START Occupational Therapist

Role: START Occupational Therapist

• Employment Type: Permanent 0.5FTE
• Taranaki Base Hospital

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

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Occupational Therapist to join our new service: START (Supported Transfer and Accelerated Rehabilitation Team).

START is an early supported discharge model of care designed to help primarily older people return home safely following an acute episode or injury. Rehabilitation and enablement continue in the home environment, delivered by trained health care assistants and support workers under the delegation of registered health professionals.

As a member of the START team, you will play a vital role in supporting recovery and independence at home. Your work will help reduce hospital readmissions and improve quality of life for our clients.

About the Team/Service/ Location

The START team will aim to reduce the risk of readmission to hospital through:

• Improving functional resiliency / independence
• Ensuring seamless re-integration back to primary care
• Managing issues related to medication, nutrition
• Managing carer stress
• Identifying deterioration in conditions
• Supervising, managing care packages

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a new, innovative service that puts recovery and independence at the heart of care.

For more information on living and working in Taranaki click here

About you

Were looking for someone who:

• Has experience in rehabilitation, older peoples health, or community health
• Is confident working independently in clients homes
• Communicates effectively with clients, families, and health professionals
• Is compassionate, reliable, and committed to person-centred care

You will have:

• Minimum 3 years experience as an Occupational Therapist, ideally in rehabilitation, older peoples health, or community care
• Excellent communication skills to support patients, whanau, and multidisciplinary teams
• Strong relationship-building abilities with internal and external stakeholders
• Knowledge of Tikanga Maori, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Kaupapa Maori principles

Were looking for someone who brings clinical expertise, compassion, and innovation to this role. You will be confident working independently in clients homes and committed to person-centred care. A key part of this role involves providing direction and delegation to Rehabilitation Assistants and ensuring high-quality care delivery in the home setting.

Working at 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 Maori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply please click apply now. All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal by Monday 9th February 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Andrea Rowe andrea.rowe@tdhb.org.nz

A job description will be available in due course.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.

Whilst Health New Zealand is undergoing change, affected employees will be given preference and priority for this position.