Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 282-SA1245928-C
- Employer
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Royal Marsden Hospital Chelsea
- Town
- Chelsea
- Salary
- £54,320 - £60,981 Per Annum Inc HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 13/04/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Outpatients Occupational Therapist
NHS AfC: Band 7
Job overview
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a leading Cancer Hospital in London, and the Occupational Therapy Department is recruiting to a full time, Band 7 role to work across our Sutton and Chelsea sites to lead on our Outpatient Occupational Therapy service. You will be joining a supportive and friendly team of qualified Occupational Therapists
working in an acute setting to support needs of patients undergoing cancer treatment. There is excellent internal and external CPD opportunities, generous support for study leave, parking onsite, and comprehensive staff benefits via Vivup.
We encourage you to contact us to discuss the role if you are interested in applying. Please contact Lauren Blackburn on [email protected] or 0208 661 3090.
Main duties of the job
Working autonomously, the post holder will develop a dedicated outpatient service and pathway for cancer patients with the support from the Occupational Therapist Lead. The post holder will be responsible for undertaking evidence-based audits and service development
activities to further clinical practice and service development.
The post holder will provide holistic and advanced assessment of patients with cancer, to maximise their independence, manage symptoms arising from cancer and its treatment, reduce risk of admission, and ensure their safety and support them to maintain their quality of life.
Working for our organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.
At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.
At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.
- Working autonomously in ward and outpatient settings to provide complex clinical assessment of the biomechanical, sensory, psychological, cognitive, perceptual, and interpersonal deficits affecting the functioning of individuals with cancer, their families and carers using advanced clinical reasoning.
- The post holder will assess and treat outpatients and inpatients and manage and prioritise referrals, co-ordinate outpatient appointments, assess patients, provide and develop the
service to this specific patient group including the use of supported self-management strategies and onward referrals to relevant community services. - Taking a lead in areas of advanced Occupational Therapy clinical practice in oncology and palliative care, and providing a consultative resource for other Occupational Therapists across
the UK. - Teaching patients specialised strategies aimed towards the management of symptoms related to cancer e.g. relaxation and anxiety management, breathlessness and fatigue management.
- Carrying out complex functional and risk assessments required to provide appropriate equipment, and teaching patients, carers and staff safe and correct use to maximise safety and independence within the hospital and home environments.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy
- State Registration with Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC) for Occupational Therapy.
- Evidence of experience in clinical supervision and appraisal.
- Evidence of experience in leadership, project management, audit, outcome measurement and clinical governance.
- Evidence of experience in presentation and teaching skills.
- Post-grad study days/courses in oncology/palliative care.
Desirable criteria
- Membership of a clinical interest group in occupational therapy
- Approved fieldwork supervisor course.
- Accredited wheelchair course.
- Accredited splinting and hand therapy course
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant post graduate clinical experience with a minimum of two years’ experience in oncology and palliative care.
- Evidence of experience in clinical supervision and appraisal.
- Evidence of experience in leadership, project management, audit, outcomes measurement and clinical governance
- Evidence of experience in presentation and teaching skills
Skills Abilities/knowledge
Essential criteria
- Advanced knowledge of functional assessment and treatment techniques for oncology and palliative care patients, including physical, cognitive, psychosocial functional assessments and treatment, as well as specific symptom and lifestyle management techniques (e.g. relaxation, anxiety, breathlessness and fatigue management).
- Ability to carry out risk assessments concerning patients and staff safety, including Manual Handling
- Ability to assess risks associated with lone working, take responsibility for reporting to colleagues and ensuring self and patient are safe at all times.
- Ability to assess potential risks with regard to patients’ discharge from hospital
- Expertise in group dynamics, planning, facilitating, running and evaluating therapeutic groups.
- Advanced clinical reasoning as well as analytical and creative problems solving skills.
- Advanced communication skills with particular ability to work with complex/sensitive situations with patients, carers, OT colleagues and the wider MDT; Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills as required in an oncology and palliative care setting; Ability to deal with imparting bad news.
- Ability to produce professional and accurate notes and records including management reports, service development proposals, multi-professional care plans, letters, assessments for hospital and external agencies.
- Ability to reflect on and make positive changes to own and departmental clinical practices.
- Ability to facilitate supportive team working to maintain efficacy, efficiency and morale.
- Ability to work in a highly motivated self-directed manner on clinical and departmental activities.
- Ability to prioritise workload and organise time effectively to manage multiple priorities.
- Ability to fulfil supervisory and mentor role for junior staff and undergraduate students
- Ability to teach both patients and carers in areas relating to rehabilitation; Proven ability to prepare and deliver presentations and education sessions to health care colleagues and members of public.
- Ability to enter data, prepare reports, formal written documentation and multi-media presentations. Confident in the use of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Power Point and Excel.
- Sound understanding of current NHS and the Trust’s issues
Desirable criteria
- Membership of a clinical interest group in occupational therapy
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lauren Blackburn
- Job title
- Occupational Therapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
-
Recruitment Support Team
- Telephone
- 01629 690825
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