Job summaryWe are seeking two experienced and motivated Therapists with an occupational therapy or physiotherapy qualification to lead the Home First and Frailty Hub therapy team. One post is based at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle and one post based at the West Cumberland Infirmary, Whitehaven. Working across A&E, AMU, SDEC and the Frailty Hub, the post holder will provide expert assessment and advanced clinical reasoning to support admission avoidance, reduce length of stay and promote safe discharge home.
This is a leadership role requiring autonomous practice, rapid assessment skills and clinical oversight of patients with a wide range of complex and frailty-related conditions. As Team Lead, you will provide clinical expertise, operational management and professional support, helping to drive service development and quality improvement initiatives in this area. You will work closely with community services, virtual wards, primary care, social care and wider system partners to ensure seamless transitions of care and promote the Home First approach.
Main duties of the jobThe post holder will deliver specialist frailty assessments and interventions, undertaking comprehensive evaluations of patients' functional, cognitive, psychological and social needs to support personalised care planning. They will develop and coordinate rehabilitation and reablement programmes, provide expertise in mobility, falls prevention, equipment provision, environmental adaptation, manual handling, and facilitate timely discharge through Home First and Discharge to Assess pathways. The role requires the ability to manage clinical complexity, including multi-morbidity, fluctuating function, and mental capacity while advocating for patients and supporting positive risk-taking where appropriate.
In addition, the post holder will contribute to workforce development, education and competency assessment, whilst using outcome measures, audit and quality improvement methodologies to support evidence-based practice and the ongoing development of frailty services. Effective communication, partnership working and robust documentation will be essential to maintaining safe, person-centred care across organisational boundaries.
About usAt NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.
Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':
- Being a clinically led organisation
- Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
- A positive patient experience every time
- A great place to work
- Managing our money well
As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.
Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.
DetailsDate posted: 07 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year
Pa pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 262-A-26-8128890
Job locations: CIC / WCH
Carlisle / Whitehaven
CA2 7HY
United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesPlease see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.
Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.
Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.
Disclosure and Barring Service: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.
The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows
if applicable to the post:Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £6.50 = £28.00. Deducted from salary over following 4 months or one off payment.
Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £6.50 = £56.00. Deducted from salary over following 4 months or one off payment.
NCIC can offer successful future employees the following benefits:- 27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
- Flexible working Scheme
- NHS Discounts*
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work*
- Excellent opportunities for development*
- Competitive NHS Pension scheme
- Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems
*Subject to eligibility
Important InformationPlease ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.
Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.
Person SpecificationQualificationsEssential- Degree in OT or Physio
- HCPC Registration
- Evidence of ongoing CPD / postgraduate development
Desirable- Post grad qualification in frailty, rehab or leadership
Knowledge and ExperienceEssential- Significant post-registration experience in frailty, rehabilitation or urgent care
- Experience managing complex caseloads and admission avoidance
- Leadership and supervisory experience
- Knowledge of frailty pathways and integrated care systems
- Experience in audit, governance or service improvement
- Experience of applying and interpreting outcome measures
Desirable- Experience of Home First, D2A or SDEC pathways
- Prescribing qualification (if applicable)
Skills and aptitudesEssential- advanced clinical reasoning and risk management
- excellent communication and influencing skills
- ability to lead teams and service improvement
- ability to analyse complex information and make decisions
- strong organisational and prioritisation skills
- compassionate value-driven leader
- resilient, adaptable and proactive
- collaborative approach to MDT working
Other RequirementsEssential- Ability to travel across locality
- Flexible working inc weekends
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
DesirableDisclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.
Certificate of SponsorshipApplications 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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer detailsEmployer name: North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address: CIC / WCH
Carlisle / Whitehaven
CA2 7HY
United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact:Head of Occupational Therapy
Joni Mitchell
joni.mitchell@ncic.nhs.uk
01228814445
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.Applicants must have current UK professional registration. 
