Team Lead Occupational Therapist – Medicine

An exciting opportunity is available for a motivated and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to join our team as the Band 7 Team Lead Occupational Therapist for our Medicine team. This is a full-time, permanent role.
The team are responsible for the assessment and treatment of patients admitted under Care of the Elderly, Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease and Respiratory Medicine. The post holder will carry a varied caseload of patients whilst also supporting and developing other members of the therapy team. The role will involve working effectively with the multi-disciplinary team and leading on the management of complex patients.
The successful candidate will be a dynamic and holistic Occupational Therapist who has appropriate clinical experience at Band 6 level within an NHS acute setting; enabling them to provide decisive and effective therapy input. High level communication and leadership skills and a flexible approach when working under pressure are essential for this role.

• Responsible for providing clinical and operational leadership to the Medicine teams.
• To provide highly specialised assessment and treatment of patients within medical specialities
• To be responsible for daily operational activities and planning, evaluation and development of the Medicine and Care of the Elderly team.
• To provide expert advice, guidance and information to other health and social care professionals, carers and relatives.
• To work with the Clinical Leads and Head of Therapies to implement department, directorate and trust objectives.
• To focus on developing and promoting the role of and Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Support Staff within the speciality, as well as developing and promoting protocols and standards in the care of medical and elderly patients.
• To be responsible for induction, training supervision and appraisal of junior staff, students and support staff on rotation in the Team.
• To build excellent working relationships with the wider MDT (including Ward Managers, Matrons, General Managers and Medical Teams), representing therapies at specialty meetings, on projects and working groups.
• To be prepared to participate in 7-day working.

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.
We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:

• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
At UCLH, we have a real ‘One Team’ ethos, and our values – safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.
The post holder will be supported by Clinical Leads and a Physiotherapy Team Lead, as well as the wider Therapy Department and MDT. UCLH is committed to supporting research and staff development and there is access to excellent development opportunities. We are able to consider candidates who need sponsorship for a visa for this role.
The Acute Therapy Service at UCLH is a dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking department where everyone is enthusiastic and passionate about providing high quality care to patients. Our staff are committed to service development - continuously improving patient experience through quality improvement projects, research and patient engagement. We are proud of what we achieve and celebrate this through staff recognition events and awards.
Clinically the department is made up of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Support Staff, who are divided into small specialty therapy teams who join with similar specialties for education, training and service development. There are extensive opportunities for training through internal and external courses and staff are supported to showcase work at conferences.
Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment is key for us. The department aspires to be a warm, friendly and supportive place to work, enabling all staff to maximise their potential. We encourage staff to contribute through staff groups championing equality, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, staff wellbeing and patient and staff experience.
Staff feedback consistently highlights the approachability of the leadership in the department. People feel they are always treated as individuals, given time, listened to and supported.
The Acute Therapy Service aims to live the UCLH trust values, and we welcome applications from people who embody these in their working life.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.
For more information regarding the main responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description.