Specialist Occupational Therapist (Rotational)
The closing date is 23 July 2026.
This role in hand therapy provides specialised rehabilitation services within the clinical specialty of hand therapy, managing a wide variety of clinical presentations including hand trauma and chronic/routine hand conditions. Clinicians are involved in the assessment and treatment of hand therapy patients, including splint fabrication, exercise prescription, scar/oedema management and functional rehabilitation.
This role is also involved in clinical teaching and learning of new and rotational staff within the team, and contributes to regular teaching and learning with hand therapy. There are opportunities for supervision of students and involvement in clinical audit and service development projects.
Main duties of the job
The caseload consists primarily of acute hand trauma, referred via the Plastic Surgery and Trauma and Orthopaedics Departments. The team also accepts referrals for patients from Rheumatology and local GPs. The team is the specialist therapy team for the management of both trauma and congenital paediatric hand conditions.
You will be involved in carrying a clinical caseload consisting of both trauma and routine conditions. This role may also involve working within the paediatric hand therapy service, seeing acute injuries and congenital conditions.
Opportunities for supervision, teaching, research and service development are available and encouraged as part of this role and will be supported where possible.
About us
The hand therapy team is part of a large outpatient therapies department based within a Southwest London Teaching Hospital. St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a local, culturally diverse community in South London, and provides specialist services across a large geographical area.
The successful post holder is expected to have a clear understanding of how this post contributes to the achievement of the trust vision of: A thriving Foundation Trust at the heart of an integrated healthcare system. One that delivers improved patient care at a community, hospital and specialist setting, supported by a unique and nationally recognised programme of research, education and employee engagement.
We expect all our staff to share the values that are important to the Trust, being Excellent, Kind, Responsible & Respectful, and behave in a way that reflects these. If you have the motivation, enthusiasm and desire to develop your clinical, leadership and managerial skills plus the ability to work well and flexibly within a team, we welcome your application for this post.
This post is open to either an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist who has experience in the area of hand therapy. Please refer to the specific job descriptions for each profession and the person specification for further information.
The vacancy may close earlier than the advised date, depending on the volume of applicants
Job responsibilities
Please see attached the job description for more details on the main responsibilities for this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
- Diploma / Degree in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
- HPC Registration
- Continued Professional Development including evidence of reflective practice, and clinical experience gained
Experience
- 18 months clinical experience post-qualification, at least a year of which must have been in an acute setting.
- 1 year’s previous NHS experience either as a qualified OT (substantive or locum).
- At least 12 months experience in the field of hand therapy/plastic surgery
- Working as part of an MDT team within a clinical environment.
- Student supervision
- Clinical research / audit
Skills
- Clinical Reasoning skills
- Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate
- Ability to document legible and accurate notes in English using the SOAP note writing system according to local standards
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language.
- Hand Assessment skills
- Proficiency with treatment modalities used in hand therapy
- Ability to work under pressure
- Flexible working approach
- Initiative
- Basic Wheelchair Assessment and Prescription skills
- Dynamic splinting skills
- Experience in use of therapeutic ultrasound
Knowledge
- Clear & demonstrable understanding of the OT process
- Clear understanding of evidence-based practice.
- Working knowledge of hand assessment tools
- Understanding of the legal responsibilities of working as a healthcare professional.
- Knowledge of current OT and Government initiatives.
- Understand the legal responsibilities of the working as a healthcare professional
- Understanding of Clinical Governance and implications for allied health services including experience of quality issues and audit
- Able to work within Trust’s policies of data protection, equal opportunities and Health and Safety to meet the needs of the patients
- Working knowledge and understanding of hand anatomy
- Working knowledge and understanding of hand therapy protocols/treatment guidelines
Other
- Able to alter their working patterns to include working extended hours, unsociable hours and weekend working. This may be via additional hours or a shift pattern.
- RCOT membership
- Member of BAHT
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.
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
£47,951 to £56,863 a year. Pro rata per annum including inner London HCAS
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