career opportunities, more flexible shifts, and a healthier work-life balance across our partnered Trusts.

Career Progression access to Learning & Development opportunities, so that you can take on new roles and challenges

Work-life Balance flexible shifts, committed shifts, wellbeing resources and build paid annual leave

Opportunity & Access over 50 partner NHS Trusts to give you the flexibility of choice to work how and where you want

Job Roles & Responsibilities

• To be professionally accountable for your own practice, ensuring all actions meet legal, ethical, and Trust standards.
• To prioritise and organise your workload efficiently, balancing patient needs, service demands, and operational responsibilities.
• To provide specialist guidance, advice, and training to colleagues, students, and support staff, enhancing their knowledge and practice within the clinical setting.
• To monitor and evaluate service resources, including equipment, patient aids, and therapeutic tools, ensuring their safe and effective use.
• To lead and participate in quality improvement initiatives, clinical audits, and outcome evaluations, contributing to service development and enhanced patient care.
• To manage communication effectively with patients, families, carers, and the wider MDT, addressing complex issues, ensuring informed consent, and supporting patient understanding and engagement.

Person Specifications & Qualifications

• HCPC-registered OT with degree/equivalent
• 4+ years acute NHS experience (frailty, ED, orthopaedics, elderly)
• Advanced clinical skills with CPD evidence
• Able to assess complex patients and lead service improvements
• Desirable: Car driver; postgraduate qualification

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

NHS Professionals Limited

Location

Watford General Hospital,

60 Vicarage Road, Watford,

WD18 0HB

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Temporary

Contract length: 4 months

Pay: £31.78 per hour

Expected hours: 30 – 37.5 per week

Work Location: In person