Job summary
- Main area
- Therapies
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 153-SP05293
- Employer
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Poole Hospital
- Town
- Poole
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 02/12/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 10/12/2025
Employer heading
Therapy Assistant Practitioner - Older peoples Therapy service
Band 4
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.
Job overview
We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Therapy Assistant Practitioner to work within the Older peoples Therapy Team at Poole Hospital, University Hospitals Dorset. Clinical areas covered by the team at Poole Hospital include; Emergency department, Rapid Assessment Consultant Evaluation (RACE) Unit and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) clinic, Older peoples medical and complex care wards.
This is an excellent opportunity to work as a part of the specialist frailty Multi-disciplinary team (MDT). As a team and part of the MDT we take pride in delivering a patient-centred focus through timely comprehensive assessments, interventions and discharge planning.
We are looking for individuals who share a passion for working with Older people. This post is a clinical post, where the post holders will engage in completing assessments and treatment of patients within the acute hospital setting.
The key responsibilities would require you to have confidence completing therapy assessments on an individual basis. Engaging patients in rehab to regain function. Effective and adaptable communication skills are essential as you will be working with a diverse patient group. You must be motivated and enthusiastic in promoting rehabilitation and recovery. You need to be well-organised and confident as you will have responsibility to provide support and guidance to other therapy support staff.
Interview Date: 10th / 11th December 2025
Main duties of the job
Previous experience of working with older people, in an acute hospital or community setting is essential. The post will include 7 day working and therefore the post holder will be expected to participate in weekend rotas.
You will be required to achieve a certain competency level which we will give you support and training to help you achieve. We have in- house training and a supportive team of clinical staff.
Ideally you should be a car driver with a full driving licence.
The role may include assessing patients in their home environment, with support as required from the qualified clinicians.
Additional contact information
OPS Therapies Clinical leads - 0300 019 8654 / 07920072988
Base Location: Poole Hospital
Post will move to RBH approximately July 2026
Working for our organisation
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.
UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.
In some cases this means that a services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have at interview
There is a planned move for this service during March 2025, when this role and base of work will relocate to Bournemouth site. Upon relocation of the role/service, excess mileage allowance / reimbursement will not apply, and any travel between the postholder’s home and work base will be classified as a commute. Any other changes unrelated to this, will be handled in line with Trust/National terms and conditions
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Foundation Degree in health or assistant practitioner qualification equivalent
- Or another relevant qualification
Desirable criteria
- Attainment of competencies gained from multi-professional team working
Experience
Essential criteria
- Previous work as a Therapy Assistant or equivalent (e.g. Exercise Physiologist, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physiotherapy Assistant) where direct patient care is involved over a significant period of time in a healthcare environment.
- Working with adult patients with chronic disease or multiple pathologies
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience working in an acute setting
- Working within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of evaluation, standard setting and evidence based practice within a healthcare/ rehabilitation setting
Technical Skills Competencies
Essential criteria
- Ability to assess a patient with specific objective assessment tools, sometimes without supervision, and identify appropriate therapy intervention
- Ability to work independently on own initiative with guidance/supervision from qualified staff, mainly at a distance.
- Effective time management and organisational skills.
- Ability to manage own caseload when necessary
- Basic computer literacy.
- Ability to act on own initiative, eg responding to an emergency situation
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- General knowledge of pathologies related to the older person
- The effects of physical and cognitive impairment, on patients’ skills, abilities and lifestyle
- Basic rehabilitation techniques and therapy intervention
- Exercise prescription and monitoring eg of physiological signs during exercise
- Health and safety responsibilities
Desirable criteria
- General knowledge of relevant medical conditions.
- Risk assessment.
- Audit
- Service development
Interpersonal skills
Essential criteria
- Good verbal communication skills both face to face and over the telephone
- Basic teaching skills
- Ability to engage, motivate and inspire patients
- Confident in dealing with difficult situations e.g. aggressive behaviour, conflict
- Ability to document results of interventions clearly and concisely
- Empathy with older people.
- Ability to establish rapport.
Other requirements specific to
Essential criteria
- Hold a clean driving license
- Ability to move and handle patients and equipment using approved techniques
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Flexible attitude
- Well motivated
- Ability to work independently on own initiative with guidance/supervision from qualified staff, mainly at a distance.
- Ability to recognize boundaries of own job role and seek advice from qualified therapist as necessary
- Highly organised with excellent time management skills and able to organise own workload on a day to day basis
Language Requirement
Essential criteria
- Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role
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
- Victoria Cain
- Job title
- Clinical Lead Physiotherapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 019 8654
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