Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust; Guildford; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust is offering an exciting fixed term opportunity for an enthusiastic Team Lead Occupational Therapist within our Stroke team in Guildford. You will lead a small OT team, oversee assessment and discharge planning, and work closely with the MDT to deliver high‑quality, patient‑centred care.

The role requires acute NHS experience in stroke rehabilitation, HCPC registration, and a passion for developing services in line with national guidance.

Qualifications

• Acute NHS experience with expert knowledge in Stroke rehabilitation.
• Current HCPC registration.
• Experience supervising junior staff and leading a small OT team.

Responsibilities

• Assess and treat patients on the ward and coordinate onward referrals.
• Prevent and treat de‑conditioning and facilitate timely discharge.
• Supervise band 5s and 6s; contribute to supervision/education of OT students when opportunities arise.

Skills

Stroke rehabilitation

NHS experience

Team leadership

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Occupational Therapist to join our dedicated department. We are passionate about patient centred care and support our clinicians to lead and deliver excellent and compassionate services.

This position is for a fixed term Team Lead Occupational Therapist within our well‑established Stroke team, covering a caseload that includes: Stroke and neuro‑oncology - Full time - 37.5 hours (Fixed term 20/11/2026 to 19/11/2027)

Essential Requirements

• Acute NHS experience with an expert knowledge in Stroke rehabilitation
• Current HCPC registration

The team covers all aspects of care for patients with a variety of co‑morbidities, social and environmental challenges. The Occupational Therapist will support individuals to achieve their goals in self‑care, productivity and leisure through assessment on the ward and onward referral to our community services team.

You will work alongside an established Team Lead within a highly respected Occupational Therapy team comprising of one support worker, one rotational junior OT, and one rotational specialist OT. The team works closely with the wider Multi‑Disciplinary Team and has an excellent, well‑respected working relationship with Consultants, Nurses, Physios, Social Care Team and Case Managers. Our team are always looking to enhance their service in line with national guidance to provide an enhanced service to our local population.

Working as a valued member of the wider Multi‑Disciplinary Team your role will include assessment and treatment of patients, prevention and treatment of de‑conditioning, facilitation of timely and effective patient discharge, and on‑going referrals to other agencies. You will also take on the responsibility of supervising band 5s and 6s. As the opportunity arises, you will be expected to take on the supervision and education of Occupational Therapy Students on placement. We pride ourselves on being a forward thinking department and it is expected that you will be integral to our department and team service development.

Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5,000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme alongside a strong commitment to developing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family ensures you feel valued from your initial interview and throughout your time with us.

We are clinically led and provide joined‑up care by bridging hospital and community services, alongside delivering regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford, with community sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh, and services delivered in patients’ homes across Guildford and Waverley.

We work in partnership with Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through a collaborative Group Model, supporting joined‑up services, workforce flexibility and development opportunities.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated us as Outstanding. We are proud of our achievements and continue to invest in our people and infrastructure.

To learn more about life at Royal Surrey, please watch our short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Suzanne Ward Job title: Head Occupational Therapist Email address: [e-mail]

For further information, or for an informal visit/chat please contact: Karen Paddock – Neurology OT Team Lead [e-mail] , Suzanne Ward (Head Occupational Therapist) or Isla Pavey (Deputy Head Occupational Therapist) on 01483 571122 ext 4766. Email: [e-mail] or [e-mail]