Senior Therapy Assistant (Acute)

WWL; Wigan; Remote; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

WWL in Wigan is seeking a Therapy Assistant to join the inpatient team at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary. You will work with the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy colleagues to assess and treat patients under supervision, contributing to high-quality care in an acute hospital setting.

The post is fixed term to cover an employee on secondment and will end on 22-Jul-2027 (or upon the return of the post holder), with potential for future permanent consideration.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a relevant health related area in an acute hospital setting is essential.
• Previous experience in a Therapy or healthcare rehabilitation environment is desirable.
• General education and computer literacy are expected.

Responsibilities

• Carry out routine assessments and procedures within agreed competency levels.
• Follow treatment plans as prescribed by Therapy staff and identify activities meeting goals.
• Instruct patients in the use of equipment to promote independence.

Skills

Therapy interventions

Basic computer literacy

Education

NVQ Level III /QCF training or equivalent

Job description

Main area Medicine Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Fixed term: 10 months (To cover an employee on secondment until 22-Jul-27) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Monday to Sunday) Job ref 302-26-8281343L-FLOW

Site Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan Lane, Wigan, WN1 2NN Town Wigan Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 02/10/2026 12:00

People at the Heart. One Team. Your Career at WWL.

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic Therapy Assistant who would like to join our friendly and supportive In-patient team at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary. The role involves working alongside the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Team.

Experience of working in a relevant health related area in an acute hospital setting is essential for this post.

The post is fixed term to cover an employee on secondment and will end on 22-Jul-27 or resumption of the post holder, whichever is sooner. Whilst the position is fixed term, there is the potential that this may become permanent in the future without the need to re-advertise.

NHS Employees should secure their manager’s agreement for a secondment arrangement prior to applying, as this will be a condition of any offer made

Please note this vacancy may close early if a sufficient number of suitable applications are received.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidates will:

Have varied duties (both clinical and non-clinical) and will be involved directly in the immediate assessment, care and treatment of patients. This will be under the supervision of qualified therapists.

Have a caring and considerate manner, which is essential to the post.

Be expected to have a good level of general education, basic computer literacy and knowledge of Therapy interventions.

Have previous experience of working in a Therapy or healthcare rehabilitation environment or relevant area.

Working for our organisation

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is proud to provide high‑quality acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, our staff are central to everything we do — we believe thathappy staff make for happy patients, and this ethos underpins our culture and our success.

We have a strong, recognised track record in staff engagement and in living our values:

• People at the Heart
• Listen and Involve
• Kind and Respectful
• ONE Team

We are committed to placing patients at the heart of every decision and delivering safe, effective care that protects dignity and enhances experience. We seek to recruit people who share our values, our passion for high‑quality care, and our belief in working together as One Team.

At WWL, we recognise the strength that comes from a rich and diverse workforce. We welcome applications from all sections of society and are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Key results from the job holder

• To contribute to the overall Therapy process by carrying out routine assessments and procedures within agreed competency levels
• To carry out information collection from patients/relatives as requested by Therapy staff
• To follow treatment plans as prescribed by Therapy staff and identify and select activities that meet treatment goals
• To work independently in a clinical setting with an assigned routine caseload, under the direction of a therapist
• Instruct patients in the use of equipment and techniques to promote independence

Planning and Organisational Duties

• To be responsible for preparation of materials and equipment in order to carry out treatment sessions
• To contribute to the day-to-day organisation of activities within the team which contributed to the smooth running of the service
• To be responsible for specific routine tasks as delegated
• To attend regular meetings e.g. staff meetings, support and development groups.
• To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent and reliable attendance

Communications and Key Working Relationships

• To work as a member of the Therapy team and communicate relevant information to team members
• To be able to communicate effectively in a variety of ways with patients to gain co-operation and understanding of treatment programmes
• To maintain good working relationships
• To establish therapeutic relationships using negotiating skills in order to complete treatment activities
• To report back to Therapy staff on all treatment activities either verbally or in writing as required
• To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of clients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

Responsibility for Finance

• To identify deficits in resources required to carry out the job and bring to the attention of the Therapist
• To be responsible for the monitoring of materials and equipment and maintain stocks.
• To maintain timely statistics and other records as requested by the Therapy Service and the Trust.

Responsibility for Human Resources

• To maintain portfolio of competencies showing evidence of life long learning
• To participate in clinical supervision sessions highlighting development needs
• To comply with annual IPR and appraisal system
• To contribute to the induction of new staff.

Responsibility for Health & Safety

• Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidences, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

Responsibility for NHSLA

• To support Therapy services, as requested, in quality activities within the team
• To comply with professional, organisational and departmental standards, policies and procedures.
• To maintain accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with Trust Policies and Therapy Standards of Practice

Responsibility for Teaching

• To participate in and contribute to the training and education of students and other staff.

Person specification

Additional

• Demonstrate a commitment to personal development
• Willingness to work flexibly over 7 days
• Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to their role, i.e. with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation.
• Able to move around the borough as part of Job role

Knowledge

• Demonstrate understanding of therapy interventions and the role of the assistant
• Health and Safety Risk awareness Knowledge of appropriate Moving and Handling methods
• A basic understanding of relevant medical conditions and appropriate therapeutic interventions
• Awareness of confidentiality
• Understanding of the use of mobility / aids for independence

Skills

• Able to teach practical skills to patients
• Able to work single-handed with individuals or groups
• Able to conduct self in a professional manner
• Able to problem solve
• Able to participate in aspects of personal care with patients/clients
• Have good written, verbal and non verbal communication skills
• Able to engage patients/ clients in activities
• Ability to use own initiative within designated role
• Able to empathise with people in difficult situations
• Able to recognise and work within own personal limitations
• Able to use basic Microsoft Office programmes
• Able to utilise NHS databases/ patient information systems
• Able to fit/ adjust mobility / aids for independence
• Able work confidently within a hospital environment

Experience

• Working as work as part of a team
• Experience working in a relevant health related area.
• Experience of working with the effects of illness and disability on adults
• Experience of working in a therapy/rehab service.
• Experience of working in patients/ clients own homes

Qualifications

• NVQ Level III /QCF training or equivalent course in relevant area
• Evidence of basic level qualifications in both Maths and English
• Evidenced training / competencies achieved through current practical experience

Using AI when writing job applications
If you choose to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other tools to assist in writing your application, it’s essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting statement to reflect the skills and experience to match your job application. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting statement is not advocated by Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as it could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process. Please refer to the attached “Applying for a role in the NHS guidance” for further information regarding the use of AI.

The Trust reserves the right to close adverts earlier than the stated closing date if there is a high volume of applications.

We endeavour to inform all applicants of the outcome of their application by email or SMS text message.

Guidance on Completing Your Application

Applications are assessed against the person specification. We strongly encourage you to use the supporting information section to demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria, providing clear examples where possible.

On-Call

Please note that some roles may require participation in an on-call rota, particularly those that are operational in nature.

WWL is part of the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. We recognise continuous or ‘unbroken’ service from any Greater Manchester Local Authority, NHS organisation, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. This ensures access to our service‑related benefits.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Julia McEvoy Job title Clinical Lead Physiotherapist ICU/Surgery Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01942 8222100

If you have problems applying, contact

Address Buckingham Row
Brick Kiln Lane
Wigan
WN1 1XX
Telephone [phone]