Senior Therapy Assistant

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust; Christchurch; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Christchurch is seeking a Senior Therapy Assistant to join their Interim Team. This role focuses on providing care and rehabilitation to patients recently discharged from the hospital. Candidates should have NVQ III Care or equivalent and recent experience in health or social care settings. Responsibilities include support for patient independence, fitting of equipment, and working collaboratively with therapists. The position operates on a 7-day rota, catering to the diverse needs of patients.

Qualifications

• Recent experience working in a health or social care setting.
• Experience working with older people at Band 3 level.
• Evidence of recent study relevant to the role.

Responsibilities

• Provide care and rehabilitation to patients discharged from the hospital.
• Work in the community under supervision of therapists.
• Support patients through their recovery to regain independence.

Skills

Management of own caseload

Basic IT skills

Use own initiative

Education

NVQ III Care or equivalent

Tools

Outlook

Excel

Word

Job description

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Therapy Assistant

Closing date is 25 January 2026

Are you passionate about caring for others? We are looking for a Therapy Assistant to join our Interim Team.

The Interim service was set up in 2013 and over the years has grown from a tiny team based at one desk, to a large and highly effective service supporting hundreds of patients home every year.

We support patients home under a pathway known as “ICAT”, which stands for Interim Care Assessment Team. This means that we complete our own assessment of the patient's care needs using a rehab approach. Once a patient is assessed as either needing further rehab (with reablement and Intermediate Care), long‑term POC or will achieve independence in a week. If a long‑term POC is required this information is gathered through assessment & fed back to the Social Workers by the senior members of staff, to put a future plan in place for on‑going support, or to continue to support the patient back to independence.

As part of our assessment we often deliver and fit equipment, assess mobility and transfers and observe patient safety and abilities in their activities of daily living.

The Interim Team play an important role in aiding flow through the hospital and limiting harm to patients that is caused by prolonged hospital stays. We are in a good position to provide short‑term assessment and to be able to signpost to other services if needed.

Main duties of the job

• To provide care and rehabilitation and fitting of equipment to patients discharged from UHD to enable patients to leave the acute hospital as soon as they are suitable to.
• To work in the community under the clinical supervision of the team Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.
• To ensure each patient contact is therapeutic and as per the care plan to ensure patients are supported through their recovery and enabled to regain their independence.
• To have a knowledge and understanding of assistive equipment, techniques and supportive services available to support our patients and their families.
• To support the Interim team with administration tasks, service improvement projects and our education and training programme.
• To work over a 7‑day rota period in order to meet the demands of the service.
• To support end‑of‑life patients when required.

About us

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service‑specific questions at interview.

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

UHD has active networks including Women’s, DEN, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.

AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.

Job responsibilities

The Senior Therapy Assistants (STA) provide a 7‑day service 7 am‑10 pm to enable patients from the acute hospital to return home through a discharge‑to‑assessment approach.

The STA can visit each patient from OD to QDS depending on their care needs. They assess, support and rehab patients in activities of daily living which include personal care, meal preparation, transfers, toileting and medication.

The first visit, meet & greet, is usually completed by a STA where they check they are presenting as referred, settling at home and checking medication.

They are supervised and supported by an MDT which includes Occupational Therapists, nurses, Therapy Assistant Practitioners and coordinators.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• NVQ III Care or equivalent

Experience

• Recent experience working in a health or social care setting
• Experience of working with older people at Band 3 level
• Evidence of recent study relevant to the role
• Previous work as a Therapy Assistant or equivalent where direct patient care is involved
• Experience in working with palliative and end‑of‑life patients
• Experience of working within a team

Technical skills & competences

• Use own initiative with guidance/supervision from therapists
• Manage own caseload with support from therapists
• Basic IT skills
• Experience with IT programmes such as Outlook, Excel and Word

Knowledge

• Awareness of holistic patient needs
• Understanding of the basic principles of rehabilitation
• Willingness to learn and complete the Competency Based Training
• General knowledge of relevant medical conditions
• Basic rehabilitation techniques
• Basic life support skills

Other requirements specific to the role

• Ability to drive, potentially spending prolonged periods driving as a part of the role across South Dorset and West Hampshire
• Use of own car for job role
• Prepared to work on a shift basis including weekends
• Ability to speak, understand and write in English to the required standard for the role

Personal attributes

• Ability to use time effectively
• Well motivated – able to take direction from senior staff
• Empathy with older people
• Ability to recognise boundaries of own job role

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

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust