Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist - Neonatal Follow-Up

Thank you for your interest in joining Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board. Located in the heart of South Wales, we’re central to Cardiff, Newport, and Swansea. Deeply rooted in our community, as an NHS organisation we are dedicated to providing compassionate patient care and building healthier communities together. At CTM, you’ll be part of a supportive, inclusive team from diverse nations, cultures, and backgrounds. Every role counts, every person matters, and together, we’re creating a space where everyone can thrive.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist to join our Neonatal Follow-Up Service within Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB. As an autonomous practitioner, you will provide expert assessment and intervention for infants with complex neonatal presentations, using highly specialised clinical reasoning skills to inform assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment planning. The role involves delivering advanced occupational therapy interventions and advice to infants, families, and carers, ensuring high-quality, family-centred care that supports the best possible developmental outcomes. You will also play a key role in developing and delivering neonatal follow-up occupational therapy services across the Health Board, acting as a specialist resource and mentor for colleagues. Through teaching, supervision, and leadership, you will support the development of knowledge and skills in enhanced neonatal follow-up practice across multidisciplinary teams. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced paediatric occupational therapist who is passionate about neonatal care, early intervention, and service development.

To independently manage their own daily complex caseload as part of a multidisciplinary team, triaging patients to reduce the impact on waiting lists; ensuring that patients are seen by the most appropriate healthcare professional. To be responsible for the effective treatment and management of neonates accessing the Neonatal Follow-Up Pathway, including assessment, care planning and early intervention across a variety of community settings. Be at the forefront of Occupational Therapy planning for the Neonatal Follow-Up within Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB. To act as a highly specialist clinical resource, disseminating expert information and education to Occupational Therapy colleagues, the general public and other health care professionals, in both Primary, Secondary care and Community settings – with a particular focus on enhanced Neonatal Follow-Up and early intervention. Lead and develop local and national networks with other teams providing similar services. Contributing to the wider professional network of Occupational Therapists working within Neonatal Follow-Up. To be responsible for linking with relevant stakeholders as an expert resource. To be responsible for implementing change within own practice and influencing and monitoring standards of Occupational Therapy practice within the Occupational Therapy Team.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board, part of NHS Wales, serves a large population across a diverse and beautiful region, steeped in history and heritage. With nearly 13,500 staff, our health board is one of Wales’s largest employers. Together, we are Team CTM; a workforce dedicated to offering excellent patient care and support to the 450,000 people across our three regions, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhondda Cynon Taf. We operate three District General hospitals, several community hospitals, primary and community care facilities. CTM’s location offers the best of South Wales, just 20 minutes from Cardiff’s vibrant city life, the natural beauty of the Brecon Beacons, and the serene coastline at Ogmore. Whether you enjoy lively urban amenities, peaceful countryside, or seaside escapes, our location makes an ideal setting for both work and personal life. Our CTM 2030 Strategy—Our Health, Our Future—focuses on uniting our region around shared health and wellbeing goals. Our values guide us daily:

• We listen, learn, and improve
• We treat everyone with respect
• We work together as one team

CTM employees enjoy benefits including; a leading pension, generous leave, flexible work, career growth, and access to ongoing learning and development. At CTM, you’ll find a welcoming, team-oriented workplace that values diversity and compassion, where you can take pride in your work and the difference it makes.

This post is advertised as Welsh Desirable. Whilst the candidate doesn't need to have skills in Welsh, we'll consider it an advantage when short-listing and selecting candidates. This isn’t ‘fluency’, just Speaking & Listening skills at Level 3 (equivalent to CEFR B2) or above. Level 3 means being able to communicate in Welsh during routine clinical situations, such as welcoming patients, discussing straightforward aspects of their care and answering routine questions. If you’re comfortable holding everyday conversations in Welsh, we encourage you to apply. Your Welsh language skills will help us provide person-centred care and enable patients to receive services in their language of choice.

