Job summary
UHB is reshaping how we approach neurological care. This role represents our commitment to developing specialist practitioners who can make lasting differences in patients' recovery journeys.
A rare combination of clinical challenge, professional development, and organisational support that allows experienced occupational therapists to flourish in their specialist practice awaits- For the right candidate with demonstrated leadership capabilities and advanced neurological expertise, this represents an opportunity to step directly into Band 7 responsibilities while building the foundation for future senior clinical roles.
Like all acute NHS services, UHB operates within demanding discharge pressures--we won't pretend otherwise. However, this neurological specialist role offers something increasingly rare: the chance to apply genuine clinical expertise to complex cases where your interventions genuinely matter to long-term outcomes.
Working primarily with our neurology inreach service alongside specialist stroke work, you'll engage with the kind of complex cases that drew you to occupational therapy: traumatic brain injuries, spinal conditions, multiple sclerosis, and Guillain-Barr syndrome. This diverse caseload means developing both cognitive rehabilitation expertise and advanced physical intervention skills--the comprehensive neurological practice many therapists seek but seldom find in acute settings.
The post includes 7 day working.
Main duties of the job
This role centres on providing specialist occupational therapy leadership within our neurology and inpatient stroke services at Heartlands Hospital. You'll be working alongside our established Band 7 Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist, creating an integrated approach to complex neurological rehabilitation that extends far beyond traditional stroke care.
Your primary focus will be the neurology inreach service, treating patients with acquired brain injuries, progressive neurological conditions, and complex spinal presentations. This isn't about quick assessments and discharge planning--it's about applying sophisticated clinical reasoning to develop comprehensive rehabilitation programmes that address both physical and cognitive impairments.
You'll lead the occupational therapy provision for neurological patients, managing complex cases
The role includes supervising junior staff and students, contributing to service development initiatives, and maintaining the high clinical standards that distinguish our neurological services.
Working in a multidisciplinary framework, you'll represent occupational therapy, contribute to clinical pathway development, and participate in evidence-based practice initiatives. This includes involvement in audit projects, research activities, and the implementation of new treatment approaches that enhance patient outcomes across our neurological services.
About us
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- *Current registration with Health and Care Professions Council , OT register.
- *Occupational Therapy degree qualification or equivalent, and significant NHS post graduate experience
- *Documented evidence of Continued Professional Development of relevant specialist knowledge and skills
- *Good standard of general education including GCSE maths and English grade C and above.
Desirable
- *Evidence of leadership training.
- *Membership of a professional special interest group or national/regional network (RCOT specialist section neurological practice
- *Recent post graduate training relevant to clinical speciality.
Experience
Essential
- *Understanding of organisational structure of the NHS and Social Care.
- *A demonstrated ability to provide OT professional/clinical leadership
- *Significant experience of working in an acute hospital setting with neurological and stroke experience.
- *Experience of working within an acute OT team and participating in service development.
- *Experience of supporting and supervision of junior therapists, student occupational therapists and assistants.
- *A specialist knowledge across a range of occupational therapy practices, routine and non-routine, requiring relevant specialist knowledge in the field of stroke and neurology.
- *Understanding of current legislation and application to Occupational Therapy and setting.
Desirable
- *To be able to support and create clinical pathways to improve and develop specialist services.
- *To have an awareness of creating Business cases to improve team outcomes and recruitment
- *Open mindfulness of new ways of working and supporting recruitment.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Highly developed physical skills including dexterity, co-ordination & sensory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients.
- *Excellent written and verbal communication skills including an ability to provide and receive complex, sensitive and contentious information.
- *An ability to not only prioritise and organise own workload, but support junior members of staff with caseload management. Offering coaching and implementation of strategies to support performance.
- *An ability to cope with a range of complex options, finds solutions, analyse, compare and decide on appropriate course of action.
- *An ability to lead and work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
- *IT skills -- computer literate in email, Word & PowerPoint
- *Demonstrate enthusiasm and an interest in developing expertise within Stroke & neurology
- *Demonstrate a professional attitude.
- *An ability to cope with moving/manoeuvring patients/equipment on a daily basis.
- *An ability to frequently concentrate on patient assessments and treatments.
- *An ability to cope with occasional exposure to distressing/emotional situations.
- *Able to contribute to weekend rota (1 in 5 weekends)
- *Driving licence and car owner
Desirable
- *Awareness and knowledge of traumatic brain injury and other neurological conditions other than stroke in order to assess, treat, analyse patient's performance. Identifying correct discharge pathways.
- *To share clinical knowledge and support junior members of staff with complex discharges for patients with neurological deficits.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- *Current registration with Health and Care Professions Council , OT register.
- *Occupational Therapy degree qualification or equivalent, and significant NHS post graduate experience
- *Documented evidence of Continued Professional Development of relevant specialist knowledge and skills
- *Good standard of general education including GCSE maths and English grade C and above.
Desirable
- *Evidence of leadership training.
- *Membership of a professional special interest group or national/regional network (RCOT specialist section neurological practice
- *Recent post graduate training relevant to clinical speciality.
Experience
Essential
- *Understanding of organisational structure of the NHS and Social Care.
- *A demonstrated ability to provide OT professional/clinical leadership
- *Significant experience of working in an acute hospital setting with neurological and stroke experience.
- *Experience of working within an acute OT team and participating in service development.
- *Experience of supporting and supervision of junior therapists, student occupational therapists and assistants.
- *A specialist knowledge across a range of occupational therapy practices, routine and non-routine, requiring relevant specialist knowledge in the field of stroke and neurology.
- *Understanding of current legislation and application to Occupational Therapy and setting.
Desirable
- *To be able to support and create clinical pathways to improve and develop specialist services.
- *To have an awareness of creating Business cases to improve team outcomes and recruitment
- *Open mindfulness of new ways of working and supporting recruitment.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Highly developed physical skills including dexterity, co-ordination & sensory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients.
- *Excellent written and verbal communication skills including an ability to provide and receive complex, sensitive and contentious information.
- *An ability to not only prioritise and organise own workload, but support junior members of staff with caseload management. Offering coaching and implementation of strategies to support performance.
- *An ability to cope with a range of complex options, finds solutions, analyse, compare and decide on appropriate course of action.
- *An ability to lead and work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
- *IT skills -- computer literate in email, Word & PowerPoint
- *Demonstrate enthusiasm and an interest in developing expertise within Stroke & neurology
- *Demonstrate a professional attitude.
- *An ability to cope with moving/manoeuvring patients/equipment on a daily basis.
- *An ability to frequently concentrate on patient assessments and treatments.
- *An ability to cope with occasional exposure to distressing/emotional situations.
- *Able to contribute to weekend rota (1 in 5 weekends)
- *Driving licence and car owner
Desirable
- *Awareness and knowledge of traumatic brain injury and other neurological conditions other than stroke in order to assess, treat, analyse patient's performance. Identifying correct discharge pathways.
- *To share clinical knowledge and support junior members of staff with complex discharges for patients with neurological deficits.
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.
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.
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).
