Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist Hands - NHS
Job overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
Main duties of the job
We have a rare and exciting opportunity for a fixed term Band 8a Clinical Specialist in hand therapy, either Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist, to join our paediatric hand and upper limb therapy service within Southampton Children’s Hospital, a relatively new and evolving service.This unique role will provide advanced clinical therapeutic input for children with hand or upper limb pathologies, ranging from neonatal congenital to adolescent major trauma. We support children being managed under any of the tertiary/ regional services including orthopaedics, neonates, plastics, rheumatology and neurology ensuring appropriate holistic care and pathway provision, as inpatients, outpatients or within clinics.
We are looking for a highly experienced hand therapist, with extensive proven experience of working with a wide age range, including children. You need to be motivated and enthusiastic, have demonstrable skills within leadership, MDT working, teaching and education, plus involvement within research.
The successful post holder will work closely with the B7 upper limb paediatric Physiotherapist, with the adult hand therapists and wider MDT and be embedded into the children’s MSK service, our 40 strong combined paediatric Occupational and Physiotherapy therapy team and wider therapy services department of over 300 staff.
Working for our organisation
University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.
Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.
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At UHS we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.
At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities.We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We are looking for an experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist to be part of our hand and upper limb service. This is a fast-paced environment where effective communication, prioritisation, and the ability to be flexible is needed.
You must be keen, enthusiastic and have a definite desire to work within this speciality, with experience in driving forward service improvements to meet the changing needs secondary to emerging treatment options. You need excellent communication skills to work closely with the child and their family, the MDT, community services, and regional networks.
The role includes:- Taking a lead role in advanced clinical assessment and treatment of a diverse caseload of children who require hand / upper limb therapy care
- Carrying a complex clinical caseload in OP, inpatients and designated clinics
- Supporting and advising in the management of any child across the hospital with complex upper limb needs.
- Fabricating and modifying thermoplastic splints.
- Collaboration with MDTs including plastics, paediatric orthopaedics, paediatric therapy and adult hand therapy
- Working autonomously in providing advanced therapy led clinics for hand and upper limb trauma congenital and acquired conditions.
- Independently determining clinical diagnosis and treatments as indicated and maintaining records
- Providing expert clinical expertise for developing and enhancing the service, alongside MDT
- Developing and ensuring evidence-based practice/ protocols/ national standards e.g., major trauma, are achieved, maintained and inherent in all aspects of care and treatment.
- Leading the continued development of the Upper Limb Therapy service, running as a pathway from acute trauma through to rehabilitation care. This will involve service scoping and planning, analysis of service level performance data, training staff, directing patient flow and service promotion
As caseloads can often include patients that are chronically unwell, we are looking for someone who has experience working in emotive situations with active coping strategies and resilience.
The successful applicant will be expected to work within our Paediatric Therapy team philosophy:“We strongly believe in team working in a happy working environment. Workloads are shared and communication/ support is strongly encouraged. We are mutually responsible for the service and its development and expect everyone to carry out a certain level of responsibility.”
You will participate in a comprehensive in-service training programme and individual performance review scheme. The post holder will need to be able to work flexibly to meet the needs of this evolving service.
Please read the generic Job description and person specification for this role and ensure you meet the following skills needed for working in this specific post and clinical environment:
- The post holder must be an experienced/accredited hand therapist.
- Proven experience of fabricating and modifying thermoplastic splints.
- Proven experience of MSK, major trauma and neurological case mix.
- Proven developmental experience required for age-appropriate rehabilitation.
- Proven experience of managing complex post operative upper limb care and rehabilitation.
- Proven experience of post operative plastic surgery caseloads.
- Clear and expressed interest to work at UHS, within our Paediatric Therapy team
- It is desirable for you to be a member of a BAHT.
We run a 7-day service, working weekends and bank holidays on a rota basis. You will have many opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge through our in-service training, being part of a wider Paediatric therapy network and have links with local Universities through student placements.
Please note:- Interviews will be held on Tues 27th May 2025
- We do not accept CV applications
Due the unique nature of this post we welcome informal enquiries or visits – please contact Michelle Geary or Katie O’Donnell.
Person specification
Trust Values
Essential criteria- Patient First
- Always Improving
- Working Together
Qualifications, knowledge and experience Occupational therapist
Essential criteria- Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent experience
- Significant relevant clinical experience with the ability to demonstrate significant experience in Occupational Therapy practice Attendance at post-graduation courses, or conferences, relevant to clinical area
- Current HCPC registration
- Teaching experience
- Experience of supervising and managing others including students and qualified therapy staff
- Previous experience within relevant clinical area
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Experience of audit, evaluation, or research
- Experience managing large collaborative projects, including engaging with and influencing external stakeholders
- Experience writing journal articles or leading formal research
- Management qualification, or equivalent experience
- Attendance at post-graduation courses, or conferences, relevant to clinical area
- Able to demonstrate sound understanding of healthcare priorities and political agendas
- Attendance at Student education course
- Experience working in an acute hospital setting
- Previous experience within relevant clinical area Experience developing and leading training programmes
Qualifications, knowledge and experience Physiotherapist
Essential criteria- Master’s degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent experience
- Significant relevant clinical experience with the ability to demonstrate significant experience in Physiotherapy practice
- Current HCPC registration
- Teaching experience
- Experience of supervising and managing others including students and qualified therapy staff
- Previous experience within relevant clinical area
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Experience of audit, evaluation, or research
- Experience managing large collaborative projects, including engaging with and influencing external stakeholders
- Experience writing journal articles or leading formal research
- Management qualification, or equivalent experience
- Attendance at post-graduation courses, or conferences, relevant to clinical area
- Able to demonstrate sound understanding of healthcare priorities and political agendas
- Attendance at Student education course
- Experience working in an acute hospital setting
- Experience developing and leading training programmes
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.
For more information about our Trust
https://careers.uhs.nhs.uk
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Getting to work should be as easy as possible and that’s why we have introduced the UHS travel promise – a commitment from the Trust that we will provide reasonable travel options for every member of staff. Every member of staff can apply for a permit to use our park & ride facility.Eligibility for on-site parking is dependent on the nature and requirement of the role. All staff can also access a range of discounted benefits relating to travel including reduced price bus tickets, purchase of salary sacrifice bikes and ultra-low emission cars.
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