Occupational Therapist - Triage and Assessment Lead

Job Introduction

Occupational Therapist – Triage and Assessment Team

Independent Living Service

City of Wolverhampton Council

Salary - £44,075 - £49,282 (Grade 7)

Hours - 37

Contract type - full time, permanent

Work Style - ( e.g - Flexible: working from home with 2 days in a council location )

Please note a DBS check will be required for this role

Be the Occupational Therapist who makes the difference first

Are you an Occupational Therapist who enjoys thinking on your feet, solving problems and making timely decisions that help people get the right support at the right time?

We're looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Occupational Therapist to join our Duty Team within Wolverhampton's Independent Living Service.

This is not a traditional caseload-based OT role.

As a Duty Occupational Therapist, you will be part of a small, supportive team of experienced therapists who are the front door to Occupational Therapy and Independent Living Services. Every day brings something new. You'll use your professional judgement to triage referrals, complete strengths-based assessments, identify risks, provide immediate advice and guidance, and ensure residents receive the most appropriate support as quickly as possible.

For the right person, this is an exciting opportunity to develop advanced clinical reasoning, decision-making and risk management skills while making a real difference to people's independence and wellbeing.

Why choose this role?

✅ No long-term caseload management

✅ Fast-paced and varied work

✅ Opportunity to use your clinical judgement every day

✅ Supportive team environment with experienced Occupational Therapists

✅ Flexible and virtual ways of working

✅ Make a difference at the earliest point in a person's journey

✅ Gain expertise in equipment, adaptations, assistive technology and independent living solutions

✅ Be part of a service recognised for its commitment to prevention, independence and strengths-based practice

What you'll be doing

• Triaging Occupational Therapy and Independent Living referrals.
• Completing telephone and virtual assessments.
• Identifying levels of risk and urgency.
• Providing advice, information and self-management strategies.
• Recommending equipment, adaptations and assistive technology.
• Supporting timely interventions that prevent crises and promote independence.
• Working closely with community Occupational Therapists, Reablement, Health, Housing and Adult Social Care colleagues.
• Ensuring people are directed to the most appropriate pathway and support at the earliest opportunity.

We're looking for a registered Occupational Therapist who:

• Enjoys problem solving and decision making.
• Is confident communicating with people, families and professionals.
• Can assess risk and prioritise effectively.
• Is motivated by helping people maintain independence.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Wants to be part of a supportive and innovative team.
• Is committed to strengths-based, person-centred practice.

Whether you already have experience in community Occupational Therapy, hospital discharge, adaptations, reablement or social care, we'd love to hear from you.

What our team says

"Every day is different. We help people access the right support quickly and often make an immediate difference to their independence. The role gives you the opportunity to use your Occupational Therapy skills creatively while working in a really supportive team."

Join us

At Wolverhampton, Occupational Therapy is at the heart of our vision for prevention, independence and helping people live the lives they want to lead.

If you're looking for a rewarding role where your professional judgement, creativity and Occupational Therapy skills are valued every day, we'd love to hear from you.

Help people find the right support at the right time, and start their journey towards greater independence.

For full details of the responsibilities and requirements of this role please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Should you wish to discuss this opportunity further, please contact Caroline.Bates@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Our working arrangements

All council roles are allocated to either a fixed, field or flexible work style. Some roles are agile which enable and empower employees to maximise their performance and productivity, whilst maintaining a healthy work life balance. Roles with a fixed workstyle work in a fixed permanent council location. Roles with a field workstyle are usually allocated where employees are required to be out working in the community with a minimum requirement for 'touch down' space at any council location. Roles with a flexible workstyle have a flexible base location to meet the needs of the business and employees can work from a mixture of home or any council office, partner/client, or external location, as required to meet service requirements.

Please refer to the Job Description for further information on the workstyle assigned to the role you are applying for.

For more information about working for our organisation including the culture of the Council, the Council plan and vision, staff equality forums, core HR policies, employee benefits and much more please click here.

Diversity

We are committed to building a workforce that is reflective of the diverse community we serve. We want to attract the best applications from people of all backgrounds and underrepresented groups because we strongly believe in adding value through diversity, inclusion, and equality. Our employees enable us to deliver services that are accessible, inclusive, and reflective of Wolverhampton residents.

Our status as a Disability Confident Employer showcases our commitment to people with disabilities or health conditions, advocating for their opportunities and potential.

We've received the Stonewall Gold Award, emphasising our dedication to the LGBT+ community by nurturing an inspiring, inclusive, and equal workplace.

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the essential criteria for the post.

We encourage, inspire and value an inclusive culture here at the council where employees can flourish, thrive and be themselves. We have four staff equality forums for employees to join. These help to ensure our employees have a voice, they feel empowered to speak up and where everyone is treated with respect - Learn more about the staff equality forums here

Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

We are committed to the fair treatment of all our employees, potential employees, or users of our service regardless of offending background. The Council uses the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for any vacancies that require a DBS check to obtain information about applicants to assess their suitability for employment in positions of trust. We do not discriminate unfairly against any individual on the basis of a conviction or any other information revealed as a result of a DBS disclosure - Learn more here

Employment Information & Support

If you are considering applying for an apprenticeship or a role where the salary is (Grade 2-5), and would like to visit us to learn about the application, interview process and what it is like to work for the council, please click on this link to find out more - Learn more here