Job summary
The Hyper Acute Stroke Unit is located at the John Radcliffe Hospital and is a 22-bedded unit and works as a cohesive multi-professional team (MDT) delivering hyper-acute and acute services to stroke survivors aiming to maximise recovery, patient experience and quality of life. The HASU MDT consistently score wells for quality outcomes in the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) and provide services over a seven-day period. Therapy and rehabilitation services are critical to the quality and operational performance of the stroke clinical service unit, as well as facilitating excellent service user outcomes and experience. These roles will work collaboratively with the therapies and stroke medical and nursing leadership team to:

• Enhance the quality of stroke services and rehabilitation seeking to improve outcomes and operational performance.
• Contribute to seven-day working to offer a highly responsive and clinically excellent therapy service critical to the performance of the stroke pathway.
• Support the development of a workforce that are highly skilled and capable in delivering person-centred, evidence-based therapy and rehabilitation through training and education.
• Support the integration of evidence into clinical practice as part of becoming a research active department.

Main duties of the job
To provide high quality, safe and effective physiotherapy services to patients diagnosed with stroke, as part of a cohesive multi-professional team.

To work collaboratively with patients and their carers to effectively assess, goal plan and treat patients following a stroke diagnosis and strive to maximise their independence and quality of life.

To supervise and teach recently qualified physiotherapists, support workers and physiotherapy students.

To actively participate in quality improvement, clinical audit and research projects.

To take an active part in the extended hours, seven-day and weekend working as required by individual teams to maximise the access and delivery of rehabilitation.

About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.

We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.

In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles

Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.

If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.

Details
Date posted: 12 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 321-MRC-8144881-B6
Job locations: Acute Stroke Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities
Communication

• To consistently deploy effective communication and engagement skills enabling effective working relationships with all members of the multi-professional team.
• To effectively communicate with patients and their carers/family members, including the sensitive management of complex or contentious issues.
• To overcome barriers to effective communication, such as those caused by neurological impairment or language differences, by deploying effective mitigating strategies.
• To engage and build relationships with external agencies and providers to enhance patient care continuity and outcomes.
• To be able to motivate and positively influence others through effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• Be able to write complex reports accurately describing patients clinical status and ensuring that the information provided aids effective continuing care and clinical management.

Clinical

• To enact the professional and legal responsibilities for all aspects of the post-holders own clinical practice.
• To carry out comprehensive assessments following hospital admission, including those with complex presentations, and form treatment and rehabilitation plans in partnership with the patient and their carers/family.
• To interpret and analyse multiple sources of clinical information to form accurate physiotherapy diagnoses in neurological care; drawing on guidance from senior physiotherapists when required.
• To formulate and deliver comprehensive treatment, rehabilitation and discharge plans, based on clinical skills, evidence-based practice, and patient preferences.
• To evaluate patient progress against agreed treatment goals and be able to modify plans accordingly.
• To determine a patients mental capacity to understand and to gain informed consent for treatment. To work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent and are deprived of their liberty.
• To co-ordinate intervention where there is a need to collaborate across multiple disciplines.
• To maintain accurate written records using an electronic patient record system and maintain fidelity to professional standards.
• To determine and mitigate for risk of patient and staff harm using the agreed risk assessment frameworks and the Trusts manual handling policy.
• To demonstrate physical ability to carry out physiotherapy assessment and interventions including manual therapy techniques and therapeutic handling
• To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients
• To represent physiotherapy and/or individual patients at multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure delivery of co-ordinated care.
• To be an integral part of each rotational teams weekend service provision e.g., extended hours, seven-day working.

Leadership and management

• To be responsible for the competent use and maintenance of rehabilitation equipment and support others in the effective and safe use of this equipment.
• To assist in the supervision, teaching and appraisal of junior staff and assistants.
• To undertake delegated tasks and roles from the team lead and be able to deputise for them on occasions.
• To effectively plan and organise own time, patient caseload, meetings, training and be able to adjust plans as required according to staffing levels and unpredictable factors.
• To assist in the planning of junior staff, students and assistant timetables and deputise for senior staff in organisational duties.

Education and training

• To contribute and assist in organisation of the acute stroke rehabilitation team training programmes.
• To contribute to the education of multidisciplinary groups, patients, families and carers as appropriate.
• To be responsible for individual undergraduate student physiotherapists supervision and practice-based learning.
• To adopt a proactive approach in learning from others within, and outside of the physiotherapy profession.
• To be responsible for continuing professional development and maintain a portfolio record to evidence this.
• To maintain contemporary knowledge to apply and maintain best practice in older adult care and rehabilitation.

Research and development

• To actively participate in the departments quality improvement and clinical audit programme through the completion of authorised projects
• To implement and maintain evidenced-based physiotherapy practice through continuing professional development
• To ensure good working knowledge and application of national and local clinical standards

Effort

• To be able to undertake episodes of moderate physical effort for several short periods during a shift.
• To be able to effectively maintain concentration at work despite frequent interruptions and, at times, an unpredictable working pattern.
• To tolerate and manage frequent exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances and maintain a high level of professionalism.
• To tolerate and professionally manage frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions, such as exposure to bodily fluids and offensive odours.

Person Specification
Qualifications & Registration Status
Essential

• A degree in Physiotherapy
• Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council

Desirable

• A post-graduate master's level qualification relevant to the role and evidence of effective application to practice.
• Membership of specialist interest group e.g. ACPIN

Experience, Knowledge & Skills
Essential

• Have a broad range of experience as a qualified physiotherapist including neurology and other core areas of practice, such as musculoskeletal, respiratory, and older adults.
• Has experience or demonstrates skills to appropriately identify, assess, and effectively manage patients presenting with a broad range of stroke diagnoses.
• Communicate effectively, recognising need to adapt communication styles and methods where there are complexities, sensitivities and/or barriers to effective communication, using verbal, non-verbal, and written methods.
• Ability to keep legible and accurate written notes in English in accordance with agreed standards.
• Be proficient in the use of Trust systems and applications, and Microsoft 365, including Teams as a collaborative workspace.
• To have experience in supporting team members in their learning and development through providing good quality teaching, effective supervision, and meaningful appraisal.
• Demonstrate an understanding of clinical governance.

Attitude, Behaviours & Characteristics
Essential

• Positively influence the behaviour and performance of people through effective and professional role modelling.
• Demonstrate the physical ability to carry out physiotherapy assessments, interventions and therapeutic handling throughout the working day and carry out concurrent activities.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
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 (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 Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Acute Stroke Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Team Lead Physiotherapist Acute Stroke Unit, Megan Wisson, megan.wisson@ouh.nhs.uk, 01865740881

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.