University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Senior Therapy Assistant
The closing date is 10 May 2026
Are you passionate about caring for others?
We are looking for a Therapy Assistant to join our Interim Team.
The Interim service was set up in 2013 and over the years has grown from a tiny team based at one desk, to a large and highly effective service supporting hundreds of patients home every year.
We support patients home under a pathway known as "ICAT", which stands for Interim Care Assessment Team. This means that we complete our own assessment of the patient's care needs using a rehab approach. Once a patient is assessed as either needing further rehab (with reablement and Intermediate Care), long term POC or will achieve independence in a week. If a long term POC is required this information is gathered through assessment & fed back to the Social Workers by the senior members of staff, to put a future plan in place for on‑going support, or to continue to support the patient back to independence.
As part of our assessment we often deliver and fit equipment, assess mobility and transfers and observe patient safety and abilities in their activities of daily living.
The Interim Team play an important role in aiding flow through the hospital and limiting harm to patients that is caused by prolonged hospital stays. We are in a good position to provide short term assessment and to be able to signpost to other services if needed.
Main duties of the job
* To provide care and rehabilitation and fitting of equipment to patients discharged from UHD to enable patients to leave the acute hospital as soon as they are suitable to.
* To work in the community under the clinical supervision of the team Occupational Therapists.
* To ensure each patient contact is therapeutic and as per the care plan to ensure patients are supported through their recovery and enabled to regain their independence.
* To have a knowledge and understanding of assistive equipment, techniques and supportive services available to support our patients and their families.
* To support the Interim team with administration tasks, service improvement projects and our education and training programme
* To work over a 7 Day rota period in order to meet the demands of the service
* To support end of life patients when required
About us
UHD has active networks including Women's, DEN, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
Some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
Job responsibilities
The Senior Therapy Assistants (STA) provide a 7 day service 7am-10pm to enable patients from the acute hospital to return home through a discharge to assess approach.
The STA can visit each patient from OD to QDS depending on their care needs. They assess, support and rehab patients in activities of daily living which include; personal care, meal preparation, transfers, toileting and medication.
The first visit, meet & greet, is usually completed by a STA where they check they are presenting as referred, settling at home and checking medication.
They are supervised and supported by an MDT which includes Occupational Therapists, nurses, Therapy Assistant Practitioners and coordinators.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* NVQ III Care or equivalent
Experience
* Recent experience working in a health or social care setting
* Experience of working with older people at Band 3 level.
* Evidence of recent study relevant to the role.
* Previous work as a Therapy Assistant or equivalent where direct patient care is involved.
* Experience in working with palliative and end of life patients.
* Experience of working within a team
Technical skills competences
* Use own initiative with guidance/supervision from therapists.
* Manage own caseload with support from therapists
* Basic IT skills
* Experience with IT programs such as Outlook, Excel and Word.
Knowledge
* Awareness of holistic patient needs
* Understanding of the basic principles of rehabilitation
* Willingness to learn and complete the Competency Based Training.
* Basic medical conditions knowledge
* Basic rehabilitation techniques
* Basic life support skills
Other requirements specific to the role
* Ability to drive, potentially spending prolonged periods driving as a part of the role across South Dorset and West Hampshire.
* Use of own car for job role
* Prepared to work on a shift basis including weekends
* Ability to speak, understand and write English to the required standard for the role.
Personal Attributes
* Ability to use time effectively
* Well motivated – Able to take direction from senior staff
* Empathy with older people
* Ability to recognize boundaries of own job role
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.
Employer name
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
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