Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 5 Occupational Therapist to join the newly established Burren Intermediate Care Beds Service on a 12-month fixed-term basis. The service has been funded for an initial period of one year. This post offers a valuable opportunity to be part of a new service from its early development, helping to establish effective ways of working and shape a high-quality, person-centred rehabilitation offer. The Burren Intermediate Care Beds Service provides rehabilitation, recovery and discharge-planning support for adults who no longer require acute hospital care but continue to need assessment, rehabilitation, reablement and multidisciplinary intervention before returning home or moving to a more appropriate care setting. As part of the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Discharge to Assess pathway, the service supports the Home First approach by promoting independence, maximising recovery and enabling safe and timely discharge from hospital. You will join a developing multidisciplinary team and work alongside occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, medical staff, social care colleagues, rehabilitation support workers and community services. You will provide high-quality occupational therapy assessment and intervention for adults with a range of physical, cognitive, psychological and functional needs.

Main duties of the job
As a Band 5 Occupational Therapist, you will manage a defined caseload and work as an autonomous practitioner within your professional scope of practice, with support and supervision from senior therapists. You will undertake comprehensive occupational therapy assessments, identifying how an individual's physical health, cognition, psychological wellbeing, social circumstances and environment affect the ability to complete daily activities and participate in meaningful occupations. Working with individuals, carers and the wider multidisciplinary team, you will develop, implement and review person-centred rehabilitation plans. Interventions will be evidence based, goal orientated and focused on maximising independence, participation and wellbeing. You will contribute to safe and timely discharge planning by assessing functional ability, daily living skills, cognition, mobility, safety and environmental needs. This will include recommending and arranging equipment and minor adaptations where appropriate. You will communicate effectively with individuals, families, carers and partner organisations, ensuring that occupational therapy recommendations are clearly understood and incorporated into wider care and discharge plans.

About us
Ever dreamt about a career that sparks excitement and fosters your professional growth? Picture yourself waking up eager to make a real difference in our community, surrounded by teams who value your unique ideas.

We are Sirona care and health - England's largest provider of Adult's and Children's Community Services and we'd love for you to join us in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.

Agenda for Change Salary, full NHS benefits, 27+ days' annual leave, and participation in the NHS Pension Scheme - just a glimpse of the benefits you'll receive.

We welcome and encourage all applicants. We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities we support and are proactively seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce. We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We aim to draw upon the widest possible range of views and experiences to meet the changing needs of our colleagues, partners and communities we serve.

Whether you're starting your journey in healthcare, looking for a fresh challenge within the NHS, or contemplating a career change, don't be daunted by the prospect of something different - we create development opportunities for all our colleagues and apprentices.

Interested? View our benefits leaflet which you can find attached to this vacancy.

Details
Date posted: 16 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 083-8358111-SL

Essential Qualifications

• Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as an Occupational Therapist.

Desirable Qualifications

• Evidence of continuing professional development maintained within a professional portfolio.

Essential Experience

• A range of relevant clinical experience gained through occupational therapy student placements and/or recent qualified practice.
• Experience of undertaking occupational therapy assessments and interventions with people presenting with a range of needs.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of rehabilitation, reablement, intermediate care or discharge planning.

Essential Knowledge

• Knowledge of assessing functional ability and occupational performance in relation to daily living activities, mobility, cognition and safety.
• Understanding of occupation-focused, person-centred and goal-orientated rehabilitation.

Desirable Knowledge

• Knowledge of intermediate care, Discharge to Assess and Home First approaches.

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.

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

Employer details
Employer name: Sirona care and health CIC
Address: The Burren, Wills Way, Bristol, BS13 7TJ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.sirona-cic.org.uk/

For questions about the job, contact:
Access and Flow Lead, Clare Laney, clare.laney@nhs.net, 07584114326

Apply through our website.