Job summary
- Main area
- ICP & Therapies
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- 12 months (12-months fixed term contract)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 210-2025-439-A
- Employer
- Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Countess of Chester Hospital
- Town
- Chester
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 pa pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/07/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 30/07/2025
Employer heading
Occupational Therapist
Band 5
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement.
Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation
Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviours.
We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities.
As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit.
Job overview
Working Full time : 37.5 hours per week
12-month fixed term Band 5 Occupational Therapist
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to join our supportive Therapy Department.
You will be part of the Band 5 Rotations at The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, having the opportunity to work at Ellesmere Port Hospital and in the Community setting.
The rotations will provide you with an opportunity to gain a wide range of experience across Medicine, Care of Older People, Neurology including Stroke, Rapid Response, Hand Therapy, Vascular Surgery and Intermediate Care.
Applicants must be HCPC Registration and able to demonstrate they have successfully completed a broad range of placement across clinical areas in the NHS. Good time management skills, organisational skills and an ability to work under pressure are essential requirements to this post.
The post holder will be part of an established network for peer support and professional development and will contribute to the development of Therapy Assistants and Students when on placement. Participation on the trusts weekend and 7 day rotas is an integral part of the post.
We offer:
- Good team support
- A supportive and reflective learning environment
- Regular formal and informal supervision provided by experienced Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy staff
- Opportunity to engage in Service wide clinical governance activities
Main duties of the job
- To work as an autonomous practitioner to undertake occupational therapy assessments for a designated caseload, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, enabling the client
in areas of self- maintenance, productivity and leisure using individual and/or group interventions, in collaboration with the client using graded activity to achieve therapeutic goals. - To communicate empathetically with patients with complex clinical presentation, explaining their clinical diagnosis and treatment programmes. Ensure that patients understand this and
answer any queries they may have in relation to their diagnosis and treatment plan. - To identify and carry out Home Visits (where appropriate) in accordance with Trust and Professional standards to assess patient condition and suitability for discharge.
- To contribute to monitoring and evaluation of treatment in order to measure progress and outcomes to ensure effectiveness of interventions and service delivery.
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, and hold responsibility for own caseload for a defined area of the service, working with direct supervision.
Working for our organisation
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
- The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
- Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent
- HCPC Registered
Desirable criteria
- Membership of professional body
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Evidence of CPD and reflective practice
- Evidence of group working and team working
- Evidence of audit and/or research work
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of current best practice in specialist OT area
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance
- Understanding of professional ethics and their application in practice
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Communication skills (verbal and non- verbal)
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
- Ability to organise and respond to complex information, and work under pressure
- Basic computer skills
- Good interpersonal and organisational skills
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Deborah Conwell
- Job title
- Inpatient Therapy Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01244 36 2507
- Additional information
Gemma Walton, Team Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 01244 36 2531
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