Prehabilitation Exercise Professional | University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

University Hospitals of Leicester; England; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An esteemed healthcare provider in the UK is seeking an exercise professional to join their Fit4Surgery Prehabilitation clinical service. This role focuses on supporting patients through prehabilitation, providing exercise programs, dietary advice, and mental health support. The successful candidate will be involved in assessing patient needs, conducting exercise classes, and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to significantly impact patient care. This position offers professional development opportunities and requires a flexible approach to various working locations.

Qualifications

• Experience in prehabilitation or rehabilitation settings.
• Knowledge of exercise prescription and patient assessment.
• Ability to work autonomously and in a team.

Responsibilities

• Manage a prehabilitation caseload, conducting assessments.
• Deliver face-to-face exercise sessions.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams in service delivery.

Skills

Patient-centered care

Holistic needs assessment

Excellent communication

Exercise program development

Collaboration with clinical teams

Education

Relevant degree in health or exercise science

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Fit4Surgery Prehabilitation clinical service. Due to maternity cover a 1 year fixed term post is available. This role would also be suitable for a secondment from within UHL, but please speak to your line manager before applying.

Prehabilitation is an emerging clinical speciality providing patient‑centred care and utilising multi‑modal interventions to support people to prepare both physically and emotionally for major surgery, usually for cancer. The Fit4Surgery intervention comprises face‑to‑face assessment and exercise sessions with home‑based exercise to support patients. We are working with patients both during neo‑adjuvant chemo/radiotherapy and during preparation for surgery and the service offers exercise, dietary advice and mental health support.

The Fit4Surgery team is looking for an exercise professional to contribute to the caseload management and ongoing delivery of this service. The successful candidate would be supported to undertake appropriate training and development opportunities. The role requires travel across Leicestershire and a flexible approach to working environment as the project utilises facilities at a range of locations.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for a prehabilitation caseload, including triaging referrals, making initial contact with patients to conduct a holistic needs assessment, referring to relevant services, conducting assessments, and running face‑to‑face exercise classes.
• Work alongside members of the Fit4Surgery team to ensure the development and delivery of a high quality service.
• Work autonomously under the supervision of Senior Staff.
• Delegate appropriately to unregistered members of the team.
• Deliver high quality, clinically effective care and patient experience, utilising research and collaborating with colleagues in everyday practice.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of a programme of practice and professional development within the team and relevant colleagues.
• Conduct triage of relevant medical information and telephone calls with patients to determine appropriate prehabilitation intervention.
• Provide advice and support regarding all aspects of prehabilitation to patients and their families and carers.
• Provide health education to patients, ensuring appropriate, consistent realistic information is provided, including conversations about sensitive and complex information with appropriate support from Senior Staff.
• Be responsible for the development and evaluation of individual exercise programmes for leisure centre and home settings, seeking guidance from senior staff as appropriate.
• Ensure that all interventions are delivered to the highest standard in line with national prehabilitation guidance.
• Ensure that all patients (as per caseload) are appropriately assessed and risk stratified according to national guidance and policy.
• Maintain accurate and legible records of treatment/intervention for all patients, in accordance with department and Trust standards.
• Be accountable for own actions in accordance with professional bodies such as the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), the Royal College of Occupational Therapy or the British Dietetic Association.
• Maintain and develop clinical expertise by attendance and participation of post‑registered education.
• Communicate effectively with community‑based colleagues and other allied health professionals, including other rehabilitation teams.
• Make and receive direct referrals to and from the relevant members of multi‑professional teams.
• Demonstrate an enthusiastic, flexible and reliable approach to working, supporting the service leads in meeting service targets.

Strategic Context

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023‑2030).

We have four primary goals:

• High‑quality care for all.
• Being a great place to work.
• Partnerships for impact.
• Research and education excellence.

We will embed health equality in all we do – taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• We are compassionate.
• We are proud.
• We are inclusive.
• We are one team.

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

https://www.uhleicester.nhs.uk

(Please refer to the job description/person specification for further details on the role).

This advert closes on Tuesday 6 Jan 2026