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Job summary

Main area
Occupational Therapy
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 22.5 hours per week (22.5 hours over 3 days)
Job ref
846-8313077-UJ
Employer
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Chaucer Clinic, Polegate
Town
Polegate
Salary
£28,392 - £31,157 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
08/11/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Assistant Practitioner

NHS AfC: Band 4

Job overview

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Medway Community Healthcare. Nursing and AHP vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses/AHPs.

The NHS is changing. More emphasis on community-based care means there’s never been a better time to join us.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and adaptable Therapy Assistant to join our professional team.  

To work independently as an Interdisciplinary Therapy Assistant (ITA) within the Complex Needs Team, with an emphasis on supporting equipment/adaptations OT, within the team under the guidance of, but not under the direct supervision of a therapist.

Will include housing needs assessments. Community working across East Sussex with hybrid-working.

Main duties of the job

1. To implement therapy intervention and programmes devised by a therapist for groups and/or individuals in a range of setting, e.g. schools, preschool settings
2. To modifying the interventions and programmes as appropriate, to meet the needs of individual children and their families/carers
3. To deliver standardised training packages to parents/carers and other practitioners as part of a package of intervention
4. To administer and score (where appropriate) formal and informal assessments to be interpreted with the support of a therapist
5. To carryout assessment of basic equipment in child’s home, .e.g. bath board, rails and toilet frame (specific to post)*
6. To carryout equipment checks and minor adjustments in a range of settings ((specific to post)*
7. To independently provide written and oral advice regarding children’s progress following a period of intervention, within agreed service guidelines
8. To engage in first line problem solving with families/carers as appropriate

Working for our organisation

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is due to integrate with Medway Community Healthcare on 1 October 2026. Following integration and to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles. Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.

Rated ‘Outstanding’ by CQC, we deliver high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent.

We are proud to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We use protected characteristic information for monitoring only and it is not seen by recruiting managers, except where applicants choose to be considered under our disability guaranteed interview scheme.

We know life outside work matters. As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients.

Explore KCHFT career pathways

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via [email protected], quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community difference here.

Good luck! We can’t wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • GCSE or equivalent education. [relevant discipline specific additional training to diploma level]; NVQ level 3 in early years, education and care or relevant level 3 NVQ (or equivalent level 3 qualification).
Desirable criteria
  • Clinical Supervisor Training

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Recent experience of working with children with SEN+D in relevant settings, e.g. preschool, school, NHS
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of delivering training

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Basic knowledge of how therapy can support children’s functioning
Desirable criteria
  • Good knowledge of a range of treatment protocols appropriate to paediatrics

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Keyboard skills, Excellent interpersonal skills – including observation & listening

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareDisability confident leaderArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Care quality commission - OutstandingKent Community - Platinum Award LogoKEiBA Valuing Disability Business of the Year 2021Accredited Menopause Friendly EmployerRIDI Awards Finalist 2024

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.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Fiona Middlemass
Job title
Children's Lead Occupational Therapist
Email address
[email protected]
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