Job summary
- Main area
- Older Persons Services
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 30 hours per week
- Job ref
- 153-SP04862
- Employer
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Bournemouth Hospital
- Town
- Bournemouth
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Band 5 Occupational Therapist - Older Persons Service
Band 5
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £250m estates programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.
Job overview
Are you passionate about working with older people?
An opportunity has arisen for a junior occupational therapist to join our Older Persons Therapy team. As the successful post holder you will be encouraged and supported to develop extended skills and enhanced practice in frailty with our highly regarded, innovative and motivated Older Persons Service Therapy Team.
Our innovative post provides opportunities to work as part of the therapy team covering
- Older Persons Assessment Unit (OPAU)
- Older Persons wards
- Older Persons outliers
This provides therapists with an opportunity to develop a full and rich understanding of our patient’s journey, from emergency admission to their transition home. Our team highly values career progression and development, working within the four pillars of practice framework (leadership, clinical work, education, research). The post holder would be supported to work within all four areas, and reach their full potential in each.
Expectations of the post holder would include working holistically within scope of own role, service development and opportunities to work alongside a range of experienced professionals both within the hospital and community.
Main duties of the job
For full duties of the post please see the job description.
To be successful in securing this post, you will have:
- Experience of working as an occupational therapist (including practice placement experience)
- Willing to participate in 7 day working on a rota basis
- Ability to drive and hold a clean driver’s license
We will consider full time or part time applicants.
Base Location: Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Interview Date: TBC
Working for our organisation
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.
UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.
In some cases this means that a services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have at interview.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.
Person specification
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to assess, manage & treat people with a variety of acute presentations affecting their performance status, effectively and independently
- Skills in goal setting & evaluating outcome measures
- Problem solving skills
- Good communication skills
Experience
Essential criteria
- Clinical experience in core areas including working within an Acute Hospital or Community Setting (inc placement)
- Expressed desire to work in Older Adults
Desirable criteria
- Covered core areas including • Orthopaedics • Neurology • Experience of working in the community
- Worked as occupational therapist or Physiotherapist in the NHS or in a system comparable to the NHS for 12 months
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Flexibility to respond to urgent requests &changes to plans and work under pressure
- Ability to drive and hold a clean driver’s license
- Ability to use a keyboard to access and input information from a computer based system
other
Essential criteria
- Ability to produce clear written documentation of intervention & reports
- Able to work within a multi-disciplinary team
Education
Essential criteria
- BSc (Hons)/ MSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy
- HCPC Registration
Desirable criteria
- Member of British Association of Occupational Therapy
- Member of RCOT
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of OT models of practice
- Knowledge of OT frames of reference
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of quality improvement (Patient First) processes, and willingness to complete
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
- Ree Broad
- Job title
- Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 019 6191
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