Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity for a Specialist Occupational Therapist (Band 6) to join the @home service--one of London's largest and longest-running Urgent Community Response teams. We are offering a full-time permanent position for an Occupational Therapist with a passion for urgent response.



Our service continues to expand in line with the NHS Long Term Plan, supporting England's ageing population and individuals with complex needs. This is achieved through the development of virtual ward pathways, helping elderly fallers remain at home, alleviating pressure on LAS, and enhancing collaboration with social care and community therapy teams--always placing the patient at the centre of our work.



The @home service is seeking a dynamic, enthusiastic, and experienced Occupational Therapist to join the team. This role is ideal for those currently working at Band 6 level and looking for a new challenge, a Band 5 Occupational Therapist seeking career progression; or a returning-to-practice professional.



The role involves assessing patients in their homes across the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. Candidates should be comfortable using public transport or hold a valid UK driver's licence with access to a vehicle for work purposes.



The successful candidate will showcase higher level assessment skills and interventions, and have an in-depth knowledge base. Furthermore, the ability to set patient-centred goals and contribute to collaborative multidisciplinary discharge planning in a fast-paced environment.



Previous community experience and a strong passion for urgent therapy assessment, intervention, and rehabilitation--helping patients remain in their own homes--are highly desirable. Working in this locality means engaging with one of London's most diverse populations, cultures, and languages.



In this role, you will provide supervision, teaching, and training to Nursing Rehab Support Workers, Allied Health Students, and the wider multidisciplinary team. You will also actively contribute to evidence-based projects, departmental research, and audits, making recommendations for practice improvements in line with current NHS directives.



Strong communication skills are essential, along with enthusiasm, flexibility, and the ability to work autonomously, applying sound clinical assessment and reasoning skills. This role offers opportunities for career progression and the development of an extended scope of practice within the service, supported through regular supervision and performance development reviews.



The GSTT @home service is a hospital-at-home initiative operating across the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, established as a collaborative partnership between health and social care. It delivers high-quality, safe, and intensive multidisciplinary acute treatment and monitoring within a patient's usual place of residence--offering care that would otherwise require a hospital stay.



The service operates seven days a week, with therapists working from 08:00 to 20:00. The post holder should be adaptable to the team's working patterns and actively participate in rota planning in advance.



Patients conditions range from those requiring a single episode of care e.g. postoperative to IV or antibiotic therapy; through to patients living with complex and long-term conditions, including the frail elderly, who may require periodic short-term intervention to maintain the best possible quality of life at home.



The service accepts referrals from GP's, LAS, Guys and St Thomas Hospitals, Kings College Hospital, St George's hospitals as well as other community services.

@home encompasses two main streams of work:

2-hour, same day or next day response to support early discharge from hospitals from Guy's & St Thomas, King's College and is integrated with secondary care.

Hospital admission avoidance, with 2 hour or same day response, working in conjunction with LAS, GPs, Community Matrons, District Nurses, Social Care and the other community therapy teams.



Please refer to the full job description for comprehensive summary of the essential and desirable criteria for this role. Main headings include:



Professional and clinical responsibilities

Communication

Service Development - Research / Audit / Quality

Staff management and Leadership

Education and Training

Personal and Professional Development

Key relationships include:

Head of Nursing, Deputy Head of Nursing, Deputy Chief AHP, Therapy Lead Practitioners, Clinical Development Matron, Matrons, @home GPs, Nursing staff and the wider MDT, District Nurses and Community Matrons, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Allied Health Professionals, Consultants and Junior Medical Staff, community and acute therapy and rehabilitation teams, Social Services staff administrative and support staff, Home Care Provider Staff, Voluntary Sector Staff.



General points to note



This job may involve frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions, e.g. bodily fluids, unpleasant smells, and occasional exposure to verbal aggression. This is a community-based role and will involve entering patients' homes.