Community Occupational Therapist

Location: Hutt Hospital

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence. 

About the Role 

We have a diverse and interesting full-time role available for an energetic and efficient Occupational Therapist keen to work in a large inter-disciplinary team.  We take referrals from Primary Health, a range of Community Organisations, and will have an increased role in early support to people discharging from hospital. 

About the Team/Service/Location 

This is a busy and rewarding Community OT role in an innovative and supportive team. 

Te Herenga Tangata is our Community Older Adults, Rehabilitation and Allied Health team, based in the Hutt Valley and working as part of a District wide service with our colleagues in Capital Coast.

Your clients will be across the age range with the majority of the work being with mid-age to older adults.  Interventions may be restorative or compensatory with people who have neuro-degenerative, long-term conditions and palliative needs.   Provision of complex equipment and prescription of both complex and non-complex housing modification will be part of the role along with Level One Wheel chair and seating.

You will have access to Occupational Therapy colleagues, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Nurses, Speech Language therapy, and Dietitians, along with our medical and Community Nursing colleagues.  Our service delivery models are evolving and will see us using inter-professional practice approaches and delegating more work to our skilled Allied Health and Rehab Assistants. 

We are continuing to build relationships with Primary Health and a broad range of Government and Community providers which is already making it easier for our staff to provide timelier, effective and equity focused health services. 

Within this position you will have access to clinical supervision, the support of the OT Professional leader, in-service and external training relevant to your role where you will have increasing professional and career development opportunities. 

About you 

You’ll enjoy working within a team, have excellent communication and time-management skills and be able to quickly develop positive relationships with a variety of hospital based and primary care professionals. 

Along with your direct practice, you’ll have the opportunity to be involved in or lead quality improvement work, both at a team and wider service level as we continue to develop our models. 

As the successful candidate you will be required to be an NZ Registered Occupational therapist with a current APC, drivers licence and experience relevant to the role. 

We provide an exciting and dynamic inter-disciplinary team environment, a diverse and rewarding caseload with a broad range of areas to develop into, regular clinical supervision and continuing professional development opportunities. 

We are looking to develop a culturally diverse team and strongly encourage applicants of all backgrounds with the right skills to consider applying. We will be continuing to develop the way we work with Maori and Pacific people and would value more applicants from these communities. 

There is also some opportunity for hybrid working if this would suit your needs and those of the service.

Working at Health New Zealand 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community. 

How to Apply 

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by 27 April. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Philip Adamson at Philip.Adamson@tewhatuora.govt.nz 

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.