Job summary

The South West Neonatal Network has the exciting opportunity to recruit a Regional Lead Neonatal Occupational Therapist. If you are passionate about neonatal care and the role that Occupational Therapists and wider Allied Health Professionals play in supporting neonatal families, this opportunity is for you.

The Network brings professionals together across the region to ensure that outcome and quality standards are improved within neonatal care, while encouraging continuity and consistency of access to neonatal services. The successful candidate will be a collaborative and innovative professional, with a drive to support development of the neonatal AHP workforce.

Main duties of the job

To work as a regional member of the South West Neonatal Network with a primary focus of supporting, developing and succession planning the Neonatal Occupational Therapy (OT) workforce.

To facilitate, in line with the recommendations of the National Neonatal Critical Care Review (NCCR) and the NHS Long Term Plan (2019), the delivery of a service to all neonatal units within the network that supports equitable access to and provision of, highly complex, discipline specific, OT knowledge and skills to neonatal infants and their families.

This is a regional post predominantly working from home or from a base office in Bristol. Some travel will be required across the South West region, with very occasional travel nationally. The Network is hosted by BFT.

About us

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that theSouth Westhas to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details

Date posted

15 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum, pro rata for part time roles

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

387-W&C5588-LH-A

Job locations

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS2 8BJ

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description documents attached to this vacancy.

Job description Job responsibilities For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description documents attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential

• HCPC registered Occupational Therapist
• Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy
• Evidence of relevant post-graduate CPD equivalent to at least MSc level
• Relevant Neonatal Training courses e.g. NBAS, NBO, FINE, Infant Bobath, Sensory Beginnings, General Movement, EI Smart, Bayley IV, miniAHA

Desirable

• Management / Leadership Training
• Registration with RCOT
• Master's degree or ability/commitment to undertake a health care related higher degree (MA/MSc) and complete within 4-5 years

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Significant post graduate experience across a wide range of specialities
• Experience working within paediatrics at a senior level (Band7 or above) including neonatal care, neurodevelopment or neurosciences
• Specialist knowledge and application of OT assessment and interventions in neonatal units
• Evidence working within a multidisciplinary team with clear understanding of roles and expectations
• Proven experience of research, audit and/or service development
• Proven experience in developing and delivering teaching, training and supervision of others
• Experience managing individuals and managing team performance
• Experience of guideline / policy writing
• Knowledge of key national issues/agendas relevant to the neonatal field

Desirable

• Experience of hospital discharge planning and caseload prioritisation
• Experience of prescribing specialised paediatric equipment.
• Experience of regional working
• Experience of leading and implementing service developments, including developing business cases and large scale change management

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills
• Excellent clinical leadership skills
• Sound IT skills
• Ability to work independently as an autonomous practitioner
• Proven responsibility for own decision making whilst working closely within a team
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable

• Ability to fabricate upper limb splints from a range of materials

Aptitudes

Essential

• Good communication skills
• Good team player
• Leadership
• Honest
• Trustworthy
• Hardworking

Person Specification Qualifications & Training Essential HCPC registered Occupational Therapist Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy Evidence of relevant post-graduate CPD equivalent to at least MSc level Relevant Neonatal Training courses e.g. NBAS, NBO, FINE, Infant Bobath, Sensory Beginnings, General Movement, EI Smart, Bayley IV, miniAHA Desirable Management / Leadership Training Registration with RCOT Master's degree or ability/commitment to undertake a health care related higher degree (MA/MSc) and complete within 4-5 years Knowledge & Experience Essential Significant post graduate experience across a wide range of specialities Experience working within paediatrics at a senior level (Band7 or above) including neonatal care, neurodevelopment or neurosciences Specialist knowledge and application of OT assessment and interventions in neonatal units Evidence working within a multidisciplinary team with clear understanding of roles and expectations Proven experience of research, audit and/or service development Proven experience in developing and delivering teaching, training and supervision of others Experience managing individuals and managing team performance Experience of guideline / policy writing Knowledge of key national issues/agendas relevant to the neonatal field Desirable Experience of hospital discharge planning and caseload prioritisation Experience of prescribing specialised paediatric equipment. Experience of regional working Experience of leading and implementing service developments, including developing business cases and large scale change management Skills & Abilities Essential Excellent organisational and time management skills Excellent problem solving and analytical skills Excellent clinical leadership skills Sound IT skills Ability to work independently as an autonomous practitioner Proven responsibility for own decision making whilst working closely within a team Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Desirable Ability to fabricate upper limb splints from a range of materials Aptitudes Essential Good communication skills Good team player Leadership Honest Trustworthy Hardworking

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).

Additional information 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).

Employer details

Employer name

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS2 8BJ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS2 8BJ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)