Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Occupational Therapist in Stroke and Neurology (Stroke)

The closing date is 16 July 2025

Job summary

Due to maternity leave within the team, an exciting opportunity has arisen to work within the Stroke and Neuro Occupational Therapy Team.

Working as part of a specialist multi-disciplinary team, you will provide a high standard of occupational therapy input to patients with a variety of neurological and complex conditions.

Our service is committed to providing a 7 day service for our patients. Our team leads design the rotas in collaboration with staff to ensure that a fair and flexible approach in allocating shifts is applied.

You will have the opportunity to gain experience in:o Hyper-acute Stroke Careo Acute Strokeo Neurological Outliers

Experience as a Band 5 in Stroke or Neurology is essential.You will be supported in this role by a strong multidisciplinary team and work in close collaboration with a friendly and innovative therapies department. Supervising junior members of the team is included within this role therefore prior experience is needed.

Main duties of the job

Clinical

1. To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care.

2.To undertake a comprehensive holistic assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies.

3. To deliver appropriate individual evidence based occupational therapy treatment programme for all patients, including patients with complex presentations.

4.To formulate accurate prognoses and recommend best course of intervention, developing comprehensive discharge plans.

5.To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

6.To have a good working knowledge of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and follow-up rehabilitation and treatment services. To work as an effective member of the MDT and make appropriate and timely referrals to MDT colleagues.

7.To liaise effectively with MDT members to formulate holistic, integrated plans of treatment.

8. To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive written patient assessment and treatment records and any other documentation required, in line with professional and Trust standards.

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Details

Date posted

02 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

418-DTO6533-KA

Job locations

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

lewsey road

Luton

LU4 0DZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced-based practice in the areas of rehabilitation and neurology, developing specialist knowledge.

2. To design, develop and undertake an evidence-based project as agreed with the specialist occupational therapist within the rehabilitation and neurology team and develop improvements to service delivery and clinical practice. Make recommendations for change to the specialist occupational therapist.

3. To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet knowledge requirements and competencies.

4. To respect the individuality, values, culture and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of the service sensitive to these needs

5. To demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and external development opportunities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.

6. To appraise delegated section staff to ensure all section staff have a current PDP and appraisal objectives and facilitate the successful completion of these

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced-based practice in the areas of rehabilitation and neurology, developing specialist knowledge.

2. To design, develop and undertake an evidence-based project as agreed with the specialist occupational therapist within the rehabilitation and neurology team and develop improvements to service delivery and clinical practice. Make recommendations for change to the specialist occupational therapist.

3. To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet knowledge requirements and competencies.

4. To respect the individuality, values, culture and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of the service sensitive to these needs

5. To demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and external development opportunities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.

6. To appraise delegated section staff to ensure all section staff have a current PDP and appraisal objectives and facilitate the successful completion of these

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Dip COT or BSc (Hons) in OT
  • HCPC registration
  • Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendances at recent post graduate courses/ in-service trainings relevant to the speciality

Desirable

  • Practice Educators Certificate

Experience

Essential

  • Evidence of broad based postgraduate experience to include experience in neurology, stroke or rehabilitation
  • Evidence of experience working within an acute hospital environment
  • Evidence of experience of supervision of staff or students including staff appraisal
  • Work experience, student or therapy assistant supervision
  • Teaching/training groups or individuals

Desirable

  • Involvement in service improvement via project management or clinical audit
  • Involvement in specialist interests groups

Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of remaining up to date with professional practice and new research

communication

Essential

  • Excellent verbal and non verbal communication skills

skills

Essential

  • Competent IT skills
  • Effective time management skills
  • Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure
  • Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate appropriately
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Dip COT or BSc (Hons) in OT
  • HCPC registration
  • Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendances at recent post graduate courses/ in-service trainings relevant to the speciality

Desirable

  • Practice Educators Certificate

Experience

Essential

  • Evidence of broad based postgraduate experience to include experience in neurology, stroke or rehabilitation
  • Evidence of experience working within an acute hospital environment
  • Evidence of experience of supervision of staff or students including staff appraisal
  • Work experience, student or therapy assistant supervision
  • Teaching/training groups or individuals

Desirable

  • Involvement in service improvement via project management or clinical audit
  • Involvement in specialist interests groups

Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of remaining up to date with professional practice and new research

communication

Essential

  • Excellent verbal and non verbal communication skills

skills

Essential

  • Competent IT skills
  • Effective time management skills
  • Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure
  • Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate appropriately

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

lewsey road

Luton

LU4 0DZ


Employer's website

https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

lewsey road

Luton

LU4 0DZ


Employer's website

https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Specialist Stroke/ Neuro Occuaptional therapist.

Emma Burgess

emma.burgess@ldh.nhs.uk

01582497434

Details

Date posted

02 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

418-DTO6533-KA

Job locations

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

lewsey road

Luton

LU4 0DZ


Supporting documents

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