Assistant Practitioner

Cambridgeshire Community Services Nhs Trust; England; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare trust in the UK is seeking a dedicated therapeutic practitioner to work within a multidisciplinary team, delivering clinical care and supporting therapy interventions for patients. The role involves effective communication with patients and healthcare teams, planning therapeutic programs, and ensuring holistic health approaches. Candidates should hold current UK professional registration and possess relevant therapy qualifications. This position offers opportunities for professional development and is committed to inclusive work practices.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Ability to communicate complex, sensitive information effectively.
• Experience in delivering clinical care and therapy interventions.
• Understanding of community support services.

Responsibilities

• Deliver direct clinical care and delegate therapy interventions.
• Involve patients in care planning and encourage self-management.
• Maintain accurate patient records and communicate effectively with teams.

Skills

Direct clinical care

Communication

Teamwork

Patient advocacy

Mobility assistance

Education

Current UK professional registration

Relevant therapy qualifications

Tools

IT systems

Job description

Overview

Driven by our Trust values: Honesty, Empathy, Ambition, Respect; the Trust's vision is to provide high‑quality care to the diverse communities we serve to make their lives better.

We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Our cultural diversity, long‑term conditions and disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ staff networks are a key part of this commitment, creating positive change and helping build an inclusive culture across the Trust.

Different ideas, experiences and backgrounds make us stronger and more creative and applications from all walks of life are welcomed – our processes ensure that all applicants are treated fairly at every stage of the recruitment process.

Options for flexible working are considered for all roles within CCS, including job share opportunities, compressed hours, annualised hours, and tailored working patterns. If you are interested in flexible working, please talk to the recruiting manager for this vacancy.

Key Information

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

(Please note that should we receive a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close the advert at any point after 24.12.25)

Position Summary

The post holder will work autonomously and closely with other therapists within the neurotherapy team. They will be well supported by the multidisciplinary team, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, Speech and Language therapists, Psychologists, and other assistant practitioners. The post holder will be accountable to senior multidisciplinary members of the Bedfordshire Neurotherapy service and will provide support for a variety of therapeutic and clinical interventions under the guidance of the multidisciplinary therapy team.

Responsibilities

• Deliver direct clinical care and delegated therapy interventions for service users referred to the Neurotherapy service.
• Involve patients and carers in the planning of care/rehabilitation programmes and encourage self‑management where appropriate.
• Communicate effectively with all members of the Neurotherapy service and the wider Bedfordshire Community Health Services. Support and promote team working.
• Maintain accurate patient records, including patient‑held records, and provide written reports and verbal feedback to the team regarding clients’ performance/progress in areas of self‑maintenance, productivity and leisure.
• Act as the named person for the client to contact within the department and forward relevant issues to senior staff.
• Have a basic knowledge of support services within the community.
• Plan and implement daily work within the team and wide geographical area, prioritising and managing own workload, and supporting other members of the multidisciplinary team in planning and managing their caseload.
• Attend caseload meetings and multidisciplinary therapy meetings as appropriate and ensure information on individual patients is fed back to the team for planning purposes.
• Promote a holistic approach to patients, carers and relatives, and carry out initial screening and assessment of clients on behalf of the multidisciplinary therapy team.
• Review and re‑assess interventions delegated by the multidisciplinary team, keeping relevant clinical staff informed of any progress/concern.
• Undertake clinical procedures/therapeutic activities within a mutually agreed goal‑oriented programme under direction from a variety of multidisciplinary team members.
• Be responsible for fitting and demonstrating equipment to clients and their carers, ordering equipment from the community equipment store and using the PIN number responsibly.
• Advocate for patients and liaise with other agencies where their intervention would be beneficial.
• Actively promote good health and development and participate in Public Health Initiatives.
• Travel safely between patients’ homes and other venues on a daily basis, and undertake moving and positioning of patients and equipment in accordance with Trust Moving and Handling Policy.
• Perform regular patient handling and mobility tasks, including transfers, gait training, passive exercises, and use of hoists and other equipment.
• Undertake clinical procedures within own scope of competencies and safely and precisely demonstrate and advise on a range of equipment to clients and relatives.
• Have adequate keyboard skills and knowledge of IT systems provided by the Trust.
• Develop and deliver enhanced skill in a specific therapy domain.

Communications

• Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex, sensitive information to a wide variety of professionals in a variety of methods.
• Provide updates and reports as required related to service users’ needs and care both written and verbal.
• Work within Trust Policy in all matters related to communication of clinical risk, including the need for information sharing, and maintain confidentiality.

Relationships

• Internal: Leadership team, all members of Neurotherapy service, discharge planning team, specialist nurses (safeguarding leads, tissue viability, etc.).
• External: Hospital nursing and therapy staff, patients, relatives and care agencies, local authorities including adult social care, General Practitioners, Emergency Care Practitioners, Clinical Commissioning groups.

People Management & Development

• Maintain own professional development, participate in appraisal and KSF process.
• Complete relevant stroke competencies as required for the post.
• Develop clinical knowledge and contribute to the development of clinical knowledge for others.
• Maintain up‑to‑date skills and an awareness of professional issues.

Research & Development Activity

• Contribute to meetings about clinical governance and service development.
• Participate in the delivery of the Neurotherapy service development plan.

Additional Information

• On April 1st 2025, the boards of Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust will come together to deliver services as a group; both trusts remain separate employers until further notice, and this role will be employed by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.
• Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers requiring a Skilled Worker Visa are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Please visit the UK Visa website for guidance.
• UK Registration: Applicants must hold current UK professional registration.
• Pre‑employment checks: DBS check and, if required, driving licence validation via DVLA.
• All correspondence will be via the e‑mail address provided on your application form. If you do not receive an invitation to interview within two weeks of the closing date, you unfortunately have not been successful this time; please look again for future vacancies.