Job Description

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.



Please see below for detailed job description of the role.



We have a rare and exciting opportunity for a fixed term Band 8a Clinical Specialist in hand therapy, either Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist, to join our paediatric hand and upper limb therapy service within Southampton Children's Hospital, a relatively new and evolving service. This unique role will provide advanced clinical therapeutic input for children with hand or upper limb pathologies, ranging from neonatal congenital to adolescent major trauma. We support children being managed under any of the tertiary/ regional services including orthopaedics, neonates, plastics, rheumatology and neurology ensuring appropriate holistic care and pathway provision, as inpatients, outpatients or within clinics.



We are looking for a highly experienced hand therapist, with extensive proven experience of working with a wide age range, including children. You need to be motivated and enthusiastic, have demonstrable skills within leadership, MDT working, teaching and education, plus involvement within research.



The successful post holder will work closely with the B7 upper limb paediatric Physiotherapist, with the adult hand therapists and wider MDT and be embedded into the children's MSK service, our 40 strong combined paediatric Occupational and Physiotherapy therapy team and wider therapy services department of over 300 staff.



University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.



Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.



We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalizing your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.



At UHS we're committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.



At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We're committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.



We are looking for an experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist to be part of our hand and upper limb service. This is a fast-paced environment where effective communication, prioritisation, and the ability to be flexible is needed.

You must be keen, enthusiastic and have a definite desire to work within this speciality, with experience in driving forward service improvements to meet the changing needs secondary to emerging treatment options. You need excellent communication skills to work closely with the child and their family, the MDT, community services, and regional networks.

The role includes:

Taking a lead role in advanced clinical assessment and treatment of a diverse caseload of children who require hand / upper limb therapy care Carrying a complex clinical caseload in OP, inpatients and designated clinics Supporting and advising in the management of any child across the hospital with complex upper limb needs. Fabricating and modifying thermoplastic splints. Collaboration with MDTs including plastics, paediatric orthopaedics, paediatric therapy and adult hand therapy Working autonomously in providing advanced therapy led clinics for hand and upper limb trauma congenital and acquired conditions. Independently determining clinical diagnosis and treatments as indicated and maintaining records Providing expert clinical expertise for developing and enhancing the service, alongside MDT Developing and ensuring evidence-based practice/ protocols/ national standards e.g., major trauma, are achieved, maintained and inherent in all aspects of care and treatment. Leading the continued development of the Upper Limb Therapy service, running as a pathway from acute trauma through to rehabilitation care. This will involve service scoping and planning, analysis of service level performance data, training staff, directing patient flow and service promotion

As caseloads can often include patients that are chronically unwell, we are looking for someone who has experience working in emotive situations with active coping strategies and resilience.



The successful applicant will be expected to work within our Paediatric Therapy team philosophy:

"We strongly believe in team working in a happy working environment. Workloads are shared and communication/ support is strongly encouraged. We are mutually responsible for the service and its development and expect everyone to carry out a certain level of responsibility."



You will participate in a comprehensive in-service training programme and individual performance review scheme. The post holder will need to be able to work flexibly to meet the needs of this evolving service.



Please read the generic Job description and person specification for this role and ensure you meet the following skills needed for working in this specific post and clinical environment:



The post holder must be an experienced/accredited hand therapist. Proven experience of fabricating and modifying thermoplastic splints. Proven experience of MSK, major trauma and neurological case mix. Proven developmental experience required for age-appropriate rehabilitation. Proven experience of managing complex post operative upper limb care and rehabilitation. Proven experience of post operative plastic surgery caseloads. Clear and expressed interest to work at UHS, within our Paediatric Therapy team It is desirable for you to be a member of a BAHT.

We run a 7-day service, working weekends and bank holidays on a rota basis. You will have many opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge through our in-service training, being part of a wider Paediatric therapy network and have links with local Universities through student placements.

Please note:

1. Interviews will be held on Tues 27th May 2025

2. We do not accept CV applications



Due the unique nature of this post we welcome informal enquiries or visits - please contact Michelle Geary or Katie O'Donnell.