Job overview

Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week 

Are you looking for new challenge? Would you like to enhance your skills in post-operative Orthopaedic rehabilitation? This is an exciting opportunity to work as a Senior Therapy Assistant within our Orthopaedic therapy team at the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust. The post is fixed term for 15 months to assist in the delivery of treatment to patients post hip fracture as part of a national randomised controlled trial.

Our teams provide therapy to a range of specialities including orthopaedics, frailty, medical and respiratory services at the Countess of Chester hospital. You will be working alongside an experienced therapy team within the Inpatient Orthopaedic Therapy service, which includes both trauma and elective wards. The role includes working closely with our Multidisciplinary team to ensure we achieve best patient care.

Good communication, adaptability and team working skills are essential for this post. Experience of working with as a Therapy Assistant with adults in a care setting is essential for the role. Previous experience in Orthopaedics is desirable. 

The post is varied, and the post holder will need be able to work under their own initiative with supervision from the therapy team.

Main duties of the job

Main Duties

To provide support to the therapists in the assessment and treatment of patients and to implement therapy programmes, predominantly post surgery for hip fracture

You will be a positive individual with a can-do attitude who can learn and adapt quickly and is flexible. 

Effective communication with excellent organisational skills and the ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Applicants should always have a professional and pleasant manner and be enthusiastic about the service provided by the Orthopaedic Therapy Team.

Comprehensive training will be provided for all aspects of the work expected by the post holder.  

This post requires an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.

You will be expected to work weekends and Bank holidays on a rota basis.

Working for our organisation

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.                                                                 

The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.​​

The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.