Employer Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site SPARC - Beech Hill Rehab Unit Town Sheffield Salary £27,485 - £30,162 pa/pro rata for part time staff Salary period Yearly Closing 05/09/2025 23:59 Interview date 17/09/2025
Specialist Therapy Assistant
NHS AfC: Band 4
We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated so whilst you care for our patients and clients, we’ll take care of you. We offer many different ways of helping staff including career development opportunities, flexible working, good annual leave and pension schemes, health and wellbeing packages and financial support systems. Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers.
Job overview
As a senior therapy assistant you will be providing holistic rehabilitation to service users under the care of the Community Stroke Service. You will contribute to the maintenance of governance standards, operational management and modernisation of therapy service within Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. You will work as part of a specialist inter-disciplinary team providing patient-centred care and management to patients referred for ICSS care. You will manage an independent clinical caseload, plan and prioritise own work and report back to qualified therapy staff regarding patient progress/outcomes in line with agreed local protocols and national targets. You will ensure a clean and safe working environment in therapy facilities to comply with Health and Safety at Work Standards and the Trust Infection Control Guidelines. Actively consider all aspects of risk management whilst carrying out clinical and non-clinical duties. Report all accidents and untoward incidents to the Lead Therapist and complete on line datix in accordance with Trust policy. You will lead on area stock control, keeping the Lead Therapist up to date on stock levels and taking action to replenish stock levels in line with ICSS procedures and assist with recruitment and selection as an interview panel member.
Main duties of the job
* Work as part of a specialist inter-disciplinary team providing patient-centred care and management to patients referred for ICSS care.
* Carry an independent clinical caseload, plan and prioritise own work and report back to qualified therapy staff regarding patient progress/outcomes in line with agreed local protocols and national targets.
* Ensure a clean and safe working environment in therapy facilities to comply with Health and Safety at Work Standards and the Trust Infection Control Guidelines. Actively consider all aspects of risk management whilst carrying out clinical and non-clinical duties. Report all accidents and untoward incidents to the Lead Therapist and complete on line datix in accordance with Trust policy.
* Lead on area stock control, keeping the Lead Therapist up to date on stock levels and taking action to replenish stock levels in line with ICSS procedures. Assist with recruitment and selection as an interview panel member.
* Communicate effectively and accurately in written and digital notes systems to convey information in a clear and concise manner. Communicate complex, sensitive, distressing and contentious information effectively with patients, carers, and staff in the multi-disciplinary team and other agencies.
* Maintain up-to-date knowledge, understanding and competency in stroke therapy protocols and stroke therapy practice.
Working for our organisation
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Person specification
Qualifications
* GCSE Grade A-C or equivalent in English and maths or equivalent qualification / relevant experience.
* NVQ/QCF level 3/4 in healthcare or equivalent relevant qualification / relevant experience
* Willingness to undertake additional training to gain knowledge and skills specific to stroke rehabilitation.
Experience
* Significant experience as a therapy technical instructor/ senior rehabilitation assistant (band 3)
* Recent experience of working within NHS rehabilitation teams
* Have knowledge of wheelchairs, assistive equipment and minor adaptations
* Experience working within the field of stroke/neurology
* Experience of working in an inpatient rehabilitation setting
* Experience of using outcome measures to record patient progress
* Experience of undertaking cognitive/mood screens
* Experience of managing own caseload
Further Training
* Current knowledge & skills in therapy practice relevant to speciality
* Evidence of continuing personal and professional development
* Completion of further stroke/ neurology specific training/courses
special skills and aptitudes
* Comprehensive understanding of both Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy practice
* Effective written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills
* Ability to communicate with patients who have impaired communication abilities
* Excellent interpersonal and team working skills
* Ability to empathise with and motivate others
* Ability to act on own initiative, organise work and manage multiple tasks.
* Ability to work within your scope of practice and seek help when required.
* Ability to maintain accurate written records.
* Ability to undertake moving and handling procedures
* Experience of using Information Technology
* Experience leading rehabilitation groups (e.g. exercise groups, breakfast clubs)
* Ability to co-ordinate access and home discharge visits
* Teaching skills/sharing knowledge with patients and colleagues.
* Experience of goal setting with patients
* Experience of positively contributing to the development and modernisation of a service
Other factors
* Positive attitude to patient care and teamwork
* Willing to work flexibly as the service requires including weekend and Bank Holiday working.
* Willing to adhere to STHFT PROUD values
Please note that in order to comply with the UK Government’s rules on Skilled Worker sponsorship, any applicants who do not meet the eligibility requirements or concessions on salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker visa will not be eligible to receive sponsorship from the Trust. Please keep this in mind when submitting your application. Further details on these concessions, and who qualifies for them, can be found here .
Candidates are advised to read the attached guidance on using AI technology. W hen you complete your application, you are required to declare that the information in your application form is true and complete. The personal statement is exactly that; personal.
When selecting to apply via NHS Jobs, you will be redirected to our preferred recruitment system called Trac. You will be asked to create and submit your application via the Trac recruitment system.
You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. All communications should be sent via your Trac system account.
If you are offered employment at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals your information will be transferred from the Trac recruitment system into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. In addition, in submitting an application form, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.
Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email sent via the Trac recruitment system, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Should you require any assistance in applying for the position please contact the General or Medical Human Resources Departments on the number identified on the NHS Jobs page for the organisation.
Job Share applicants are welcome for all full time posts unless indicated but cannot be guaranteed. In addition for Fixed Term Contracts, internal secondments may be considered, please seek the approval of your current line manager before applying for the position.
All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken.
For more information about our organisation and the opportunities available, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Name Gavin Church Job title Operational Lead Community Stroke Services Email address gavin.church@nhs.net Telephone number 07709442817
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