Verified Skilled Worker sponsor

Senior Occupational Therapist in Stroke and Neurology (Stroke)

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Luton, LU4 0DZ £39,959 – £48,117 a year Fixed-Term Posted 1 September 2026 Apply by 14 September 2026

Home Office register entry: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Luton

Visa sponsorship

This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

Closest occupation match: SOC 2222, Occupational therapists. Pay for this occupation is set by national pay scales (NHS bands), so no single Home Office going rate applies.

This occupation falls under the Health and Care Worker route. Public reference figures for that route: the general salary minimum is £25,000 a year, and salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement. Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

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.

Internal Applicants: Please ensure you speak to your Line Manager before applying for this secondment opportunity and visit the Trust's Secondment Policy.

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.

Date posted

01 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£39,959 to £48,117 a year pa, pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

418-DTO8212-KA

Job locations

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

Lewsey Road

Luton

LU4 0DZ

United Kingdom

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

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.

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.