Assistant Practitioner - band 4

Lincolnshire Community Health Services; Crossgate; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust is seeking an Assistant Practitioner to join the Adult Community Therapy team covering the South East locality (Spalding, Boston, Bourne and surrounding areas). You will assess patients in their own homes or care settings, coordinating care alongside registered therapists to maximise independence and rehabilitation goals.

We welcome foundation degree holders or equivalent, with a willingness to travel across Lincolnshire and work within a

Qualifications

• Foundation degree or equivalent
• Five GCSEs or above (or equivalent)
• Previous health or social care experience
• Evidence of assessment and clinical skills
• Ability to travel
• Experience of working in a community setting
• Experience of working without direct supervision

Responsibilities

• Independently assess, treat, review and discharge individuals using the Home First approach.
• Assess cognitive, psychological, social, sensory, perceptual, motor and medical factors to plan rehab.
• Support independence in the community with a person-centred approach.
• Work in a multi-disciplinary team to address needs.
• Review and monitor plans with patients and support networks.
• Provide information on community services and access.
• Protect individuals from harm and liaise with safeguarding.
• Maintain a caseload and develop skills under supervision.
• Support discharge planning from hospital to community.
• Coordinate project development to improve patient flow with other services.

Skills

Assessment and clinical skills

Ability to travel

Community setting experience

Experience working without directSuper

Education

Foundation degree or equivalent

Five GCSEs or above

Job description

Main area Therapy Services Grade Band 4 Contract 6 months (this fixed term post will end at the end of Feb 2027) Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 818-IUC398-A

Site Johnson Community Hospital Town Pinchbeck Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 01/11/2026 23:59

We recognise that outstanding care can only be delivered through our people. We want to attract people who can help us deliver our vision. We want in return to help people achieve what they wish in their careers in the NHS at LCHS.

We are always keen to welcome highly skilled, committed and compassionate individuals to our teams – people who put patients at the heart of everything they do and are ready to help us achieve our vision.

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) have come together in a Group arrangement, with the goal of improving the care provided to patients across the county.

This will not constitute a formal merger of the two organisations, but will bring the Trusts together under a single Board and Executive Leadership Team, with the goal of improving the care that is provided to patients both in the community and in hospitals across Lincolnshire. Both Trusts will retain their separate statutory names and legal obligations.

The Group will be known as Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group (LCHG).

Our Group values guide everything we do. They are:

• Compassionate - We care about people - Compassionate is the act of showing empathy, kindness, and respect to others, recognising their individual needs and circumstances. It involves listening, understanding, and supporting others in a way that makes them feel valued, safe, and cared for.
• Collaborative - We work together as a team - Collaborative is working inclusively and respectfully with others to achieve shared goals. It involves open communication, valuing diverse perspectives, and building trust to create a supportive and effective team environment.
• Innovative - We strive to improve - Innovative is the process of exploring new ideas, approaches, and technologies to improve care, services, and working practices. It involves creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to take risks in a safe and supportive environment.

If you believe in them too, then you are ready to join the LCHG team.

We’ve taken great pride in building working environments where staff always feel valued, cared for and part of a team. Without doubt this is a challenging yet very rewarding job that is at the centre of health and care in Lincolnshire - making a positive difference to our patients. We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Practitioner to join Adult Community Therapy around The South East locality ( Spalding, Boston, Bourne and Surrounding areas ). As a therapy focussed Assistant Practitioner you will complete assessments with people within their own home or care home settings to co-ordinate the care of patients working alongside registered therapists and therapy assistants to ensure their rehab and holistic needs are being met to maximise their levels of independence. To apply for this position, you must have a foundation degree or equivalent.

Main duties of the job

This position is to support patients on the adult community therapy caseload within their own homes or care home settings to address any therapy needs. You will need to deliver high quality patient centred care whilst working within an MDT arena and therefore have good communication skills. You will hold a caseload of patients and complete holistic assessments of the patients who come into our care and support with the identification of therapy needs . Therapy experience is preferred but not essential. You will need to have an ability to travel, around the county, but more locally around Lincoln and Gainsborough areas due the community nature of this position.

Working for our organisation

The Adult Community Therapy Team (ACT) within Lincolnshire Community Health Service (LCHS) is made up of Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Assistant Practitioners, Senior Therapy Assistants and Therapy Assistants. We receive referrals from other health and social care professionals for people who are have difficulty in managing their activities of daily living. We provide a rehabilitation service to these people to support them to live as independently as possible whilst working to their set goals. We offer regular clinical supervision, appraisals and in-service training to team members.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Independently assess, treat, review and discharge individuals utilising the Home First approach and work towards supporting people to meet their goals
• Take account of a person’s cognitive, psychological, social, sensory, perceptual, motor and medical aspects whilst developing a rehabilitation plan with the individual which is graded appropriately
• Support individuals to remain independent in a community setting utilising a person centred approach whilst taking account of the enablers, carer and relatives opinions.
• Work within a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to ensure people’s needs holistically assessed and addressed
• Review and monitor plans with individuals and their support networks, making appropriate adjustments as necessary
• Provide information on community services available to promote self-care activities and provide advice and support as required to access these services
• Protect individuals and their support network from harm and abuse as far as possible, liaising with other professionals and the safeguarding team whenever there are concerns
• Maintain a caseload of patients working alongside own competencies, experience and training whilst receiving supervision and guidance from a registered practitioner to develop skills and support with more complex cases
• To support both acute and community hospital with discharge planning for individuals who will be transitioning into the care of Adult Community Therapy
• To support the service in co-ordinating project development to improve patient flow by supporting and communicating with alternative services within the health and social care sector

Essential and desirable

• Foundation degree or equivalent
• 5 GCSEs or above (or equivalent)
• Previous experience of health or social care setting
• Evidence of assessment and clinical skills
• Ability to travel
• Experience of working in a community setting
• Experience of working without direct supervision

Enjoy a better quality of life in one of the UK's most welcoming counties.

Whether you're taking the first exciting steps in your career, itching for a new challenge or searching for a better place to raise a family, Lincolnshire welcomes everyone.

Discover a range of rewarding health and social care careers in a county that's friendly, fascinating, affordable and brimming with everything you need to live a happy life.

Important Information: All new employees will be subject to a charge if a DBS check is required for the post. The Disclosure & Barring Service application form (formerly CRB) will be provided by LCHS and the fee will be deducted from your salary over a maximum of a 3 month period.

Any existing employees who require a DBS check as part of the application process will be subject to a charge for that DBS check.

We are a Disability Confident employer ensuring that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.

Support and/or assistance with completing an application form is available from the Human Resources Team by calling 01522 572889.

We encourage and support vaccination update as this remains the best line of defence against COVID19.

Candidates are advised to read the attached guidance on using AI technology. When you complete your application, you are required to declare that the information in your application form is true and complete.

Please note, for applicants with previous NHS service: If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, LCHS reserves the right to close this advert prior to the closing date.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Lola Peel Job title Clinical Specialist OT Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07581 010368 Additional information

Fran Amblin-Lightowler - Clinical Team Lead [e-mail] 07716 080640