Job summary
We are seeking a motivated & flexible Occupational Therapist to join the inpatient team at Walkergate Park on afixed-term basis for 12 months to cover maternity leave.
The post will be offered as either:
-
1.0 WTE Band 5, or
-
0.8 WTE Band 6,
dependent on experience, skills, and ability to meet the relevant competency requirements.
Walkergate Park is commissioned as a UKROC Level 1 neurorehabilitation service, providing care for patients with highly complex neurological needs who have identified rehabilitation potential and goals. The service comprises four inpatient wards: two neuro-rehabilitation, one neuro-behavioural, and one neuro-psychiatric ward. The Occupational Therapy team works as part of a well-established multidisciplinary team.
The role involves the assessment, goal-setting and treatment of patients with a range of neurological conditions, including stroke & traumatic brain injury, alongside other neurological conditions. Interventions include rehabilitation to support engagement in daily activities, cognitive rehabilitation, environmental & equipment assessment for discharge planning, liaison with community services, and onward referral where appropriate.
Band 6 applicants will be expected to demonstrate the ability to manage a complex caseload with a high degree of autonomy and to contribute to service development and supervision activities. Band 5 applicants will be supported with appropriate supervision and development opportunities within the team.
Main duties of the job
Band 5 responsibilities
-
Undertake assessment & intervention with patients under guidance & supervision of senior OT.
-
In partnership with patient & carer where appropriate, contribute to goal setting & intervention planning, with regular review of progress.
-
Deliver evidence-based OT interventions within agreed care plans.
-
Work as member of the MDT to support delivery of high-quality, individualised care that promotes recovery, wellbeing & independence.
-
Discharge planning in collaboration with MDT.
-
Actively engage in supervision, appraisal & continuing professional development.
Band 6 responsibilities -
Independently assess, plan & deliver OT interventions for patients with highly complex neurological, cognitive & behavioural needs.
-
In partnership with service users & carers where appropriate, set realistic goals & develop collaborative intervention plans, ensuring regular review & adaptation of treatment based on progress & risk.
-
Deliver & adapt evidence-based OT interventions, demonstrating clinical reasoning in complex & high-risk situations.
-
Work autonomously as part of the MDT to ensure safe, effective & individualised care that maximises independence & recovery.
-
Play key role in discharge planning, including environmental assessment, equipment provision & liaison with community services.
-
Contribute to supervision & support of junior staff & students. Participate in service development, audit & quality improvement activity as appropriate.
About us
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
NHS Employees identified as at risk of compulsory redundancy and those eligible for the NENC Re-Deployment careers hub will receive prior consideration.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 17th February 2026
Closing date : 2nd March 2026
We welcome your application.
Interview will take place on 9th March 2026.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 17th February 2026
Closing date : 2nd March 2026
We welcome your application.
Interview will take place on 9th March 2026.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Occupational therapy degree/ qualification
- HCPC Registration
- For Band 5: Awareness of Occupational Therapy interventions relevant to neurology / rehabilitation and Ability to work with guidance and supervision within a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 6: Evidence of post-registration training and experience in Occupational Therapy interventions relevant to the post (neurology / neuro-rehabilitation), including working with complex patients and managing clinical risk
Desirable
- For Band 5: Placement or post-registration experience in neurology, rehabilitation, or inpatient settings
- For Band 6: Experience of working autonomously in a complex clinical environment (e.g. inpatient rehabilitation, neurology, mental health)
Experience
Essential
- For Band 5: Experience of working in a clinical setting as a registered Occupational Therapist, including some experience or exposure to working with patients with neurological conditions
- For Band 5: Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 5: Ability to work with guidance and supervision
- For Band 6: Post-registration experience working with patients with neurological conditions in an inpatient or rehabilitation setting
- For Band 6: Experience of managing a complex caseload and clinical risk, with appropriate supervision
- For Band 6: Experience of working effectively within a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 6: Experience of supervising students and/or non-registered staff
Desirable
- For Band 5: Placement or post-registration experience in neurology, rehabilitation or inpatient settings
- For Band 5: Experience working with patients with cognitive or behavioural needs
- For Band 6: Experience of working autonomously with patients with cognitive, behavioural or challenging presentations
- For Band 6: Experience contributing to service development or quality improvement activity
Skills, Ability and Knowledge
Essential
- For Band 5: Understanding of clinical risk and ability to contribute to risk assessment and safety planning with guidance
- For Band 5: Working knowledge of the Occupational Therapy process, including activity analysis
- For Band 5: Ability to use a range of assessments and interventions with support and supervision
- For Band 5: Ability to contribute to client-centred, goal-oriented rehabilitation programmes
- For Band 5: Effective communication and record-keeping skills, with an ability to adapt communication with support when working with people with cognitive or communication difficulties
- For Band 6: Demonstrated skills in clinical risk assessment and risk management within a complex inpatient setting
- For Band 6: Confident understanding and application of the Occupational Therapy process, including activity analysis
