Highly Specialist Trauma Occupational Therapist

Job summary
The Royal London Hospital (RLH) was the first London Major Trauma Centre (MTC) and hosts London's Air Ambulance Charity with its Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. The RLH MTC covers the North East London and Essex sectors. At Bart's Health our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals and services, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative and motivated Occupational Therapist to join our team as a Band 7 Occupational Therapist in Major Trauma across Orthopaedics, Plastics and Trauma. This is a permanent, static full-time role (1.0 WTE).

The ideal candidate will have a passion for occupational therapy in trauma, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work autonomously as well as a part of a wider MDT.

You will take a lead role in the assessment, treatment and management of highly complex patients including those with trauma orthopaedic / plastics injuries, poly trauma, amputation, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury across the trauma pathway within our MTC.You will provide leadership, management and clinical care across the wider Neuro & Trauma team along with other senior occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

Main duties of the job

• Undertake a team leader role, working alongside the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist and fellow Band 7 therapists, in planning, co-ordinating, delivering, and evaluating the Occupational Therapy service provided for patients across the Major Trauma pathway.
• To take a lead role in the assessment, treatment, and management of highly complex patients including those with poly trauma, amputation/s, trauma orthopaedic/plastics injuries, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury across the Major Trauma pathway.
• To communicate effectively with other health care professionals, social services, and outside particularly regarding patient care, progress, and planning of rehabilitation and/or discharge needs.
• To be responsible for the day-to-day clinical and operational management ensuring professional delivery of the occupational therapy service with support for the wider Neuro & Trauma therapy team.
• To deputise for and support the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist and Clinical Lead Physiotherapist when and where required.
• To take a lead role in the development of the Neuro & Trauma therapy team in line with RLH therapies and team objectives.
• To participate in weekend/bank holiday work as part of a rota covering neuro & trauma patients.

About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

Details
Date posted: 21 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £58,133 to £65,261 a year per annum inc
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 259-8297838RLH
Job locations: Royal London Hospital, London, E1 1FR, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Band 6 level experience in managing patients with orthopaedic, plastics, major trauma, poly trauma, SCI & TBI.
• Experience of Major Trauma pathway (TARN, rehab prescription)
• Experience of acute and rehab pathways for Major Trauma
• Extensive clinical acute inpatient and rehabilitation experience within the NHS
• Experience of junior staff supervision (e.g B5)
• Experience in leading or supporting a team.
• Experience of service improvement and/or audit
• Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at post graduate courses/training relevant to specialty.
• Experience of impact of major trauma on psychological wellbeing, including PTSD

Desirable

• Participation in Leadership Training
• Involvement in relevant special interest group e.g. RCOT SS Major Health Conditions
• Knowledge of current and emerging NHS strategy, frameworks and NICE guidelines that guide practice for self and wider team e.g NICE Trauma guidelines
• Experience in completion and meeting standards for TARN Rehabilitation Prescriptions and data sets.

Skills
Essential

• Ability to assess, treat and appropriately discharge patients following major trauma, including those with complex presentations, demonstrating evidence-based practice (EBP).
• Ability to work autonomously, prioritise, organise and delegate a caseload of complex patients for self and wider team.
• Ability to identify patients deteriorating function and take appropriate action
• Ability to work in and lead a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to self-reflect, demonstrate continual learning and provide formal teaching development to staff/colleagues.
• Able to communicate with patients in an empathetic manner regarding their injuries/conditions and management.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels across the department/directorate including effective presentation skills to a range of audiences.
• Strong IT skills including competency with Microsoft programs and electronic patient records.

Desirable

• Evidence of participation in audit/research
• Evidence of extra departmental duties/roles
• Conflict resolution skills

Qualifications
Essential

• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration

Desirable

• Member of RCOT
• Post graduate courses relevant to clinical field
• Masters-level studies

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).

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