Rotational Occupational Therapist

Job summary
37.5 hours per week.

Following successful career development opportunities we are looking to appoint a registered Occupational Therapist for the Band 5 rotation.

The rotation is integrated and in partnership with University Hospitals Plymouth, and offers exciting opportunities within adult and older peoples services in the inpatient and community setting. The rotation placements include community therapy, urgent care, intermediate care (Discharge to Assess model), neuro & stroke rehab, trauma & orthopaedics, respiratory, cardiac healthcare of the elderly and many more (please see job description for the full list).

The role offers an excellent opportunity for newly qualified Occupational Therapists to consolidate learning and begin practice in a supportive environment. The role will involve assessment and discharge planning, prevention of hospital admissions, in addition to neurological and physical rehabilitation. The successful applicant will be expected to work within the ethos of Livewell Southwest, supporting people to lead independent, healthy lives.

The post holder should be confident in working collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams & possess excellent clinical and communication skills. If you are committed to the principles of clinical governance, evidence-based practice and delivery of patient centred interventions then we would like to hear from you.

Main duties of the job
Duties & Responsibilities

• To work as a member of the clinical team providing a high standard of Occupational Therapy interventions, assessments, and evaluation, including working on inpatient wards, visiting service users homes and other community settings
• To work flexibly within set times, and to participate in the 7-day working, bank holiday working rota, where required by the rotational setting.
• To assist the team lead and senior therapists in planning, coordinating, and delivering Occupational Therapy services on a day-to-day basis.
• To manage a defined caseload using evidence-based/client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions and contribute to the service provision.
• To provide assessment and treatment of service users on wards, in their own homes and other community care settings
• Maintain clinical records.
• To develop skills and knowledge through participation in the Preceptorship programme and relevant competency frameworks.
• To gain experience through the involvement in the rotation scheme.
• To work with service users living in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall.

Please note that we may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.

All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

At the time of this specific vacancy being advertised, this role is not permitted for sponsorship under the skilled worker route, because of the ongoing rotational service that is provided to a third party

About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Details
Date posted 05 August 2026
Pay scheme Agenda for change
Band Band 5
Salary £32,073 to £39,043 a year
pa, pro-rata
Contract Permanent
Working pattern Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
Reference number B9832-2026-PTA-1642
Job locations 200 Mount Gould Road, Mount Gould, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7PY, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the Job Description & Person Specification attached to the advert for full details.

5.1 Responsibility for People Management.
To provide leadership, supervision, appraisal support, and co-ordinate the day-to-day activities of junior and admin staff where applicable.

To attend student educator training and actively support student placements.

To participate in providing instruction, learning opportunities, work experience and training staff and students from other disciplines.

To plan, organise and lead when delegated, both formal and informal treatments and health education groups for both service users and formal/informal carers.

To educate service users and both formal/informal carers regarding the impact of cognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits that affect service user safety and independence in the hospital and home, leisure and workplace.

5.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources.
To assess, prescribe and authorise equipment and make recommendations for minor and major adaptations to increase/enable or compensate for independent function, teaching compensatory techniques as required.

To assess seating and positioning needs and treat as appropriate including assessment for and prescription of standard wheelchairs and accessories when accredited, referring on to AJM Wheelchair Service as required.

To identify the need for splinting and positioning to prevent and manage deformity and improve function for the upper limb, and subsequently referring to specialist services or colleagues to meet this need.

To ensure new and replacement equipment is not used by self or staff until it has been commissioned in accordance with Livewell SW policy.

5.3 Responsibility for administrative functions.
To maintain high professional standards at all times, complying with standards of practice stipulated in the Royal College of Occupational Therapys Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics and HCPCs standards and regulations.

To follow Livewell uniform policy at all times, and to present in a professional manner.

To work as an autonomous practitioner, seeking guidance where necessary.

To prioritise and to be responsible for the day-to-day management of own caseload and service users in your care, delegating activities as appropriate.

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality, and consistent reliable attendance.

To develop skills and knowledge through participation in the Preceptorship programme.

To take responsibility for ensuring own personal and professional development.

To ensure use of risk assessment in all areas of your work are undertaken and comply with Livewell SW Health and Safety policies and Lone Working Policy.

To maintain up to date, accurate and complete records of all activity and clinical input.

To provide written communication with outside agencies and charitable bodies to support the need for services and equipment on discharge or when transferred.

