Employment Type: Fixed Term (April - September)
Hours: 68.4 hours per fortnight (0.9 FTE - Acute 0.4 FTE, Subacute 0.5 FTE) - job share/area specific applications considered
Salary: as per EBA - Grade 2, Year 1 - 4
Location: Werribee Mercy Hospital (WMH)
Application: Please upload resume, cover letter and evidence of qualification
Contact: Emily Snaize (Acting Occupational Therapy Manager) 8754 3162 or Ever Saley (Grade 3 Occupational Therapist - Acute Services) 9216 8711

Where there’s life, there’s Mercy.

Where there’s care, there’s You.

Through the battles and the breakthroughs, we're there. Where will you be?

For over a century, our incredible teams have provided care for people when they need it most. Our people feel great pride in this, and they value the security and stability we offer. But it also means so much opportunity - to build on all that’s gone before, to grow your impact and gain experience that’s hard to find elsewhere.

As a for-purpose organisation with over 10,000 dedicated, compassionate people, we continue to offer more services and deeper care than ever before. With Mercy, you’ll have the chance to make an impact and gain experience that’s hard to find elsewhere.

At Mercy Health, it’s all about taking what we have and making it better.

To do that, we need you.

Join us at Mercy Health, and help our teams deliver even greater outcomes.

About the opportunity

The Occupational Therapy department at WMH offers a supportive environment that promotes a culture of learning and development, with various opportunities for career progression. The friendly WMH OT teams consists of 28 dedicated clinicians who provide referral based holistic care to the emergency department, short stay unit, acute, subacute, community (Health Independence Program, Commonwealth Home Support Program & Support at Home) and outpatient hand therapy clients.

Role Overview – Grade 2 Occupational Therapist (Acute & Subacute)

As a Grade 2 Occupational Therapist working across both Acute and Subacute services, you will deliver high‑quality, evidence‑based, person‑centred care within a dynamic and supportive multidisciplinary environment. This role provides the opportunity to work across the emergency department, short stay unit, medical and surgical wards, inpatient palliative care, rehabilitation, and geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) settings.
You will manage an allocated caseload, contribute to safe and timely patient flow, and support functional recovery and discharge planning across the continuum of care.

Acute Care Responsibilities

Within the acute service, you will work across the emergency department, short stay unit, medical and surgical wards, and the inpatient palliative care unit. The acute OT team includes Grade 1, 2 and 3 clinicians with an established supervision and support structure.

Your responsibilities include:
- Delivering evidence‑based, person‑centred occupational therapy interventions to patients with acute medical, surgical, and palliative care needs
- Supporting safe and efficient patient flow through timely assessment, functional screening, and discharge planning
- Providing clinical guidance to Grade 1 clinicians, Allied Health Assistants, and students
- Contributing to service development, quality improvement, and the ongoing strengthening of the acute OT service

Subacute Care Responsibilities

Within the Subacute team, you will provide occupational therapy services to patients undergoing rehabilitation and geriatric evaluation and management. You will work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to optimise functional recovery and support goal‑directed discharge planning.

Your responsibilities include:
- Conducting comprehensive assessments and delivering tailored interventions that promote independence, safety, and wellbeing
- Providing occupation‑based retraining and discharge planning for individuals with dementia, musculoskeletal conditions, general deconditioning, stroke, and other neurological presentations
- Offering clinical supervision and mentoring to junior staff and Allied Health Assistants
- Supporting day‑to‑day operational responsibilities within your designated area
- Advocating for the role of Occupational Therapy and contributing to collaborative, inter‑professional care

Professional Support & Development

You will be part of a cohesive and supportive Occupational Therapy department with access to:
- Structured professional supervision provided by the Acute Grade 3 Occupational Therapist
- Internal professional development opportunities through the Allied Health Education team and OT department
- Opportunities to contribute to service improvement, clinical governance, and innovation across both acute and subacute streams

What you’ll bring

You’re resilient, compassionate and have a whole lot of heart. Most importantly, you are committed to delivering exceptional patient-centred care.

To thrive in this role, you will have:

• A recognised degree in Occupational Therapy and current, full Occupational Therapy registration with AHPRA

• Minimum of 2 years strong clinical skills/experience relevant to the acute/subacute setting.

• Excellent clinical, time management, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to adapt and problem solve.

• A compassionate, flexible and positive approach to effective patient care and management.

• The ability to nurture friendly, respectful relationships and contribute to a collaborative team environment.

You will also be required to provide evidence of, or in the process of obtaining:

• A current Police Record Check and Working with Children Check.

• Proof of current influenza vaccination and other vaccination status consistent with public health orders

Ready to help us shape the future of healthcare?

Join us and make a meaningful difference in people's lives - and your career.

Are you ready to apply for this role? Click Apply now

Please contact us if you would like to find out more or communicate any requirements to ensure we provide you with a fair and equitable interview and selection process.

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples, traditional Custodians of the Land in which our Head Office is based, on traditional lands of the Kulin Nation and recognise their deep connections to the land, sea, and culture.

We extend this acknowledgment to the many Traditional Lands that we operate across Australia and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

The team at Mercy Health is as wonderfully diverse as the patients, residents, clients and communities we support. We're proud to be recognised as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). Mercy Health strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of all ages, sexualities, genders, abilities and cultural backgrounds