Therapy Assistant Practitioner - POPS & EOC
Closing date is 12 February 2026
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Therapy Assistant Practitioner to work part-time between our nationally recognised POPS Team and our GIRFT accredited elective orthopaedic team at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.
This Band 4 post will play an integral role within the therapy team and, by working closely alongside both Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, they will help to ensure an optimum patient journey for patients within the POPS service and on the orthopaedic wards. This varied role will include community, out-patient, inpatient and day surgery work and will involve some independent work for our protocol driven pathways with oversight from our qualified team.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will review patients within the EOC pre and post operatively and be expected to assess and treat patients following set protocols. They will also be able to effectively discharge plan and ensure the correct follow up is in place for patients on their discharge from hospital. From a POPS perspective they will be expected to assist with out-patient classes and work with patients within their home environment to carry out prescribed exercise regimes or equipment provision.
The post holder will also be responsible for monitoring the POPS waiting list and highlighting when they are allocated an operation date.
As a therapy team we are constantly involved in service development and the post holder will be involved alongside the therapy team in new projects, service developments and initiatives to ensure best practice at all times.
Regular supervision is available. There is regular in-service training provided by both therapies and other MDT members. There is an opportunity to enrol on the apprenticeship scheme to develop your clinical skills further. External training opportunities may also be applied for as appropriate.
About us
We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference'. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It\'s about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We\'re looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.
Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare this on your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit for another role and are already working in the country. Please note we are only able to sponsor candidates for a Skilled Worker Visa for roles that are eligible at the time of application.
Job responsibilities
Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in Documents to download. If you have further queries please don’t hesitate to contact the line manager using the contact details below.
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
* NVQ 3 or equivalent.
* Previous experience of working as a band 3 therapy/ rehabilitation assistant within an NHS setting or equivalent experience with transferrable skills.
* Completion of Trusted Assessor Training.
Persoal/Professional Attributes
* Able to listen and develop a rapport with patients and relatives.
* Reliable and trustworthy.
* Polite and respectful.
* Confident and friendly.
* Effective Team Player.
* Willingness to work flexibly.
* Awareness of own limitations.
* Sets and maintains personal and professional boundaries.
Governance
* Understands issues of confidentiality and information governance
Clinical Skills and Experience
* Ability to follow prescribed programs of treatment.
* Able to use and take initiative to seek additional work to assist the team as a whole (e.g. team administration tasks).
* Works independently, manages caseload and carries out directed tasks with patients.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Clinical moving and handling skills.
* Facilitating therapy groups with Allied Health Professionals.
* Previous experience of working with patients within an in-patient or out-patient setting.
* Working with members of the multi-disciplinary team.
* Experience of working with vascular patients/ amputees
Other Requirements
* To be aware of and adhere to the Trust\'s Vision, Mission and Values.
* Car driver with access to own transport so able to visit patient home environments, and go between Trust hospital sites
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
£27,485 to £30,162 a year pro rata per annum
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