Highly Specialised OT/Physiotherapist - Hand Therapy

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 12 November 2025

This post provides highly specialised occupational therapy rehabilitation in the clinical specialty of hand therapy, managing a wide variety of clinical presentations (hand trauma and routine conditions). This role is responsible for their own clinical workload within an outpatient setting and they are accountable for their own professional actions.

The post holder is also responsible for the supervision and line management of Band 6 staff in the team and is involved with operational/day to day management within the hand therapy team. This role is also involved in clinical teaching and learning of new and rotational staff within the team, and the role also contributes to regular teaching and learning with hand therapy.

Clinical:

This post delivers highly specialised occupational therapy services as a substantive role in hand therapy. This includes the assessment and treatment of patients with traumatic hand condition/injuries and treatment/management for patients with chronic hand and wrist conditions.

The position is highly specialised due to the clinical complexity of patients managed within the service. A level of expertise and knowledge is required with regards to specific hand therapy assessments and interventions including hand, wrist and elbow splinting, exercise prescription, scar and oedema management and functional rehabilitation.

Leadership/workforce management:

This post is highly specialised as it provides senior support to consultant and therapy led post operative clinics, providing clinical leadership and support.

The post holder is also involved in clinical audit and service development projects and initiatives.

This level of expertise and input that this role provides reduces the ongoing risk for further surgery following acute hand trauma and helps to optimise a level of clinical capacity in an outpatient therapy setting.

This post is highly specialised due to its requirement to provide operational and clinical support to the assessment and management of patients within the hand therapy service. As part of this role, the post holder also provides teaching, training and clinical supervision to Band 6 staff within team in the area of hand and upper limb rehabilitation.

The post provides operational support to the overall day to day running of the hand therapy service including management annual leave, sickness, appraisals and staff performance, and deputises for the 8A role when they are not available.

The post holder is also involved in clinical audit and service development within the team.

*****Please see the attached supporting document which contains more information about the role*****

• 
  
• oDiploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy
  
• oHCPC Registration
  
• oCPD including evidence of reflective practice and clinical experience gained
  
• oWorking towards BAHT accreditation
  

• 
  
• oAble to alter their working patterns to include extended hours, unsociable hours and weekend working. This may be via additional hours or a shift pattern
  
• oBAHT Member
  
• oRCOT Member
  

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• oMinimum of 5 years post registration experience, at least 2 years of which must be in Hand Therapy
  
• oExperience of standardised assessments relevant to hand therapy
  
• oExperience and proficiency with treatment modalities used in hand therapy
  
• oClinical teaching of OT's/PT's and MDT in local setting
  
• oExperience of supervising / appraising therapy staff and students
  
• oParticipation in audit
  
• oWorking as part of an MDT within a clinical environment
  
• oExperience in assessment and treatment of paediatric patients
  
• oExperience with exercise programmes / joint mobilisations
  
• oExperience of wound management
  
• oParticipation in clinical research
  
• oRecruitment and selection experience
  
• oTeam leadership experience
  
• oExperience in therapies service development including clinical services
  

• 
  
• oGood clinical reasoning skills
  
• oAbility to organise, prioritise and delegate
  
• oAbility to document legible and accurate notes in English using the SOAP note writing system
  
• oExcellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language
  
• oExperience of standardised assessments relevant to hand therapy
  
• oProficiency with treatment modalities used in hand therapy
  
• oAbility to work under pressure
  
• oTeam leadership skills
  
• oExperience of operational and staff management
  

• 
  
• oClear demonstrable understanding of the therapies process
  
• oClear understanding of Evidence Based Practice.
  
• oWorking knowledge of hand assessments
  
• oWorking knowledge of hand anatomy
  
• oWorking knowledge and understanding of hand therapy protocols/treatment guidelines
  
• oKnowledge of current OT/PT and Government initiatives.
  
• oUnderstand the legal responsibilities of the working as a healthcare professional
  
• oHave an understanding of Clinical Governance and implications for allied health services including experience of quality issues and audit
  
• oAble to work within Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and Health and Safety to meet the needs of the patients
  

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