To manage own daily highly specialist/expert complex caseload as an autonomous practitioner. Extensive post-graduate experience, with extensive experience related to early intervention and the principles of community neonatal care. To act as a highly specialist clinical resource, disseminating expert information to Occupational Therapy colleagues, the general public and other health care professionals in both acute and community paediatric settings. To undertake triage and highly complex assessments, using advanced levels of clinical reasoning to arrive at a differential diagnosis independently. To provide direct advice for management and/or deliver intervention if appropriate e.g. performing highly skilled, technical physical techniques; using highly developed physical skills requiring a high degree of precision. Lead the development of standards and outcome measurement for good practice with patients. To be responsible for implementing change within own practice and influencing and monitoring standards of Occupational Therapy practice within the team. Proactively engage with MDT colleagues to progress innovations and improvements in practice and service. To be responsible for linking with relevant local and tertiary consultant clinics as an expert resource. To work strategically and operationally with the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Manager in ensuring that clinical policies, procedures and guidelines meet the needs of the Occupational Therapy service.

The post holder will decide and be responsible for the allocation, and safe use, of resources in relation to individual patient care, e.g. physical equipment such as surgical appliances or nasopharyngeal suction, and the delegation of work to junior Occupational Therapy staff and Occupational Therapy HCSWs. In conjunction with the Professional Lead to be responsible and delegate work to the Administrative Team. Actively and positively participate in supervision and appraisal. Communicates effectively and works collaboratively with colleagues of all professions, to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service to the patient. Communicates daily and in collaboration with consultant colleagues, General Practitioners and other AHP colleagues. Uses a range of communication tools e.g., IT tools, presentation skills for training and teaching purposes. The post holder will work within close multi/interdisciplinary teams to deliver specialist assessments, interventions and complex care planning. Provide highly specialist advice regarding patient’s progress, current evidence-based practice, research and interpretation of clinical assessments/observations.

Communicate highly complex and sensitive information to patients and their families dealing with very sensitive and distressing emotional issues. Demonstrates highly advanced communication skills using a wide range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools. This will include patients/carers who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, not have English as their first language, cognitive/perceptual difficulties or other communication impairments. To elicit cooperation and establish an appropriate assessment and intervention plan. Respecting the dignity and rights of the baby and their family/carers. Communicates regularly with other Occupational Therapy colleagues and the wider MDT. Carrying out joint sessions and mentoring to ensure own and others’ clinical practice is appropriate and informed. Communicates effectively and works collaboratively with colleagues of all professions, to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service to the patient. To establish and maintain excellent communication networks with members of the MDT, statutory organisations, private and voluntary sector as appropriate when planning a patients assessment/intervention programme and discharge. Provide education to patients, carers/family, MDT about the management of health impairment – including the Developmental care of Neonates in the community.

Manage their own complex caseload efficiently and effectively, balancing other patient related and professional demands to meet departmental and organisational priorities. Use highly advanced analytical skills to determine the appropriate course of action for each individual patient, signposting to the appropriate pathway. This may include advice, developing a care package to be delivered by others, referral onwards to other AHP colleagues or direct Occupational Therapy. On a daily basis, take a major role in the advanced assessment of highly complex presentations of patients referred to the Neonatal Follow-Up service. Determine patient/carer understanding of multiple treatment proposals and produce plans in conjunction with the patient/carer. This will include the ability to gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework with patients/carers. Take a lead role in the education of post-graduate Occupational Therapy colleagues and other professions. Imparting knowledge and skills, guiding further knowledge acquisition and acting as a mentor. Regularly undertake research/audit within the Paediatric Occupational Therapy service, developing an advanced practice portfolio and implementing best practice in line with National Guidelines. Use electronic systems to support the delivery of assessments and interventions, and enable the accurate collection, interpretation and analysis of data. Maintain and store patient records and information in line with Health Board policy and GDPR. Participate in regular reviews of the service in collaboration with the line manager; and modifies/develops policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols to enable service improvement. Influences and implements change within own practice; monitors standards of practice within the service. Represent the Neonatal Follow-Up service and Paediatric Occupational Therapy to service users and other stakeholders when required. Enable service user feedback to develop and improve the service for this patient group. Be at the forefront of Occupational Therapy and interdisciplinary planning of Neonatal Follow-Up models and early intervention services. Be responsible for the safe use of equipment used by self and others.