Job summary
- Main area
- Occupational Therapy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (Until end of March 2026)
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Compressed hours
- Job ref
- 331-C17070525
- Employer
- University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Park View Gardens
- Town
- Barrow in Furness
- Salary
- £24,625 - £25,674 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Therapy Assistant - Intermediate Care
NHS AfC: Band 3
Job overview
The Community Therapy Team in South Cumbria are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic Therapy Assistant to support the Rehabilitation provision at Park View Gardens Intermediate Care Unit
The post holder will work alongside qualified Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy staff to provide safe and effective rehab and discharge planning for residents at the unit. The post holder may also be required to support with discharge to assess visits from hospital to home alongside the therapy team.
While the post is primarily based at Parkview Gardens, you will join a wider dedicated and motivated team of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Assistant Practitioners and Therapy Assistants, who provide assessment and rehabilitation services to people within their own homes.
With access to clinical supervision, in-service training and support from the wider therapy team, this is an exciting opportunity to develop skills and experience in a therapy assistant role while contributing to the provision of intermediate care services in the Westmorland and Furness area.
The post holder may be required to work at Parkview gardens or in the wider community therapy and discharge to assess team as work load indicates.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be based at Parkview Gardens and will carry out work as delegated by the qualified Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Staff.
This will include (but is not limited too)
- supporting residents to work towards rehab goals through specific exercises or rehab activities.
- supporting therapists with activities requiring additional therapeutic moving and handling support, for example stair practice or progressing mobility
- Delivering and fitting minor aids and adaptations into a person own home as directed
- Coordinating home visit and environmental assessments as requested
- Effectively communicating with the patient, family and teams
- Using appropriate techniques to help motivate and encourage residents with their rehab plans and goals
- Recording own clinical records in the electronic patients records
- Basic maintenance and cleaning of rehab equipment
- Carrying out visit to peoples own homes as directed to complete follow up or environmental visits
- Supporting the wider team when required with any duty related to effective and safe service provision.
Working for our organisation
We operate from three main hospitals - Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal, as well as a number of community health care premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre.
FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant-led services.
WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non-life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.
All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, day case and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To read more information about the advertised role, and the main job duties/responsibilities please open the Job Description and Person Specification located under the supporting documents heading. You can also read more information about University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay visiting our website https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk/
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care or Equivalent level 3 training (A levels) or relevant experience as a therapy assistance sufficient to meet the competencies of the post.
- Basic numeracy and literacy (e.g. GCSE level/functional skills level
- Basic computer skills
Desirable criteria
- Trusted Assessor Training for minor aids and adaptations
- OTAGO training or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience in a Health & Social Care setting
Desirable criteria
- Experience in a relevant clinical area/s in an acute or community hospital setting
- Experience in providing Rehab
- Experience working with people who have Dementia or other cognitive impairment
Skills, ability and knowledge
Essential criteria
- Ability to work with individuals/groups of patients without direct supervision
- Observation and reporting skills both verbal and written
- Ability to prioritise and manage work load independently
- Knowledge of the purpose and safe use of loan equipment available to patients
- Understanding of professional conduct and confidentiality
- Understanding and able to apply Health & Safety and risk awareness issues
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Positive and objective interpersonal skills
- Effective personal organisational skills
- Written and oral communication skills in English sufficient to communicate effectively with patients to gain consent and explain treatment interventions and gain information required for the patient’s medical/social history relevant to OT
- Basic computer skills e.g. word processing, email and internet skills
Desirable criteria
- Therapy support worker level- knowledge and skills in a relevant clinical area
- Therapy practice skills- patient handling, fitting and use of aids of daily living, use of wheelchairs and walking aids
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Ability to meet the physical requirements of the post
- Ability to travel between sites and to community locations, including patients own homes that may not be on public transport networks
- Ability to participate in manual handling tasks and therapeutic handling, using skills developed through practice, including dexterity, co ordination and physical effort, during OT interventions
- Using skills developed through practice, use of specialist tools and materials and installation of equipment.
- Understanding of the role of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
- Ability to recognise own learning needs and seek help when required
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Donna Malcolm
- Job title
- Therapy Team Lead
- Email address
- Donna.Malcolm@mbht.nhs.uk
- Telephone number
- 07977 368587
- Additional information
For further details / informal visits contact:
Donna Malcolm
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