Occupational Therapist - Hand Therapy

at  Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora

• Permanent Full-time (40 hours per week) Occupational Therapist specialising in Hand Therapy
  Mō te tūnga | About the role
  Do you have proven strong clinical skills in hand therapy and a commitment to grow and further develop your skills working within the Hand therapy team at the Christchurch Hospital Campus
  We have an exciting opportunity to join the supportive Occupational Therapy team at Christchurch Hospital. This is a full time (40 hours/week) permanent role on the Christchurch Hospital Acute Campus site.
  You will be supported to develop your skills within these areas and will also work alongside your colleagues and team leaders to develop the services.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Managing a clinical caseload, providing expert advice, assessments, and developing tailored care plans for tāngata whaiora (service users), and supporting other staff in the delivery of care.
• Planning and managing your clinical and non-clinical time, working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, and contributing to education and training programs.
• Participating in service and policy development, including the creation and implementation of evidence-based clinical policies.
• Offering clinical leadership, supervision, and mentorship to staff and students, ensuring high-quality practice across teams.
• Acting as an advanced practitioner, providing expert clinical advice, consultation, and support to practitioners while adhering to professional standards and policies.
• Supporting workforce development, including staff education, skills development, recruitment, and mentoring.
• Engaging in clinical audits, research, and contributing to innovation, including testing new equipment and participating in clinical trials.
• Contributing to departmental goals, data reporting, and quality improvement activities.
• Ensuring adherence to national and organisational policies, and supporting colleagues in their understanding and implementation.
• Participating in projects and steering groups, and contributing to the development and promotion of care pathways for restorative care and rehabilitation.
• Demonstrating an understanding of the financial implications of clinical decisions.

NGĀ PŪKENGA ME NGĀ WHEAKO | SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Registration with the Occupational Therapy Board NZ and an Annual Practising Certificate (essential)
• Registered as a Hand Therapist (essential) - New Zealand or Australian qualification preferred
• Minimum 5 years of clinical practice with minimum of 3 years of clinical work experience in the relevant field of specialty and environment
• Experience with clinical teaching/supervision, training and development of staff
• Experience making judgements in complex situations where there is incomplete information or solutions are not obvious
• Experience in quality /service improvement activities
• Knowledge of NZ Health & Disability sector standards and the Privacy Act within a health context

MŌ MĀTOU | ABOUT US

“Ko ngā tāngata, te mātua mahi - Putting people at the heart of all we do -
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, leads the day-to-day running of our health system across New Zealand, with functions delivered at local, district, regional and national levels. It weaves the functions of the 20 former District Health Boards into its regional divisions and district offices, ensuring continuity of services in the health system.
Here in Waitaha, Canterbury we deliver health services to the almost 600,000 people that live in the Canterbury region. We are committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles by ensuring our partnership with Māori are at the forefront of all our conversations.
Ngā hua | Benefits of working at Health New Zealand
When you work at Health New Zealand, you are part of a wider whānau that will support you along your career journey. We offer great professional development and learning opportunities for all staff. We are always improving our facilities across all campuses and have access to amazing kaimahi/staff discounts from select retailers, restaurants and businesses.

• Managing a clinical caseload, providing expert advice, assessments, and developing tailored care plans for tāngata whaiora (service users), and supporting other staff in the delivery of care.
• Planning and managing your clinical and non-clinical time, working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, and contributing to education and training programs.
• Participating in service and policy development, including the creation and implementation of evidence-based clinical policies.
• Offering clinical leadership, supervision, and mentorship to staff and students, ensuring high-quality practice across teams.
• Acting as an advanced practitioner, providing expert clinical advice, consultation, and support to practitioners while adhering to professional standards and policies.
• Supporting workforce development, including staff education, skills development, recruitment, and mentoring.
• Engaging in clinical audits, research, and contributing to innovation, including testing new equipment and participating in clinical trials.
• Contributing to departmental goals, data reporting, and quality improvement activities.
• Ensuring adherence to national and organisational policies, and supporting colleagues in their understanding and implementation.
• Participating in projects and steering groups, and contributing to the development and promotion of care pathways for restorative care and rehabilitation.
• Demonstrating an understanding of the financial implications of clinical decisions