Clinicians - Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist

Brainkind; Preston; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

38 days annual leave

Buy/sell up to 5 days annual leave

Simply Health Plan

Employee Assistance Programme

Training & support

Company Pension

Group life assurance

Eye voucher scheme

Long service awards

Free parking

Job summary

Brainkind in the United Kingdom is seeking a Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist to lead neurorehabilitation within our Level 2b service. You will manage a caseload of ABI and neurological conditions, working autonomously with support from a Lead OT and the wider MDT.

You will deliver evidence‑based interventions, supervise junior staff, coordinate discharge planning and documentation, and contribute to service development in a dynamic, patient‑centred environment.

Qualifications

• HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist in good standing.
• Experience in neurological rehabilitation and complex caseloads.
• Experience supervising and developing junior staff.
• Strong clinical reasoning and clear communication in complex cases.
• Ability to manage challenging behaviour with professionalism.
• Full UK driving licence and mobility for community-based work.

Responsibilities

• Manage and prioritise a caseload of service users with complex neurological conditions, working as an autonomous professional with support from a Lead Occupational Therapist and the wider MDT
• Assess, formulate, plan, deliver and evaluate interventions using evidence‑based, service user‑centred clinical reasoning
• Address occupational performance and skill deficits across self‑care, productivity, education and leisure
• Design rehabilitation programmes, hand them over in detail to rehabilitation support workers and therapy assistants, and monitor progress through data
• Carry out and review detailed risk assessments, including for complex cases
• Engage service users and families who may be distressed or resistant to rehabilitation
• Assess for, issue and refer for equipment, with training and risk assessments in place
• Plan, deliver and evaluate goal‑directed group interventions
• Support the Clinical Lead with family liaison, coordination of rehabilitation programmes and discharge planning
• Keep accurate documentation and produce specialist reports in line with RCOT guidance
• Supervise and appraise Specialist OTs and OTs, and mentor and train therapy assistants, students and rehabilitation support workers
• Lead quality improvement and service development projects with stakeholders
• Monitor workloads, review skill mix and build business cases where needed
• Support the recruitment of OT staff, students and volunteers
• Take part in clinical governance, audit and research, and implement agreed outcome measures
• Contribute to local guidelines and policy, and promote the profession through professional networks
• Drive Brainkind and service user vehicles to support activities and appointments

Skills

HCPC-registered

Neurological rehab

Supervision & mentoring

Clinical reasoning

Documentation & reporting

Moving & handling

Driving licence

Tools

RCOT guidelines

Job description

SENIOR SPECIALIST OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Location: Neurological Care Centre - Lancashire

Salary: £39,959 - £48,117 per annum (DOE)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Permanent, Full Time

Why join us?

Brainkind is a charity that aims to improve the lives of people with brain injuries in the UK. Our assessment centres, rehabilitation units and hospitals use expert neurorehabilitation to support people to regain the skills they have lost. We treat people with a range of brain injuries - sustained through trauma, illness, substance abuse and more - to recover and meet their personal goals. Our employees are incredibly passionate about the jobs they do - you will find a strong team spirit across our services and amazing colleagues who always pull together and look out for each other.

Main Purpose

You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, providing occupational therapy within our Level 2b neurorehabilitation service. You will manage a caseload of service users with acquired brain injury (ABI) and neurological conditions, and work closely with internal and external professionals, families and service users.

Main Tasks And Responsibilities

• Manage and prioritise a caseload of service users with complex neurological conditions, working as an autonomous professional with support from a Lead Occupational Therapist and the wider MDT
• Assess, formulate, plan, deliver and evaluate interventions using evidence‑based, service user‑centred clinical reasoning
• Address occupational performance and skill deficits across self‑care, productivity, education and leisure
• Design rehabilitation programmes, hand them over in detail to rehabilitation support workers and therapy assistants, and monitor progress through data
• Carry out and review detailed risk assessments, including for complex cases
• Engage service users and families who may be distressed or resistant to rehabilitation
• Assess for, issue and refer for equipment, with training and risk assessments in place
• Plan, deliver and evaluate goal‑directed group interventions
• Support the Clinical Lead with family liaison, coordination of rehabilitation programmes and discharge planning
• Keep accurate documentation and produce specialist reports in line with RCOT guidance

Other Responsibilities

• Supervise and appraise Specialist OTs and OTs, and mentor and train therapy assistants, students and rehabilitation support workers
• Lead quality improvement and service development projects with stakeholders
• Monitor workloads, review skill mix and build business cases where needed
• Support the recruitment of OT staff, students and volunteers
• Take part in clinical governance, audit and research, and implement agreed outcome measures
• Contribute to local guidelines and policy, and promote the profession through professional networks
• Drive Brainkind and service user vehicles to support activities and appointments

About You

• HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist, working to the RCOT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
• Experienced in neurological rehabilitation, with the skills to manage complex cases
• Experienced in supervising and developing junior staff
• Strong clinical reasoning and the ability to explain your judgements clearly in complex or unpredictable situations
• Able to manage challenging behaviour, including verbal aggression and disinhibition, with compassion and professionalism
• Comfortable supporting personal care and moving and handling, including hoists and wheelchairs
• Organised and adaptable in a setting with shifting priorities and frequent interruptions
• Committed to your own CPD and reflective practice
• Full UK driving licence

Rewards

You can look forward to excellent benefits including:

• A competitive salary of £39,959 - £48,117 per annum (DOE)
• 38 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Buy/sell up to 5 days annual leave each year
• Simply Health Plan, which helps cover the cost of routine healthcare treatments. More information at www.simplyhealth.co.uk/about-us
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Excellent training and support
• Company Pension
• Group life assurance
• Eye voucher scheme
• Long service and staff awards
• Free parking

We also put a big focus on employee wellbeing and support. It matters to us that you feel at your best. Career development is a priority. We will ensure you get all the training and learning opportunities you need to achieve your goals.

All successful candidates are subject to compliance checks including 3 years of checkable references and DBS/PVG checks.

Brainkind are a Disability Confident Employer. As users of the Disability Confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Brainkind is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive organisation. It is a place where we recognise, celebrate, and live our values, which includes offering a range of inclusive employment policies and staff engagement forums to support employees from all backgrounds.