Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 234-25-F2104
- Employer
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
- Town
- Norwich
- Salary
- £25,760 - £27,476 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/04/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 30/04/2026
Employer heading
Senior Occupational Therapy Assistant
NHS AfC: Band 3
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) is a 1,200-bedded teaching hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for modern patient care: 1100 beds in the PFI and 100 in Cromer Community Hospital.
The NNUH is part of Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group which includes the James Paget Hospital, in Great Yarmouth and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King Lynn.
We carry out nearly one million outpatient appointments, day case procedures and inpatient admissions annually. The population we serve is predominantly the people of Norfolk and north Suffolk, although some patients are referred from further afield especially to access specialist services available at this Trust.
Our staff of c10,000 care for and support patients who are referred to us by around 100 local GP practices and from other acute hospitals. We run more than 60 specialist services as a tertiary centre, including more than a dozen specialist cancer and radiotherapy treatments, and we are one of the biggest cancer centres in the country.
We provide complex spinal surgery services, specialist Neonatal Intensive Care, neurosciences services and specialist cardiac services. Our Trust runs specialist dermatology, rheumatology, endocrinology, adult congenital heart disease services, treatment of complex liver and pancreatic diseases in adults, cystic fibrosis services and intestinal failure services. We are enhancing our urgent and emergency care specialist services for patients with significant injuries as a result of trauma and have an ambition to become a Major Trauma Centre. NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs.
At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare, and our vision is to ‘provide the best care for every patient’. If this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team.
Our values support our vision and guide the behaviour of everything we do, these are:
People-focused
We look after the needs of our patients, carers and colleagues, to provide a safe and caring experience for all.
Respect
We act with care, compassion and kindness and value others’ diverse needs.
Integrity
We take an honest, open and ethical approach to everything we do.
Dedication
We work as one team and support each other to maintain the highest professional standards.
Excellence
We continuously learn and improve to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and our hospital.
Wish you were here? So do we.
We want all our staff to achieve a balance between work and personal life and understand how important flexible working can be. We welcome applications on a full or part time basis, various shift patterns and hybrid working, where roles allow.
At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), we know the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation such as creativity, innovation and compassion. All of which have a direct impact towards our staff and patient experience. We are committed to being a Hospital for All – being equitable and inclusive, and a place where all feel a sense of belonging. We therefore particularly encourage and welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in NNUH’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and long term conditions and people within the LGBT+ community.
Job overview
Are you someone who is passionate about providing high quality patient care?
Are you looking for a new challenge to extend your experience in healthcare support work?
If the answer is yes, then you are the person we are looking for to come & join the over 70 members of staff currently working within the Occupational Therapy Service at NNUH who share your passion.
Due to departmental restructuring, we are looking for an enthusiastic & motivated Occupational Therapy Assistant to join our large and multiskilled workforce and help us ensure that we meet the Trust’s vision to provide the best care for every patient.
We will support you to develop current/ new skills with access to in-service training and professional development. You will receive supervision and annual appraisal; have access to peer support and encouragement to take an active role within your own continuing professional development.
If you are enthusiastic, forward thinking and wish to deliver high quality patient care, then we would love to welcome you into our team.
If you would like to find out more about this or other opportunities within the Occupational Therapy service then please get in touch - contact Emma Dix, Therapy Lead on 01603 646073, [email protected]
or Sallyann Palmer, Therapy Lead on 01603 288697, [email protected]
Main duties of the job
As post holder, you will:
• be seeing your own list of patients either alone under the direction of a qualified OT or working with another qualified member of the team
• carry out day to day non-clinical tasks as needed to facilitate the smooth running of department processes
• maintain your own professional standards of intervention with patients and staff alike, adhering to our PRIDE values at all times
• gain knowledge of a wide variety of different acute conditions and how they impact on peoples’ day to day lives
You will have:
- exposure to and the opportunity to learn to work with diverse patient groups across various specialisms, with support and training to develop.
- access to regular and culturally embedded supervision with more experienced members of the therapy team, as well as very close working and learning links with the MDT and other professionals within and without the Trust.
- the potential to work across both inpatient and outpatient areas as part of a large multiskilled department.
Full and Part time hours available
Interview Date: 30th April 2026
Working for our organisation
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The following skills and experience will be required and are essential for the successful candidates:
- Undertake delegated work to assist the Occupational Therapists in providing therapy within the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct of the College of Occupational Therapists.
- To assist Occupational Therapists on the wards, in the OT department or in the patient’s home as necessary.
- To work to set protocols or written treatment programmes
- To have a basic understanding of clinical conditions and terminology
- To demonstrate an awareness of patient consent.
- To establish and maintain appropriate therapeutic relationships with patients and carers incorporating motivation encouragement and confidence building
- To communicate effectively and appropriately with patients, carers and families and to show and awareness in relation to sensitive issues and to deal with difficult situations as appropriate.
- To be aware of barriers to effective communication, e.g. hearing loss, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, dementing illness, cognitive impairment, memory loss, aggression and anxiety, pain and fear and to use clear and effective verbal/ non-verbal communication as appropriate.
Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.
Please note due to high volume of applications for some posts, this post may close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role asap.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ III (or other relevant qualification)
- Basic numeracy and literacy skill
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience of working within a healthcare or social setting
- Basic understanding of Occupational Therapy
Skills
Essential criteria
- Basic IT skills
- Good communication skills (written/ verbal)
- Good interpersonal skills
Attitude, aptitude
Essential criteria
- Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH’s PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
- Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Emma Dix
- Job title
- Therapy Lead for OT
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01603 646073
- Additional information
or Sallyann Palmer, Therapy Lead on 01603 288697, [email protected]
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