Community Assistant Practitioner - Therapy

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust; North Walsham; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust invites applications for a Community Therapy Assistant Practitioner in North Walsham. The role supports Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists, organising equipment reviews and delivering care in patients' homes and care homes.

You will join an experienced multidisciplinary team, providing care packages for long-term conditions, rehabilitation, and palliative care. A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience working in health or social care settings.
• Ability to work within an integrated multidisciplinary team.
• Willingness to travel across the catchment area and to visits in patients' homes.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on department protocols.
• Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinical areas.
• Apply competency-based treatment techniques under supervision of a qualified practitioner.
• Plan and prioritise own visits and document in personal work diary.
• Ensure patient records are completed and input into the system daily.
• Liaise with GPs, Social Services and other health professionals to coordinate care.

Skills

Community health understanding

Patient care

Communication

Multi-disciplinary collaboration

Education

NVQ 3

Foundation degree programme

Tools

SystmOne

Job description

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Community Assistant Practitioner - Therapy

The closing date is 19 November 2026

A fantastic and rare opportunity has arisen for a Community Therapy Assistant Practitioner to join NN2 Community Nursing and Therapy Team in North Place. We would welcome applicants with a "can do" attitude who reflect the Trust values of Integrity, Compassion, Inclusion and Ambition.

The NN2 team covers North Walsham, Paston, Cromer, Aldborough and Mundesley surgeries and seeks to provide care to those in their own homes and care homes within these catchment areas. Although training and support will be given within this role, we are seeking an enthusiastic candidate with existing Therapy experience.

Experience working already at a Band 4 level or experienced Band 3 in the community or acute setting would therefore be advantageous.

The role will contribute to the delivery of care packages for patients with long term conditions, palliative care and rehabilitation needs, to achieve quality of life and independence where possible.

? To work within the integrated team to facilitate early discharge from hospital? To work within the integrated team to prevent unnecessary admission to hospital? To work with all health care professionals.

NB. In person interviews will be held at North Walsham Hospital, Yarmouth Road, Norfolk, NR28 9AP

Main duties of the job

To work alongside our Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists & other Community Assistant Practitioners to provide a lead focus on organising and conducting equipment reviews within patient homes and care homes throughout North Norfolko To contribute in the delivery of high standards of health care to patients within their own homes, care homes, the travelling community, community hospitals and clinics, by assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating packages of care.o To work within a reablement philosophy, using strengths basedassessments and actively promoting independence for the patients.

About us

Unfortunately, this role does not meet the criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa routes. Applications from candidates requiring sponsorship to work in the UK cannot be considered.

There is a varied caseload of patients and you will work in and be supported by the experienced multi-disciplinary team of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and other Community Assistant Practitioners.

The Trust is passionate about staff development and offers a number of development opportunities for staff, as well as regular in-service training and continued professional development. Successful applicants will work within a a friendly and professional therapy team and with the wider Primary Care Network, as well as outside agencies for the benefit of patients.

Please note that the ability to travel across the area is essential for this role.

Please note that the selection processes at East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust are in place to ensure that we recruit candidates with the right values and skills, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills.

Job responsibilities

• 1. Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on predetermineddepartment protocols.
• 2. Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinicalareas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.
• 3. Apply competency based treatment techniques/care to patients with specific conditionsunder the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
• 4. Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning, notifying aqualified practitioner accordingly.
• 5. Prepare for and develop individual/group activities to meet defined intervention needs.
• 6. Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are unexpectedchanges.
• 7. Demonstrate problem solving, and contribute to the solution, working with colleagues.
• 8. Make basic judgements on patients response to prescribed treatment, and reportfindings to a qualified practitioner.
• 9. Plan and prioritise own visits to delegated patients, and ensure these are documentedin personal work diary.
• 10. Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit, and that SystmOne inputtingis completed on a daily basis.
• 11. Where there are barriers to understanding, such as hearing impairment, mentalcapacity impairment and other difficulties in comprehension, explanations requireadjustments in order to gain understanding, consent and concordance.
• 12. Be required to use tact and persuasive skills in order to gain the patients co-operationin their treatment/care/management plan.
• 13. Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionalsand the voluntary sector to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinatedappropriately.
• 14. To participate in multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings as appropriate, e.g. GoldStandard Framework.
• 15. Communicate with patients/carers by exchanging factual information, reassurance,tact and empathy.
• 16. Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with colleagues, patients,carers and other health care professionals.
• 17. Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients whereaccuracy is important, e.g. taking blood sugars, venepuncture, supervising transfers,passive exercises.
• 18. Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following appropriate training,and that it is maintained appropriately.
• 19. Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic orderingsystems.
• 20. Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support andsupervision by a qualified practitioner.
• 21. Work with qualified practitioners with group work/clinics as required.
• 22. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent, and gain consent asappropriate following department policy.
• 23. Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, pool cars, cleaning specialistequipment and general house keeping tasks.
• 24. Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones,arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.
• 25. Will be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products on a daily basis,therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
• 26. Demonstrate basic IT and standard keyboard skills.

Qualifications

• NVQ 3, or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Foundation degree programme, or equivalent demonstrable knowledge and skills acquired through training and experience
• Experience of working in a health or social care setting

Experience

• Experience of working with people, in the statutory/voluntary/private sector
• Experience of working with people at the End of life
• Evidence of ongoing learning
• Experience of working in people's homes

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Knowledge of additional specialist areas through in-house training & short courses
• Highly motivated
• Knowledge of multi-disciplinary team roles
• Experience of working in a community setting

Communication

• Tact & diplomacy
• Empathy & sensitivity
• Ability to use own initiative
• Able to communicate effectively using the English language in both verbal and written forms

Personal and People Development

• Ability to manage stressful situations
• A team player
• Awareness of own limitations
• Good organisational skills
• Open to change and development

Personal Attributes / Behaviours

• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
• Able to show initiative
• Able to work alone

Other

• Professional appearance
• Able to kneel, bend & stoop, and work in cramped environments.
• Able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6kg
• Able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids
• Be reliable
• Must have a full UK driving license and have access to a vehicle
• Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

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.

Employer name

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust

£28,392 to £31,157 a yearpro rata per annum