Occupational Therapist

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Award schemes for excellence

Staff restaurants

Green spaces

Wellbeing programme

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Occupational Therapist to co-lead an acute inpatient neurosciences OT team based at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. The post is full time with possible job share or reduced hours.

You will share leadership alongside a Band 7, covering neurosurgical and neurological pathways and working with colleagues across related services to deliver expert OT care. Strong CPD and supervision are encouraged.

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy (or equivalent).
• HCPC Registration is required.
• Student Educator Qualification is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional and clinical leadership within a specialist Occupational Therapy service, delivering highly specialist assessment, intervention and rehabilitation for adult patients with complex needs.
• Work autonomously as an advanced practitioner, managing a complex caseload and providing expert clinical advice to occupational therapy colleagues, multidisciplinary team members and external agencies.
• Lead service development and quality improvement initiatives, provide professional supervision, and undertake line management responsibilities, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence based care aligned with Trust objectives and professional standards.
• Support the neurosciences pathway lead to deliver an occupational therapy service within the specialty.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Advanced practitioner

Training & supervision

Communication skills

Education

Degree in Occupational Therapy

HCPC Registration

Student Educator Qualification

Job description

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced occupational therapist to co‑lead our specialist team within acute inpatient neurosciences. The role is based at Southmead Hospital which is the regional centre for Neurosciences serving Bristol and the South West of England.

The post is offered full time, but options for job share or fewer hours may be possible.

Main duties of the job

You will be sharing the role of team lead, alongside an established Band 7, within the acute inpatient neurosciences pathways. This encompasses neurosurgical and neurological elements with links to occupational therapists working in the hyper acute major trauma rehabilitation team, cancer services and the Rosa Burden Centre, which focuses on neuropsychiatry and functional neurological disorders.

The role will support the neurosciences pathway lead to deliver an occupational therapy service within the specialty. This includes day to day operational management of the team and responsibility for a specialist clinical caseload within inpatient neurology and neurosurgery.

To find out more about working as an Occupational Therapist at NBT - take a look at our video

Working for our organisation

The newly formed Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is a great place to work. Situated in the vibrant city of Bristol, Southmead Hospital is an award-winning building opened in 2014, offering exceptional facilities for patients and staff. We are a large teaching Trust that provides multiple specialties including regional services for neurosciences, major trauma, orthopaedics, renal and surgery (major arterial centre and burns & plastics).

Senior support will be provided by the Occupational Therapy Pathway Lead for Neurosciences and the Head of Service. There is also plenty of peer support from each of the specialties.

Various professional development opportunities and training courses are available, with quality improvement projects and service development ideas actively encouraged. Additional benefits include award schemes for excellence, staff restaurants, green spaces and an extensive well being programme.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Provide professional and clinical leadership within a specialist Occupational Therapy service, delivering highly specialist assessment, intervention and rehabilitation for adult patients with complex needs.

Work autonomously as an advanced practitioner, managing a complex caseload and providing expert clinical advice to occupational therapy colleagues, multidisciplinary team members and external agencies.

Lead service development and quality improvement initiatives, provide professional supervision, and undertake line management responsibilities, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence based care aligned with Trust objectives and professional standards.

Person specification

Education/Training/Qual

• Degree in Occupational Therapy (or equivalent)
• HCPC Registration
• Student Educator Qualification

Essential criteria

• Degree in Occupational Therapy (or equivalent)
• HCPC Registration
• Student Educator Qualification

Desirable criteria

• Post Graduate Training/CPD relevant to specialty
• Basic management/leadership training

Work Experience

Essential criteria

• Post registration specialty experience
• Experience within relevant clinical specialty

Desirable criteria

• Experience of research or audit
• Experience of staff recruitment, induction or line management

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of OT process within specialty evidenced by CPD record
• Written communication skills
• Ability to develop others through training and supervision

Desirable criteria

• Splinting skills

Personal Qualities

Desirable criteria

• Membership of RCOT
• Membership of specialist community of practice

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them.

Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Important

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.