Occupational Therapy Stroke Team Lead

Job Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in the next stage of stroke service development at Frimley Health. Following successful investment in Stroke Therapies and a wider service redesign, we are seeking an experienced and motivated Occupational Therapist to provide leadership to our dynamic Stroke Therapy Team and help shape the future of stroke rehabilitation across the pathway.

As Stroke Occupational Therapy Team Lead, you will provide expert clinical, operational and professional leadership, supporting the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based rehabilitation for patients following stroke. You will work alongside multidisciplinary colleagues to drive innovation, improve patient outcomes and ensure the service meet national standards and drive continuous improvements, including SSNAP requirements.

Main duties of the job

• Provide clinical, professional and operational leadership to the Stroke Therapy Team, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based stroke rehabilitation services
• Lead and support service transformation and pathway development initiatives, helping to deliver the benefits of recent investment in Stroke Therapies.
• Maintain a specialist clinical caseload, providing expert assessment, treatment and advice for patients with complex stroke rehabilitation needs.
• Support the achievement of national stroke standards and drive improvements in quality, patient outcomes and SSNAP performance.
• Provide supervision, appraisal, mentorship and professional support to therapy staff, students and support workers, promoting a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams across acute and community services to improve patient flow, facilitate timely discharge and develop integrated stroke pathways.
• Lead on service development, audit, governance and quality improvement activities to ensure safe, effective and patient-centred care.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, professional development and excellence in patient care.

Working for our organisation

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

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Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

If you are inspired to know more about this opportunity and our team, please see the job description attached, which outlines the main duties of this post or get in touch.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Diploma / degree in OT recognised by College of OT
• H.C.P.C Registered OT

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of Relevant postgraduate courses
• Study for a MSc

Skills

Essential criteria

• Familiar with RCOT documentation guidelines (SOAP)
• Assessment and treatment of patients following stroke
• Critical appraisal skills
• Presentation skills
• Computer literacy
• Teaching and facilitation skills
• Previous experience in service development

Desirable criteria

• Competent in the use of functional electrical stimulation
• Experience of splinting with neurological patients

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experienced Supervisor – staff and students
• Expert Assessment, treatment planning and goal setting in neurology / stroke
• Previously worked in an acute stroke unit
• Support junior staff in managing their caseload
• Experience in discharge planning for complex neurological patients

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience as a band 7 occupational therapist or equivalent.
• Experience of research
• Previous experience in working in a community stroke rehab setting

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.

Apply online now