Health and Therapy Assistant (Band 3)

NHS; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is looking for Health and Therapy Assistants to join their dynamic team. This role offers the opportunity to provide essential care to patients across Sussex, helping them achieve greater independence in their daily lives. With comprehensive training and support, you will engage in a variety of clinical and therapeutic procedures, ensuring each patient receives the best possible care. This position not only allows you to make a significant impact on patients' lives but also opens pathways for career advancement in healthcare. Join a compassionate team that values diversity and promotes continuous professional development.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Excellent training and development opportunities

Cost-effective workplace nurseries

Positive staff survey results

Beautiful Sussex location

Qualifications

• No previous experience required; training provided on the job.
• Support to achieve the Care Certificate and continuous professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide personal, health, and therapy care for individuals with diverse needs.
• Assist multidisciplinary colleagues in ongoing assessment and care provision.

Skills

IT proficiency (Microsoft Office, Excel)

Accurate data recording

Education

GSCE level or equivalent

NVQ level 2 in health and social care or willingness to undertake

Job description

The Home First service brings together nurses, paramedics, therapists, health and therapy assistants, to work with the acute Multi-Disciplinary Team & Transfer of Care Hubs to promote an efficient, effective discharge from hospital to the patient's own home.

Our multidisciplinary teams work flexibly to provide a 7-day service, 365 days a year, between 8am and 8pm. Patients discharged from hospital into Home First will receive step-down intermediate care, involving community-based assessments and interventions in their own homes to support recovery and health monitoring post-discharge to prevent re-admission. Home First will, where needed, provide acute reablement for up to 10 days, supporting individuals to achieve functional goals and work towards independence with daily activities.

The principle of the service ensures that recovery involves working towards the person being as independent as possible through enablement.

Note: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role is unlikely to be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants without the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review eligibility on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Main duties of the job

As a Health and Therapy Assistant, you will provide personal, health, and therapy care for people across Sussex with diverse and acute needs. Your day will be varied and engaging, supporting individuals to attain greater independence in their daily lives.

You will assist multidisciplinary colleagues in ongoing assessment and care provision, including simple clinical and therapeutic procedures such as taking physical observations, venipuncture, medication administration, wound care, rehabilitation programs, and equipment provision. You will observe changes in people's status and inform your team through verbal updates and accurate record-keeping.

No previous experience is required; we will train you on the job, supporting your development. Your training will include basic nursing and therapy skills, and you'll be supported to achieve the Care Certificate. Our comprehensive competency framework will support continuous professional development.

With experience and further training, you can pursue careers as a Nursing Associate or other degree-level healthcare professionals such as Nurse, Podiatrist, Midwife, or Therapist.

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping manage health, prevent hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
• Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast

Our values: Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, especially from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Job responsibilities

For detailed responsibilities, see the attached supporting documents.

You will need to be able to drive with a full UK licence and access to a vehicle due to the geographic area covered.

Applications are high; the vacancy may close earlier than stated.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GSCE level or equivalent education
• NVQ level 2 or equivalent in health and social care or willing to undertake

Experience

• Evidence of continuous learning from education, training, and experience

Skills

• Proficient in recognised IT packages (e.g., Microsoft Office, Excel)
• Skilled in IT systems and accurate data recording

Other

• Valid UK driving licence
• Access to a vehicle for work

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This role requires a DBS check due to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hayworthe Villas

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 per annum / pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

150-GM1690-UPC

Job locations

Hayworthe Villas