Occupational TherapistNHS
Job summary
21.5 hours per week.
An exciting opportunity is now available for a part time, experienced Occupational Therapist, to join our Community Therapy Teams across the city.Your base will primarily be in the North of Plymouth.
Bring your diverse clinical skills to a service that delivers holistic, person centred, multidisciplinary care, supporting people to stay independent and live well at home.
You'll play a key role in:
- Supporting safe, timely discharge from hospital
- Maximising independence and preventing avoidable admissions
- Working collaboratively within a strong multidisciplinary team
- Contributing to the Livewell Referral and Support Service, which triages and prioritises Community Therapy referrals for Plymouth
You'll be joining a forward thinking service, that is undergoing transformation where your ideas are welcomed, your development is supported, and your work has a direct impact on peoples lives. If you're enthusiastic, compassionate, and ready for a role that's both rewarding and varied, we'd be delighted to hear from you.
Closing date for applications is 08-09-2026 with interviews being held in person week commencing 21-09-2026 at Southway Clinic, 50 Inchkeith Rd, Plymouth PL6 6EJ.
Main duties of the job
Please see the attached Band 6 Occupational Therapist job description for a full list of duties and other responsibilities.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
Job description
MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibility for People Management.
To take responsibility for all aspects of service delivery, including providing leadershipto Occupational Therapy/support staff, providing cover for staff who are absent anddeputising in the team leads absence.
Deputising in the absence of the Registered manager/Team Lead can includeoperational/leadership duties such as supporting triage, waiting list management,attending meetings and delegation of work to Occupational Therapist/support staff.
To take a flexible approach to supporting colleagues in times of caseload pressure,including working with colleagues to maintain clinical cover across the team within theresources available.
To co-ordinate the day-to-day activities of Occupational Therapist/support staff andadmin staff where applicable.
To regularly supervise and line manage both workload and caseload of OccupationalTherapist/support staff, undertaking and recording line management meetings and appraisals, supporting the attainment of competencies, knowledge and achieving objectives set out in their personal development plan.
To take responsibility and assist the team lead with the recruitment process ofOccupational Therapy/support staff e.g. taking part in interview panels, inductionprocess and engaging with preceptorship programmes.
To support Occupational Therapist/support staff and other Livewell SW health and social care professionals, to develop their knowledge, experience, providing advice, guidance, and signposting where appropriate.
To regularly provide learning opportunities to Occupational Therapy staff andcolleagues. This includes facilitating and providing instruction, training to supportingtheir development, attainment of skills, and ability to reflect on professional and ethicalissues.
To attend student educator training and regularly supervise OT students on practiceplacement, in line with Livewell SWs Placement Guidance for Non-Medical Undergraduate Learners and Students policy.
To support colleagues as a practice supervisor or supporting those completing thePreceptorship programme, including acting as a Preceptor in line with Livewell SWsPreceptorship Guidance document.
To participate in providing instruction, learning opportunities, experience and training to health and social care staff and students, including those from other Livewell services,professional disciplines and colleagues as agreed with Team Lead.
To plan, organise and lead when delegated, both formal and informal interventions andhealth education groups for both service users and formal/informal carers.
To educate service users and both formal/informal carers regarding the impact ofcognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits that affect service user safety andindependence in the hospital and home, leisure, and workplace.
To support team lead with complaint management and responses, assisting withaddressing and resolving complaints.
Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources.
On the rare occasion you may handle service users valuables as part of a home visitor community assessment, that you follow Livewell SWs policy Cash & ChequeHandling Procedures, section 6 Patient Money, section 7 Patient Travel
To assess, prescribe and authorise both general and specialist aids and adaptive equipment in line with the organisations and the Community Equipment Services policyand procedures.
To make recommendations for minor adaptations to increase / enable or compensatefor independent function, teaching compensatory techniques as required.
To assess seating and positioning needs and treat as appropriate including assessmentfor and prescription of standard wheelchairs and accessories when accredited referringon to the wheelchair services as required for assessment of complex and specialistmobility and seating needs.
To assess for splinting and positioning to prevent, treat and manage deformity andimprove function for the upper limb, fabricating splints which may be complex in nature.
To ensure all equipment and relevant clinical stock is accounted for, maintained, used effectively and efficiently with risk assessments and appropriate training completed.
To ensure new or replacement equipment is not used by self or staff until it has beencommissioned in accordance with Livewell SW policy. Defective equipment is reported and made safe without delay in accordance with Livewell SW procedures.
To utilise Livewell SW resources responsibly, following policy and guidance around thesecurity, useability, decontamination, and maintenance of assessment equipmentutilised in the clinical setting.
Authorise spend on services within operational and financial limits as designated byrole and banding.
To take responsibility for ensuring solutions are at all times cost effective and to workwithin financial delegated limits.
To have a working knowledge of statutory and non-statutory funding and thelegislation/guidance that underpins these funding streams, ensuring service users meetthe eligibility criteria when advocating for/ utilising services on the service users behalf (e.g. Care Act eligibility, Housing legislation etc)
To assess the need for short/long term care placements or care packages for serviceusers where required; factoring in the use of equipment, optimised care techniques orcompensatory methods that safely meet the service users care needs whilst aiming topreserve health and social care budgets wherever possible.
Responsibility for administration.
To maintain high professional standards and conduct at all times, complying with thestandards of practice stipulated in the Royal College of Occupational TherapysProfessional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics and allof HCPC standards and regulations.
To follow Livewell uniform policy at all times, and to present in aprofessional manner.
To exercise good personal time management, punctuality, and consistent reliableattendance.
To comply with the Lone Working Policy and procedures, utilising safety devices and/orapps, and always informing the department of your whereabouts during work hours. To manage often competing clinical and non-clinical demands, prioritising the day-to-day management of own caseload and that of the team, delegating activities asappropriate.
To work as an autonomous practitioner, independently organising, planning, anddiarising a designated caseload to meet service priorities, readjusting plans assituations change and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinicalpriorities and use of time.
To manage a caseload of service users with complex needs, applying logicalprofessional rationale that is based upon evidence based / person-centred principles toassess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
To ensure use of risk assessment in all areas of your work are undertaken and complywith 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 (all formats of service user contacts, MDT care plans, assessments, reports), ensuringconfidentiality at all times, complying with Livewell SW Health & Corporate Recordspolicy and HCPC requirements for thorough and sufficient records.
To provide written communication to outside agencies and charitable bodies to supportthe need for services and equipment on discharge from the service.
To be responsible for the timely discharge of people from your caseload.
To utilise and complete applicable outcome measures in your service and offer serviceuser feedback mechanisms when facilitating the discharge of service users fromLivewell SW services.
To actively engage in caseload supervision with line manager, taking responsibility forensuring own personal and professional development and statutory trainingdemonstrating the ability to apply increasingly complex skills / knowledge as defined by identified competencies.
To submit completed travel expenses in line with Livewell SWs Travel and SubsistenceExpense Claims policy.
To ensure all leave is requested in line with Livewell SW policy.
To report accidents, incidents, complaints, or faulty equipment in line with Livewell SWpolicy and procedures.
Please see the attached Band 6 Occupational Therapist job description for a full list of duties and other responsibilities.
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.