Occupational Therapist - OPH&R

• Permanent Full time 1.0FTE (40 hours per week)
• Based at Burwood Hospital
• Hours of work are between Monday -Friday 0730/ 0800 - 1600/1630 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity for a permanent Occupational Therapist to work within the inpatient services at purpose-built Burwood Hospital.

This role is working with Older People needing a hospital admission and rehabilitation to enable them to return home and /or to community facilities. You will work within a multi-disciplinary team to determine and meet the patient goals and outcomes. Your day would include, assessment and rehabilitation, including physical and cognitive assessments, meeting treatment goals and complex discharge planning.

In this role you will work with patients to enable optimum safety and function during this phase of their recovery. You’ll work with clients from diverse social and cultural backgrounds and need to bring your holistic skills, enthusiasm and passion to achieve the best outcome for your patients.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Undertaking Occupational Therapy assessments and developing and implementing treatment plans, considered within a holistic approach
• Providing education and resource, where appropriate, to the client and their family/whānau, as well as the wider  team
• Prioritising, organising and managing a case load while allocating time appropriately

Burwood Hospital offers the opportunity to be part of both the ward team and the wider Occupational Therapy Department and take the opportunities to access professional development through, in-service training and clinical supervision. New graduates or OT’s in their early years of practice will be supported by a dedicated full time Clinical Coach, enabling your learning and development in extending your clinical practice and the development of Occupational Therapy skills. 

About You

You will need to demonstrate your excellent communication skills and how you build rapport with patients and their whānau. Your skills / or eagerness to develop skills in will include:

• Advanced clinical assessment and problem-solving abilities
• Confident working independently while contributing effectively as part of a team
• Strong communication skills to collaborate across inpatient and community settings
• Evidence-based approach with sound clinical reasoning
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage time and priorities effectively
• Experience in complex discharge planning
• Positive, proactive attitude and genuine enthusiasm for this specialty
• Enable NZ Equipment accreditation (or willingness 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
• Current registration with the NZ Occupational Therapy Board and Annual Practicing Certificate
• Full NZ driver’s licence for local travel

Working for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We 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 11th January 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Alex Jay at Alexandra.jay@tewhatuora.govt.nz