Occupational Therapist - Band 5 Stroke

Job overview

A fantastic and exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 5 Occupational Therapist to join our dynamic stroke therapy team for a fixed term until 26th April 2027. You will be joining a supportive integrated stroke therapy team consisting of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Therapy Support Workers. This fixed-term role would be ideal opportunity for an existing band 5 Occupational Therapist seeking stroke specialist experience across both hyper-acute and acute stroke.

The successful candidate will be passionate about stroke, motivated to develop their own skills and that of the service, and provide Occupational Therapy that is high quality and evidence-based. They will be keen to develop and support colleagues alongside the demands of working in a busy acute hospital.

Job description

To deliver therapeutic interventions, using the principles of Occupational Therapy in an integrated and client-centred way supported by competency frameworks.

To work within the Therapy team providing an effective and evidence based service through assessing, planning and implementing treatment programmes.

The post holder will expect and be willing to rotate between specialty areas, within the Therapy Service, across hospital sites and off-site locations, as required.

The post holder will have no budget or managerial responsibilities. They will be expected to progress to supervise and appraise less experienced therapists, support workers and undergraduates, with the support of the team leader.

There will also be progression to taking on increasing responsibility for the day-to-day management of the clinical area, in the absence of more senior staff.

The post holder is supervised by a named therapist, although they may not be present at all times. Clinical and professional supervision is in the form of regular clinical reasoning sessions, observed practice, peer review and formal training. Access to advice and support from specialist therapists is available as required.

To participate in the out of hours service at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and/or Cheltenham General Hospital after appropriate induction and training.

Job responsibilities

To consolidate and learn new skills and competencies to provide holistic care using competency frameworks. To develop clinical reasoning and treatment techniques through the active participation in training and development. To consolidate knowledge and skills learned through this process with the direction of senior staff, and deliver research-based presentations as part of in-service training. This will involve facilitating own learning opportunities, reflecting on practice and learning through this process.

To take on increasing responsibility for personal development and supporting the development and supervision of others by CPD (continuing professional development), linked to appraisal.

To participate in the supervision, caseload monitoring and clinical education of support workers, progressing to supervising students and less experienced staff with support of senior staff, as required. Providing support, guidance, training, and assessing and evaluating competence, in order to fulfil clinical governance requirements and retain a skilled workforce. To progress to participating in the student education process, as a clinical educator, involving the assessment of students competency to practice.

To work with senior staff undertaking audit and research projects, to further own and teams clinical practice within each rotation. To be involved in making recommendations for changes to practice and procedures for the relevant clinical area, and the implementation of these changes.

About the organisation

Join a forward-thinking, compassionate, and high-performing integrated Therapy Service at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This is an exceptional opportunity for a passionate and skilled individual to make a meaningful impact within a supportive and collaborative environment, while developing a fulfilling career.

As a member of the Therapy Service, you will play a vital role in delivering high-quality, patient-centred care across a range of specialties.

What sets the service apart is our strong multi-disciplinary team culture and collaborative working with other colleagues. You'll benefit from excellent professional development opportunities, including access to structured supervision and educational frameworks, and the chance to be involved in innovative service improvement projects that shape the future of care.

By choosing Gloucestershire Hospitals Therapy Service, you are joining a team that truly values its people. We are proud of our supportive and inclusive culture through our compassionate leadership and our ongoing investment in staff wellbeing and development.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
• Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in the NHS in the UK

Knowledge

Essential

• Deliver evidence based Occupational Therapy assessment and treatment
• Apply a practical approach to problem solving.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills, both verbal, non-verbal and written when interacting with other team members, clients and other professionals.
• Demonstrate clear, concise and accurate communication when conveying written information
• Work flexibly in response to the changing demands of the service.
• Manage own workload and prioritise appropriately

Desirable

• Valid full UK Driving License

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Take initiative, but seek help when required
• Demonstrate working effectively as a team member
• Demonstrate commitment to personal development and CPD
• Facilitate own learning opportunities and reflect on practice.
• Demonstrate an understanding of and interest in working for the Trust

Supporting documents

• Band 5 Occupational Therapist JD 2026.pdf (PDF, 411 KB)