Specialist Occupational Therapist

Job summary
Opportunity for an occupational therapist with an interest and experience in neurological rehabilitation to join CNRT. You'll be part of a large, friendly, multidisciplinary team based at Horsham Hospital, delivering rehabilitation for patients in their own homes.

We offer:

• High levels of clinical support from peers and senior staff
• Encouragement with continued professional and personal development, plus an active in-service training programme
• Excellent established relationships with community services across Horsham, Crawley and Mid Sussex

We're looking for an occupational therapist with:

• Experience working at Band 5 or above in a neurological and/or community setting
• Previous experience treating neurological conditions
• Enthusiasm and interest in neuro-rehabilitation
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team

As this is a community post, you must be able to travel independently to see patients across the patch, requiring a full driving licence and access to a car.

CNRT is a friendly, welcoming multidisciplinary team comprising occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, dieticians, clinical psychologists, assistant psychologists, social workers and therapy practitioners. We also work closely with specialist practitioners in MS, Parkinson's and MND.

We see patients with a range of neurological conditions, including stroke, brain injury and spinal injury, alongside long-term conditions such as MS, MND and Parkinson's

Main duties of the job
To contribute to the provision of an efficient and effective therapy service within Horsham, Crawley and Mid Sussex.

To assess, treat and evaluate a specific caseload of neurological patients who may have complex or chronic problems

To maintain own records and work as an autonomous practitioner

To take responsibility for supervision and teaching of junior staff, support workers and students

To assist with the planning, co-ordination, delivery and evaluation of the Therapy Service

About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staff
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust

Our values -- Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence --guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Details
Date posted: 12 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 150-MT2709-CC-A
Job locations: Rose Wing, Horsham Hospital, Hurst Road, Horsham, RH12 2DR, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Main Tasks

• To communicate complex information and liaise effectively with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure co-ordinated and effective patient care.
• To communicate effectively with patients, relatives and carers in order to motivate, progress and reassure throughout the rehabilitation process. This may be in the form of advice, teaching and instruction and might include both complex and sensitive information.
• To use a variety of verbal and non-verbal skills in order to overcome barriers to effective communication e.g. patients who are aphasic or have cognitive difficulties.
• To ensure timely and effective communication with senior staff and / or team leader on all professional matters.
• To attend and actively participate in multi-disciplinary meetings, departmental and peer group meetings as required.
• To take responsibility for co-ordinating and planning own workload and report back significant events to the Team Lead / Band 7 Therapist.
• To undertake the assessment of patients using specialist investigative and analytical skills.
• To formulate an individual management and/ or treatment programmes for complex patients, using evidence based clinical reasoning skills and a range of specialist treatment skills.
• To evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as required using outcome measures and SMART goals to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
• To maintain comprehensive and accurate patient records in line with legal and departmental requirements.
• To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients. To organise this caseload efficiently and effectively with regard to clinical priorities, alongside management responsibility.
• To be professionally accountable for all aspects of your own work and any work delegated to rehabilitation support workers/technician, assistant practitioners and students.
• To be responsible for equipment used during interventions. This includes competence in the safe use of equipment and the assessment and management of associated clinical risks.
• To assess and prescribe appropriate equipment, demonstrate its use, identify any potential risks and teach necessary techniques to ensure patient safety.
• To undertake and advise on moving and handling of patients and apply manual handing techniques to assess and treat patients.
• To have knowledge and understanding of specialist assessments and be able to select and execute these, then process and interpret the results.
• To provide specialist advice to colleagues working within other clinical areas and to educate others to graduate and post graduate level.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working as a Band 5 or above in a neurological and/ or community setting
• Broad range of experience in community and acute settings
• Broad base of general and neurological clinical knowledge
• Competent ability to assess and treat a wide range of neurological conditions
• Able to prioritise and plan own caseload
• Ability to use and analyse standardised assessments
• Ability to work as part of a large MDT

Desirable

• Be able to supervise junior staff, including completing PDR's

Other
Essential

• To have a full driving licence and access to a car for work
• To be willing to travel across the patch as required

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Rose Wing, Horsham Hospital, Hurst Road, Horsham, RH12 2DR, United Kingdom
Employer's website:

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist
Emma George
View email address on meeveem.com
View phone number on meeveem.com