Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist - Acute Stroke

The closing date is 04 March 2026

Dorset County Hospital therapy team are actively recruiting for a dynamic Band 7 Occupational Therapist to join our Acute Stroke team. The stroke service at Dorset County Hospital is expanding due to reconfiguration within the Somerset system, so we are recruiting into newly created posts to support the increased bed base. The post holder will provide day to day clinical cover to the Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) and input to the Acute stroke unit, stroke Same Day Emergency Care and ED as required.

The Therapies Service at Dorset County Hospital is an integrated Therapies Service working together to ensure that therapies provision is the best that it can be, balancing quality and acute pressures to provide and improve patient‑centred services. The team is very supportive and there are lots of opportunities to develop both clinical and non‑clinical skills, with access to internal and external courses.

It will be necessary to participate in weekend rotas in this role as part of a 7‑day service.

As a senior therapist you will be required to demonstrate leadership skills and be confident to work as an autonomous practitioner with a focus on early assessment and discharge planning for acute stroke patients, with rapid and robust decision‑making essential for efficient patient flow. You will be familiar with the assessment of stroke patients with diverse presentations and complex physical, cognitive and psychological health conditions in order to develop and deliver treatment, rehabilitation and discharge plans.

To provide clinical guidance and the delegation of work to staff of all disciplines.

At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff.

Our Mission is to work in partnership to provide high quality, compassionate services and to nurture an environment where people can be at their best. Our vision is healthier lives, empowered citizens, thriving communities.

We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under‑represented groups.

We understand that some applicants may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in preparing their application materials. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind candidates that all submissions must be truthful and accurately reflect your own experiences and suitability for this role.

Personal integrity and authenticity are central to our recruitment process. We value honesty and appreciate applications that are genuine and representative of the individual behind them.

UKVI Sponsorship:
This role is eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). We welcome applications from individuals who require sponsorship to work in the UK. Sponsorship will be offered subject to meeting UKVI eligibility criteria.

Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.

Please contact us at  if you are unable to view or download the attachment.

For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect, Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.

• Diploma or Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Appropriate post graduate study in specialist field
• Registered as an Occupational Therapist with the Health Professions Council
• Evidence of other relevant and recent CPD/training in stroke
• RCOT membership
• Member of Special Interest Group

• Senior OT experience
• Evidence of team leadership experience
• Appropriate level…