Band 7 - Occupational Therapist – Critical Care and Acute Respiratory in Watford

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Band 7 - Occupational Therapist - Critical Care and Acute Respiratory

Band 7

Main area Occupational Therapist Grade Band 7 Contract 12 months (Fixed Term/ Secondment from November 2026 to November 2027) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 360-C-11724

Department name West Herts - General Staffing Site Watford General Hospital Town Watford Salary £51,657 - £58,785 pa inc HCA Salary period Yearly Closing 11/09/2026 23:59

Job overview

We are looking for an experienced Occupational Therapist with specialist knowledge and skills in Critical Care and rehabilitation to join our Critical Care and acute Respiratory Therapy team at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

This role is offered on a fixed term, and we welcome applicants on a secondment basis.

Occupational Therapy in critical care is an emerging area at our Trust and we want to continue to work towards a robust and clinically excellent occupational therapy service.

You will be supported in your development with a strong senior MDT within the Intensive Care Unit and regular supervision/ appraisal with the Therapy Team Lead.

You will also support the Occupational Therapy team working on our acute respiratory and CCU ward areas, often supporting with the Critical Care step-down patients.

This is a fantastic role for an experienced band 6 or existing band 7 Occupational therapists looking to further expand their expertise in critical care, acute respiratory management and complex rehabilitation.

The post is part of 7 day working and would be included in that rota (frequency of 1:6 weekends) with rest days in the following week.

Main duties of the job

Delivering advanced Occupational Therapy intervention for our 19 bedded general Critical Care Unit and respiratory wards. The caseload will include a broad range of conditions, including those with acute neurological diagnosis, those with tracheostomy and complex rehabilitation needs.

As a Band 7 Occupational Therapist, you will provide a high quality, specialist and evidence based Occupational Therapy service. You will manage a complex caseload, using advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking and reflective practice to deliver holistic, person centred assessment and intervention.

You will be responsible for participation in service reviews, audits and implementation of evidence-based therapy practice/standards alongside MDT colleagues.

You will provide clinical leadership and support to a designated team of Occupational Therapists, including junior staff and assistants.

You will also have the opportunity to part of our newly established MDT Critical Care follow-up Clinic.

Working for our organisation

We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare.

Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience.

Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others.

If you are a Service Leaver, Veteran, Military Reserve, Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, or partner/spouse of those serving please tick "Member of the Armed Forces Community" on the application form.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for a full list of duties and details about the role.

Person specification

Education and qualifications:

• Member of Professional Body or equivalent recognised by Health Care Professionals Council.
• Occupational Therapy degree qualification or equivalent and NHS experience.
• Documented evidence of Continued Professional Development of expanded and highly specialised knowledge and skills.
• Attendance at a Clinical Educators Course.
• Attained or working towards a Post Graduate Degree/qualification.
• Evidence of leadership courses / training.
• Membership of a professional Special Interest Group or National or Regional Network - i.e. Intensive Care Society.
• Attendance at splinting course.

Knowledge:

• Understanding of organisational structure of the NHS and Social Care.
• Demonstrate an ability to provide professional/clinical leadership.
• Understanding of Standards - Health Care Professions Council/COT/BAOT/Local/National.
• Understanding policies and procedures (local e.g. Health and Safety).
• Specialist knowledge of OT management of patients on critical care - including early rehabilitation, delirium management, specialist cognitive assessments, acute neurology and splinting.
• Demonstrate evidence of service development / QI projects/ audits.
• Demonstrate understanding of clinical governance and the implications of the service.

Experience:

• Ability to teach and present to qualified/non-qualified staff and other disciplines, in groups or individually, using a variety of media.
• Ability to lead clinical education of less experienced staff, students, or assistants.
• Documented evidence of Continued Professional Development of expanded and highly specialised knowledge and skills in critical care and acute medical / respiratory OT.
• Senior level experience working with patients in a critical care / HDU setting & those with an acute neurological diagnosis.
• Broad range of rotational experience including neuro and acute medical wards.
• Attendance at post graduate courses in relevant fields (specific to the post).
• Experience of leading competency training / IST.
• Experience working with patients with a range of neurological diagnosis.

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute healthcare services to a core catchment population of approximately half a million people living in west Hertfordshire and the surrounding area. The Trust also provides a range of more specialist services to a wider population, serving residents of North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire.

As an employer of nearly 6,000 people the Trust is one of the biggest employers in the area and sees nearly a million patients each year.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.