5.4 Responsibility for people who use our services.
To ensure the service user is aware of the role and philosophy of Occupational Therapy and components of the OT process.

To respect the individuals values, cultural and religious diversity of service users and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to those needs.

To provide education and advice to service users, carers and/or family members regarding the impact of cognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits on service user safety and independence in the home, leisure, and workplace.

To provide an opportunity for people and carers to express their feelings whilst encouraging acceptance and adjustment to their new circumstances.

To understand and comply with the safeguarding process and understand how and when alerts are required.

To demonstrate a high level of understanding of conditions relevant to the diagnostic area and those service users presenting with multi pathology, using a selection of both standardised and non-standardised assessments.

To carry out environmental home assessments, pre discharge home assessments discharge home visits and follow up as required.

To carry out assessment and compile supporting evidence to enable change in individuals housing arrangements (e.g. Devon Home Choice).

To be competent to identify the need for an enabling package of support and set goals to promote independence.

To record and report regularly on service users progress and treatment to the multi-disciplinary team or supervising OT in individual clinical areas.

To be responsible for goal planning, reviewing treatment programmes and applying outcome measures used in the clinical area.

To be responsible for the timely discharge of people from your caseload.

To ensure continuation of care in the community by establishing a comprehensive discharge plan and completing onward referrals.

To refer to follow up services to ensure treatment programmes are in place to progress functional independence based on identified needs at discharge.

To maintain competence in the use of complex manual handling techniques and equipment.

5.5 Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments
To demonstrate leadership skills through the management of designated projects.

To participate in the planning, evaluation and audit of practice, clinical pathways and protocols within your area.

To take an active role in audit, research and interdisciplinary development within the service as required.

To be responsible for collecting and reporting statistical data.

To actively contribute to service development and contribute to Livewell SWs clinical governance arrangements and quality agenda.

5.6 Other Responsibilities
To act as an ambassador for Livewell with external agencies and partner organisations.

To attend and contribute to staff meetings and attend relevant professional meetings appropriate to the clinical setting.

To demonstrate understanding and application of professional, local and national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care provision.

To comply with the Royal College of OT, HCPC Standards of Practice, code of conduct and Livewell SW policies and procedures.

To attend and actively contribute to Band 5 peer supervision meetings.

To review and reflect on own practice and to maintain an up-to-date CPD portfolio.

To use, maintain and be responsible for the security of issued IT equipment in line with Livewell's Information Governance & Data Protection policies.

To apply professional, local, and national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care provision.

To ensure that mandatory training, essential skills for your area of clinical practice is kept up to date through attendance of training.

Where required by the rotational setting, to have the ability to access/travel to service users homes and other community settings across the locality.

6.COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
To be proficient in written and spoken English, e.g. face-to-face, email, telephone, letter, presentation. Communication may be 1:1, or in groups.

To work jointly and communicate effectively with other health and social care colleagues and services.

To establish, liaise with and ensure good communication networks with statutory and voluntary bodies.

To work in a person-centred way, using a range of verbal and non-verbal communication methods with people.

Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Ability to work autonomously, managing caseloads and working under pressure.
• Knowledge of current best practice in OT
• Understanding of professional ethics and their application in practice
• Knowledge of clinical conditions relevant to OT area of practice
• Knowledge of a range of standardised/non standardised assessment
• Understanding of team dynamics and ability to work as a member of a team.
• Basic knowledge of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on service provision
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Computer literate.

Desirable

• Knowledge of outcome measures
• Knowledge of wheelchair provision
• Experience of supervising and/or educating and delegating work to peers or support staff.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working as member of MDT with the ability to work flexibly.
• Experience in the use of functional assessments and activity analysis.
• Experience and knowledge around rehabilitation treatment planning.
• Experience of working 1:1 and with groups.
• Experience of completing multi-pathology assessment.
• Experience of completing environmental assessment and discharge planning.
• Experience of risk assessing patients.

Desirable

• Experience assessing for postural management, seating, and pressure care

Qualifications
Essential

• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy/ MSC OT Professional Practice
• GCSE grade A to C or equivalent in English and Maths

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name Livewell Southwest
Address 200 Mount Gould Road, Mount Gould, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7PY, United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Occupational Therapy Practice Lead, Rebecca Jones, rebeccajones16@nhs.net

Livewell Southwest's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)