Physical Activity Specialist/Fitness Instructor for post ICU Rehab

NHS; Torquay; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in England is seeking a Physical Activity Specialist/Fitness Instructor to support patients in their recovery from critical illness. The role involves facilitating safe and effective exercise, developing personalized activity programs, and working closely with the multidisciplinary team to promote patient well-being. Candidates must hold a degree in sports science or similar and have relevant practical experience. This position offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patient care.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Part of a supportive healthcare team

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in sports science or exercise science.
• Experience of working with clients post-acute hospital admissions.
• Experience delivering presentations to groups.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate patients to engage in physical activity post critical illness.
• Develop and supervise personalised physical activity programmes.
• Conduct fitness assessments of patients post critical illness.

Skills

Experience in multi-disciplinary team

Delivering exercise to complex patient groups

Consultation and goal setting

Working with chronic conditions

Motivational interviewing

Education

Degree in sports science or exercise science

Specialist Fitness Instructor training

Job description

Job Summary

Physical Activity Specialist/Fitness Instructor for post Intensive Care Rehabilitation in a well established critical care rehabilitation team at Torbay Hospital.

We are looking for a Physical Activity Specialist/Fitness Instructor to facilitate patients post critical illness to engage in physical activity with a long-term aim to support transition from hospital to home.

You will provide access to local services which enable safe and effective exercise and/or activity in a supervised environment.

You will also equip patients with the knowledge and skills to become more active despite their post illness pain, global fatigue, reduced concentration and to raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity.

You will encourage patients to make consistent exercise choices and to promote long-term behaviour change and enable patients to achieve meaningful and sustainable activity as a lifestyle choice alongside their recovery post critical illness.

You will support physical activity to improve tolerance to engage in return-to-work strategies post critical illness.

Main Duties of the Job

This rewarding position in the critical care rehabilitation team is to facilitate patients post critical illness to engage in physical activity with a long-term aim to support transition from hospital to home, to enable patients to achieve meaningful and sustainable activity and to provide access to local services which enable safe and effective exercise and/or activity in a supervised environment.

About Us

Why Work With Us

Torbay Hospital is a District General hospital on the coast of Torquay in Devon. The 10 bedded intensive care unit has an excellent peer rated service and has well established critical care outreach and intensive care rehabilitation teams.

Details

Date posted: 18 December 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 5

Salary: £31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 388-7583832-PC&S

Job locations: Torbay Hospital, Lowes Bridge, Torquay, TQ27AA

Job Responsibilities

Contribute to biopsychosocial screening post step down from ICU and those outpatients in the community

• Identify and address barriers to physical activity. This may include motivational, fatigue, transport/accessibility, financial issues or concerns about safety to exercise in the context of their post ICU admission condition/health problem.
• Develop and supervise personalised physical activity and exercise training programmes, specifically targeted for the management of global weakness, reduced VO2, general fatigue, muscle atrophy.
• Undertake fitness and physical performance assessments of patients post critical illness who have already been medically screened to be appropriate to engage.
• Attend home visits as required to assist with assessment, goal setting and progress monitoring.

Contribute to patients validation of their experience of recovery post critical illness and to signpost them to appropriate local programs/services.

• To work with individuals on a one-to-one basis, or in a small exercise group, to support them and/or their families to improve their health and wellbeing despite pain, fatigue, weight loss; through making positive changes to their lifestyle. This includes using specific approaches and skills to support behaviour change, along with signposting and supporting access to appropriate external services.
• To assess current and previous activity/exercise levels, the clients willingness to change exercise and lifestyle habits and to assess current activity management patterns. Health and fitness measures may be taken and be repeated on completion of further treatment interventions.
• To work closely with the ICU Rehab MDT. To conduct joint assessments as needed with the appropriate team member (dependant of the need of the patient).
• To complete joint ward visits or home visits with MDT to complete assessments of individual functional needs.
• To attend and feedback progress reports of patients needs/rehabilitation to MDT
• To seek support for more complicated cases from MDT (this is encouraged).
• To provide 1:1 advice about physical activity to patients for whom a group Health and Wellbeing programme would be appropriate; including addressing psychological and cognitive needs.
• To contribute to 1:1 follow up and/or group appointments for patients completing the Post ICU Health & Wellbeing Programme to aim to enhance physical activity status and offer advice to maintain activity levels.
• Contribute to gathering and entering data of patient outcomes both during and post ICU Health & Wellbeing exercise programme.
• To monitor location of patients discharge and arrange appropriate follow-up i.e. home visit, telephone call and attendance at medical follow-up clinics
• Maintain spreadsheets recording patient contacts and outcomes at regular weekly or daily intervals.
• Signpost to existing community-based exercise schemes as appropriate.

Person Specification

Essential

• Educated to degree level in sports science, healthcare practice, exercise science or fitness.
• Specialist Fitness Instructor training.
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience of delivering exercise to complex patient groups with multiple comorbidities.
• Experience of working with clients post-acute hospital admissions.
• Experience of working with clients with physical and/or emotional health problems.
• Experience in consultation, goal setting and negotiation.
• Experience working with people with low motivation, anxiety, low self-esteem or other mental health issues.
• Experience working with people with chronic conditions.
• Experience of managing independent 1:1 and group clinics and workloads.
• Experience delivering presentations to groups.

Desirable

• CBT/motivational interviewing training.
• GP exercise referral qualification.
• Membership of relevant exercise organisations e.g. BACPR, CIMSPA.
• Level 4 Management of pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation.
• Knowledge of physical and clinical assessment tools.
• Knowledge of fitness testing protocols.
• Evidence of delivering structured group education to complex groups of cardiac patients regarding lifestyle changes.
• Experience and understanding of the NHS and health care systems.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer Details

Employer name: Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Torbay Hospital, Lowes Bridge, Torquay, TQ27AA

Employer website: https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk