Job Description

University Hospital Lewisham OT seeking a highly skilled Stroke Occupational Therapist (band 8a) to join our progressive and friendly Stroke unit Rehabilitation team.



This senior role is pivotal in delivering high-quality, patient-centred stroke care across the acute stroke units. You will provide expert clinical input, support service development and lead evidence-based practice within a well-established multidisciplinary team.



The postholder will provide advanced clinical assessment and intervention for patients across the stroke pathway, leading service development initiatives to enhance rehabilitation effectiveness and improve patient flow.



They will offer specialist advice, education, and supervision to junior therapists, students and members of the wider MDT, while supporting quality improvement, audit, and research activity within the stroke service. The role also includes contributing to strategic planning to strengthen occupational therapy provision across the trust.



The postholder will actively engage with South East London stroke network, contributing to collaborative pathways, shared learning and regional service development initiatives. They will support the trust's ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality stroke care by ensuring practice aligns with SSNAP standards, participating in data review, and driving improvements that enhance performance across key SSNAP domains.

Interview date:

2nd February 2026

Job Summary:

To lead a high quality, effective and efficient stroke therapy service within inpatient therapy services



To utilise highly specialised and expert clinical reasoning skills and Occupational Therapy knowledge to manage an autonomous caseload and provide support to the stroke therapy and neuro outliers OT team



To be the lead Occupational therapist for the stroke units at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust



To support the inpatient Lead OT in the operational management of the stroke OT team. Ensuring development of the service in line with evidence based practice and working across the whole stroke and neuro pathway



Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:



Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development



Widening access (anchor institution) and employability



Improving the experience of staff with disability



Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development



Making equalities mainstream



"This is what a therapist looks like"



Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust - AHPs Inspire 2024



Working in therapies



We are TeamLGT



Star Awards 2024 - TeamLGT Magic Moments

Key Result Areas & Performance:

1 CLINICAL



1.1 To be responsible for the delivery of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust inpatient stroke OT services.



1.2 To act as a source of expertise in the management of stroke rehabilitation and provide an advisory and teaching role to patients, other therapists and healthcare professionals, GPs and consultants as required.



1.3 To be an autonomous practitioner and an expert clinician in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of patients referred for stroke rehabilitation at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust



1.4 To provide effective clinical leadership to the multidisciplinary stroke team incorporating physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and support staff.



1.5 To work with the Inpatient lead therapists, Head of Therapies and other relevant partners, in developing the strategic and operational management of the stroke service.



1.6 To use a highly advanced theoretical and evidence based knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology and clinical reasoning to assess and diagnose patients, often in situations where conflicting evidence is present.



1.7 To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients, and to organise this efficiently and effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time, ensuring a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management and under the management of the staff for whom you are clinically responsible



1.8 To demonstrate physical ability to carry out highly skilled therapy assessments and interventions including a wide range of therapy techniques and therapeutic handling



1.9 To co-ordinate intervention which may include other disciplines, including advising and educating patients, carers and relatives



1.10 To provide specialist advice and guidance regarding medical conditions relevant to falls to other health care professionals, both within and outside the Trust.



1.11 To be responsible for ensuring that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually improved by self and designated team through formal and informal facilitation / staff development



2 WORKFORCE



2.1 To provide expert advice, guidance and support, both spontaneous and planned, to other therapists (physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists) in the management of patients following a stroke.



2.2 To be responsible for the daily management, supervision and co-ordination of OT stroke team, including staff appraisal, performance management, informal grievance, and to be able to lead on staff recruitment.



3 FINANCIAL



3.1 To provide an efficient and effective stroke service within the allocated budget by appropriate management of the resources



4 PARTNERSHIPS, COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS



4.1 To use specialist knowledge to refer to other health disciplines, as appropriate



4.2 To work collaboratively with the stroke service pathway within University Hospital Lewisham (UHL) and London Borough of Lewisham (LBL) and other relevant services to develop a seamless pathway for stroke patients.



4.3 To act as a resource for consultants, other referring clinicians and multidisciplinary colleagues with regard to specialist knowledge and advice in relation to the therapy management of patients following a stroke.



4.4 To be responsible for the maintenance of accurate written records to include comprehensive progress and discharge reports to medical referrers, and legal reports.



4.5 To be able to motivate and persuade others through advanced communication skills, with the benefit of verbal and non-verbal skills, using written and electronic information where needed



4.6 To demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information.



4.7 To clearly convey complex knowledge of techniques, biomechanics, anatomy and physiology to patients and staff where evidence underpinning practice may be conflicting, and ensuring sensitivity to the audience level of understanding and previous knowledge



4.8 To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner



4.9 To attend meetings and seminars, and to liaise with and advise other disciplines, to achieve comprehensive, effective and confidential patient management through to discharge



4.10 To represent the Therapy Department on various Trust and departmental groups and working parties, as needed



5 GENERAL



5.1 To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your professional activities



5.2 To contribute to the managerial matters of the department, including development and implementation of departmental policies which will impact on the falls service and may influence other directorates concerning management of falls patients



5.3 To be familiar with all Trust and Therapy emergency and precautionary procedures both on and off site, and to respond as necessary.



5.4 To maintain and accurate and evaluative record keeping system in accordance with Trust and departmental policies, which can be used for audit and legal purposes



5.5 To provide statistics and analyse reports regarding the designated services, using databases, in an accurate and timely manner



5.6 To assist the Head of therapies, Head of Adult OT Therapies, Lead OT and other MDT colleagues in the resolution of complaints as required



5.7 To ensure that the agreed quality standards of service, based on professional guidelines and standards are maintained.



5.8 To participate in flexible working patterns as required including extended working hours and weekends.



6 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND AUDIT



6.1 To lead and participate in any relevant research, writing clinical guidelines and protocols which are evidence based and ensuring that these are implemented in your practice



6.2 To ensure that the agreed quality standards of service are maintained by undertaking appropriate clinical / organisational audits



6.3 To participate in appropriate work related research / evaluation projects and be aware of current research relevant to stroke rehabilitation..



6.4 To ensure good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor quality as appropriate



6.5 To participate in appropriate work related research projects and in clinical trials as required