Occupational Therapist

• Both fixed term and permanent full time positions available, based at Christchurch Campus
• Provide Occupational Therapy assessment and therapeutic interventions to service users and improve the health and wellbeing of the Canterbury community!
• NZ Registration with the Occupational Therapy Board and Annual Practicing Certificate is essential

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 exciting opportunities to join the supportive Occupational Therapy team at Christchurch Hospital. These are Full-time (40 hours/week) fixed term and permanent roles on the Christchurch Hospital Acute Campus site. Please indicate in your cover letter your preferred position.

Occupational therapists work across multiple clinical areas at Christchurch Hospital including:

Trauma, Orthopaedics, general medicine, Surgery, Neurology, Acute Stroke, respiratory, Cardiology, Paediatrics, ICU, ED, Burns & Plastics, Oncology, Hand Therapy, Home Visit team.

These positions are ward based and where you will be working will depend on your current skills and where we need you! It’s likely you will be working with people in Gen medicine, orthopaedics, Surgical, & Trauma areas.

However you will get the opportunity to develop your skills across different areas. This will include head injury and stroke assessment skills.

In these roles, you will be responsible for:

• Working with patients to provide comprehensive Inter-disciplinary and specific occupational therapy based assessments, patient centred goal setting, therapeutic interventions, and education to whānau and friends and IDT colleagues
• Working with patients from diverse social and cultural backgrounds and working collaboratively with whanau, the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure the best outcomes
• Delegation of clinical tasks to Allied Health Assistants
• Identifying and contributing towards quality improvement initiatives.
• Being involved in transfer and discharge planning.
• Mentoring and supervision of other colleagues within the wider Occupational Therapy service
• As part of the team you will also contribute to the weekend roster on a regular basis

About You

You will have a passion and desire to work in acute care within a team environment, and want to grow and develop professionally as an occupational therapist.

You can expect to be well supported in your role. You will receive mentoring, supervision and professional development so that you can grow as an occupational therapist and progress in your career.

Your skills will include:

• Sound clinical assessment and problem solving skills
• The ability to work autonomously and collaboratively, to develop positive interpersonal relationships, and work flexibly within the inter-disciplinary team, with a team player attitude
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong clinical reasoning skills and use of evidence informed practice
• Effective time management, organisational and prioritisation skills
• Experience with discharge planning
• The willingness to engage in quality improvement mahi
• Clinical experience working within the acute hospital environment would be an advantage
• A willingness to learn and to share your learning
• A positive attitude and enthusiasm for this area of work
• Registration with the NZ Occupational Therapy Board and current Annual Practicing Certificate (or eligibility to obtain)
• Competency with te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori or a commitment to starting your journey and taking ownership of your learning and growth

Working for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is 'the weaving of wellnesses'. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Equity Work Programme at Health NZ focuses on helping everyone in the health system think about equity when they do their work. It also promotes the cultural change needed for the whole system to reach equity in health outcomes.

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.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We want to see the real you in your application and welcome the real you on board if you come and work with us. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just in formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the ad, but the experience was gained through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.

We particularly welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59pm on 13th April 2025. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Alex Jay at Alexandra.jay@tewhatuora.govt.nz