Acute Occupational Therapist – Critical Care (Physical Health)

Location: Wellington Regional 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 

Salary: $88,627 – $110,210

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for an experienced Occupational Therapist to help grow and advance occupational therapy intervention within our Critical Care service.

In this role, you will work as part of our acute inpatient occupational therapy team, supporting referral management and enabling effective patient flow across the hospital. You will collaborate closely with the regional Allied Health Critical Care Education Team to drive best-practice development for occupational therapy in the critical care space. This includes access to targeted education and training to further extend your specialist skills and knowledge.

Why This Role Matters

Occupational Therapists are pivotal members of the allied health team in critical care. In this environment, patients often experience severe functional limitations, exposure to overwhelming and disorienting settings, and a high risk of delirium, immobility-related complications, long-term cognitive and physical changes, and Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS).

Your expertise will help patients:

• Re-engage in essential activities of daily living (e.g., bathing, feeding, grooming)
• Navigate the emotional and psychological impacts of critical illness
• Reduce long-term disability risk through early, evidence-informed intervention
• Optimise recovery and participation following life-changing health events

You will work with a diverse and complex patient population, including:

• Post-operative and post-surgical complications
• Trauma
• Neurological conditions
• Organ failure and sepsis
• Spinal and cardiovascular conditions

What You’ll Do

As part of the acute healthcare team, you will:

• Conduct comprehensive occupational therapy assessments
• Formulate and deliver individualised, inter-professional interventions
• Apply advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-informed practice
• Contribute to service development and quality improvement initiatives
• Support best-practice implementation across the critical care pathway

About our team

The Wellington Occupational Therapy Team work largely in the inpatient setting at Wellington Regional Hospital – the regions only Tertiary Hospital. The team is growing to a team of 20 which includes rotational positions. We work in the acute setting, assessing and treating patients to contribute to successful discharges and acute hospital flow. We are part of a wider ORA service that has occupational therapists working across multiple sites including Kenepuru, Hutt Hospital, community, outpatients and rehabilitation settings with opportunity to network across the district.

We have a friendly, dynamic and enthusiastic team with a team approach. This occupational therapy team work cohesively to collectively respond to capacity demands. We promote an open and respectful culture with shared mentorship and clinical discussion. Our team lives the values held by Capital, Coast and Hutt District and collectively strive to embrace manaakitanga, kotahitanga and rangatiratanga. 

Our occupational therapy service provides assessment, treatment and discharge planning to our patients in various clinical specialities across the hospital providing ongoing variety and challenge. Specialties include Emergency Department, Medical assessment and planning unit (MAPU), Acute Medical Wards, Health of the Older Persons service, Orthopaedics, Trauma, Surgical, Neurology/neurosurgery, ICU, Cardiothoracic, Oncology, and Paediatric hospital. We have a weekend cover roster (approximately once every 10 weeks for 4 hours). 

We work alongside a diverse health team including a strong allied health workforce and share an office space with speech language therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians and social workers. We are supported by a team of Allied Health Assistants who work hard to support the allied health team.

About you

• Preferably five or more years’ experience 
• Have registration with the with Occupational Therapy Board NZ with a current annual practicing certificate
• Commitment to mentoring and supporting rotational Occupational Therapists as required.
• Supporting student placements and learning. 

We are looking for clinicians with experience in the acute physical health setting with experience in critical care or who have an interest in advancing their expertise and clinical knowledge. Working with a diverse group of patients with significant health needs, you’ll demonstrate excellent clinical and communication skills and have a flexible, problem solving approach. 

We are looking for a therapist who is a great communicator, active team member who takes pride in delivering best practice to all our patients and enjoys working in an acute health care setting. You will be part of a wider team of occupational therapists including rotational staff. This role will give you an opportunity to progress both your clinical and non-clinical skills, giving you the chance to advance your practice and support the growing development of the occupational therapy team as a valued and respected part of the multidisciplinary team within the Wellington Hospital.

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. If you have any questions about the role, please contact 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.