Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist - REACT

Closing date: 10 August 2026

Job summary
12 months fixed term contract -25hrs per week

We are currently recruiting a B6 or experienced B5 Occupational Therapist to join our friendly, enthusiastic and driven Emergency Care Therapy Team. We expect excellent time management skills, organisational skills and an ability to work under pressure, in order to efficiently manage a caseload within this demanding and unpredictable field.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate confident clinical decision making in a timely manner and will need to have post graduate experience of working within a fast-paced acute hospital setting utilising the OT process. An understanding of discharge pathways and community services is essential together with a basic understanding of SAFER principles and Discharge to Assess model.

Candidates must have excellent communication skills and be confident working alongside colleagues within the MDT at all levels. You will be an autonomous clinician, using analytical and clinical reasoning skills to interpret assessment findings, identify patient problems, set goals, and provide appropriate treatment plans.

The service we deliver allows many opportunities for excellent interdisciplinary working within the team and positive relationships with medical, nursing and social care colleagues across frailty, emergency care, and community services.

Main duties of the job
The Rapid Emergency Assessment Care Team (REACT) comprises of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants. We aim to avoid hospital admission by providing comprehensive assessments within the A&E Department. Timely discharge assessments are provided for patients on the medical assessment ward, for patients whose discharge cannot be avoided. Assessment and detailed intervention plans ensure that their journey through the hospital is streamlined, and discharge planning is paramount.

The right candidate should have experience of service improvement. Experience of contributing to audit is an advantage. The team embraces supporting student placements and experience of student mentorship is desirable.

The team is welcoming, friendly and supportive. There is a structure in place to receive regular supervision, dedicated CPD time, in-service training and regular peer review sessions to support professional development.

Fundamental to the service delivery model, is that our team provide a 7-day service, which compromises a fixed, four-week repeating rota. Due to the nature of the service, we work slightly longer days, but our hours are condensed over 4 days per week allowing for a greater work-life balance. This includes one weekend, every 4 weeks.

About us
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community services for East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester (population 357K). Our services include planned and unplanned/emergency care, cardiac and critical care, child health, maternity, and intermediate care across Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford. Through our community arm, Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership, we deliver extensive services in 26 medical centres and schools in collaboration with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FT and the South Cheshire and Vale Royal GP Alliance. With 500 beds and around 5,500 staff, we are one of the area's largest employers.

Since the formation of Integrated Care Systems in July 2022, the Trust has become a key partner in Cheshire East & Cheshire West and Chester and in two provider collaboratives, aligning our strategic goals with the Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care System. As part of the national New Hospital Programme, we're reimagining Leighton Hospital to create a new health and care neighbourhood, transforming healthcare delivery for a Healthier Future. Learn more on our Healthier Futures website.

At Mid Cheshire, our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire, helping them to enjoy life to the fullest.

Job responsibilities

• As a clinical specialist provide a high standard comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment and treatment service to patients with complex presentation and provide clinical leadership and support to delegated staff.
• Work across the A&E, assessment and short stay wards to prevent or facilitate early discharge.
• To collaborate closely with the patient and members of the multidisciplinary and multi-agency team to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients
• To continuously contribute to service development and innovation
• To work autonomously to manage a defined complex patient caseload whilst working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• To contribute to the delivery of the service in a variety of defined clinical settings, which may include in-patient wards, and the patients home.
• To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team, contributing to decisions with regard to patient care programmes through attendance at ward rounds, case conferences and other multidisciplinary meetings.
• To maintain accurate documentation in line with professional standards, and local policies and procedures.
• To utilise advanced communication skills to ensure clinical advice and treatment programmes are delivered sensitively, taking into consideration the needs of carers.
• To manage a specialist case load, demonstrating appropriate time management and organisation skills.
• To contribute to effective day to day organisation and provision of service, including the coordination of junior staff and assistants to meet service priorities.
• To provide clinical leadership and support to junior staff and assistants, through case supervision, and the development and monitoring of competencies.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Bsc(hons) Occupational Therapy degree or equivalent

Desirable

• Further education/training in Acute medicine/urgent care setting

Experience
Essential

• Previously completed a varied inpatient rotation which included Admission Avoidance/A+E/Urgent Care Clinical areas

Desirable

• Ability to demonstrate an understanding and awareness of the demands of working in A+E, Admission Avoidance and Urgent Care Clinical Area's

Skills
Essential

• Ability to demonstrate excellent communication skills and provide examples of different forms of communication

Desirable

• Evidence of additional communication training/courses attended

Skills
Essential

• Able to demonstrate service development experience or projects/audit development

Desirable

• Previous training in Service Development/Project management and Audits

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Leighton Hospital, Middlewich Road, Crewe, CW1 4QJ, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.mcht.nhs.uk/

For questions about the job, contact:
Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist for REACT
Megan Bayley
megan.bayley@mcht.nhs.uk
01270617122