- For Band 6: Ability to independently select, use and interpret relevant evidence-based assessments and outcome measures
- For Band 6: Ability to plan, deliver and adapt client-centred, goal-oriented rehabilitation programmes for patients with complex neurological, cognitive or behavioural needs
- For Band 6: Ability to formulate and communicate risk management plans in collaboration with the MDT, particularly in relation to functional independence, moving and handling, equipment provision and discharge planning
- For Band 6: Effective communication and documentation skills, including adapting communication approaches for people with cognitive and communication impairments
Desirable
- For Band 5: Knowledge of rehabilitation approaches used in neurology or inpatient settings
- For Band 5: Awareness of assistive technology and environmental adaptations
- For Band 6: Experience providing clinical guidance or informal leadership to junior staff
- For Band 6: Knowledge of assistive technology and environmental adaptation in neurorehabilitation
Personal Qualities
Essential
- For Band 5: Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and seek guidance appropriately
- For Band 5: Ability to manage workload and priorities with support
- For Band 5: Flexible and adaptable approach to learning and development
- For Band 5: Good communication skills
- For Band 6: Ability to work autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 6: Ability to prioritise and manage workload in a pressurised and complex environment
- For Band 6: Flexible and adaptable approach to changing service and patient needs
- For Band 6: Effective communication skills, including the ability to communicate professionally within the MDT
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Occupational therapy degree/ qualification
- HCPC Registration
- For Band 5: Awareness of Occupational Therapy interventions relevant to neurology / rehabilitation and Ability to work with guidance and supervision within a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 6: Evidence of post-registration training and experience in Occupational Therapy interventions relevant to the post (neurology / neuro-rehabilitation), including working with complex patients and managing clinical risk
Desirable
- For Band 5: Placement or post-registration experience in neurology, rehabilitation, or inpatient settings
- For Band 6: Experience of working autonomously in a complex clinical environment (e.g. inpatient rehabilitation, neurology, mental health)
Experience
Essential
- For Band 5: Experience of working in a clinical setting as a registered Occupational Therapist, including some experience or exposure to working with patients with neurological conditions
- For Band 5: Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 5: Ability to work with guidance and supervision
- For Band 6: Post-registration experience working with patients with neurological conditions in an inpatient or rehabilitation setting
- For Band 6: Experience of managing a complex caseload and clinical risk, with appropriate supervision
- For Band 6: Experience of working effectively within a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 6: Experience of supervising students and/or non-registered staff
Desirable
- For Band 5: Placement or post-registration experience in neurology, rehabilitation or inpatient settings
- For Band 5: Experience working with patients with cognitive or behavioural needs
- For Band 6: Experience of working autonomously with patients with cognitive, behavioural or challenging presentations
- For Band 6: Experience contributing to service development or quality improvement activity
Skills, Ability and Knowledge
Essential
- For Band 5: Understanding of clinical risk and ability to contribute to risk assessment and safety planning with guidance
- For Band 5: Working knowledge of the Occupational Therapy process, including activity analysis
- For Band 5: Ability to use a range of assessments and interventions with support and supervision
- For Band 5: Ability to contribute to client-centred, goal-oriented rehabilitation programmes
- For Band 5: Effective communication and record-keeping skills, with an ability to adapt communication with support when working with people with cognitive or communication difficulties
- For Band 6: Demonstrated skills in clinical risk assessment and risk management within a complex inpatient setting
- For Band 6: Confident understanding and application of the Occupational Therapy process, including activity analysis
- For Band 6: Ability to independently select, use and interpret relevant evidence-based assessments and outcome measures
- For Band 6: Ability to plan, deliver and adapt client-centred, goal-oriented rehabilitation programmes for patients with complex neurological, cognitive or behavioural needs
- For Band 6: Ability to formulate and communicate risk management plans in collaboration with the MDT, particularly in relation to functional independence, moving and handling, equipment provision and discharge planning
- For Band 6: Effective communication and documentation skills, including adapting communication approaches for people with cognitive and communication impairments
Desirable
- For Band 5: Knowledge of rehabilitation approaches used in neurology or inpatient settings
- For Band 5: Awareness of assistive technology and environmental adaptations
- For Band 6: Experience providing clinical guidance or informal leadership to junior staff
- For Band 6: Knowledge of assistive technology and environmental adaptation in neurorehabilitation
Personal Qualities
Essential
- For Band 5: Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and seek guidance appropriately
- For Band 5: Ability to manage workload and priorities with support
- For Band 5: Flexible and adaptable approach to learning and development
- For Band 5: Good communication skills
- For Band 6: Ability to work autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team
- For Band 6: Ability to prioritise and manage workload in a pressurised and complex environment
- For Band 6: Flexible and adaptable approach to changing service and patient needs
- For Band 6: Effective communication skills, including the ability to communicate professionally within the MDT
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
