Job overview
Are you looking for an opportunity to make a real impact in the patient's hospital stay by supporting their recovery and independence and facilitating a safely and timely discharge?
We are recruiting for Generic Therapy Assistants for our Medical Therapy Team at York Hospital.
Working under the guidance of Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, you will play a key role in delivering rehabilitation programmes and encouraging patients through functional activities. This hands-on role is ideal for someone who is motivated, caring, and committed to contributing to high-quality patient care within a supportive multidisciplinary team.
This role offers a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to further their career in healthcare or start their journey within therapies. You will gain valuable experience across a wide range of clinical settings, with access to regular supervision, training, and development opportunities. We are seeking compassionate, reliable, and proactive individuals who enjoy working closely with people and who want to develop their skills while making a meaningful impact.
If you are currently employed by the Trust and you wish to apply for this role on a secondment basis, please seek permission from your current line manager before applying for the post.
Main duties of the job
You will carry out duties delegated by the Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists, supporting patients with their rehabilitation, mainly focussing on mobility, cognition and function.
This will include:
1. Assisting patients to practise therapeutic activities
2. Supervising exercises
3. Providing guidance and encouragement to help them achieve their goals.
You will also be responsible for the safe use and basic maintenance of equipment and supporting patients in its use. You will need to undertake administrative duties to facilitate timely discharge planning and accurate record keeping.
Our service operates Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 4pm, and successful candidates will be expected to work flexibly within this pattern to meet the needs of the service.
Working for our organisation
For further information about working for our Trust, please visit:
Our benefits
We offer a range of benefits to support our staff including:
4. Access to the NHS Pension Scheme, providing generous benefits upon retirement, as well as a lump sum and pension for dependants
5. 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service)
6. A variety of different types of paid and unpaid leave covering emergency and planned leave
7. Confidential advice and support on personal, work, family and relationship issues, 24/7, from our Employee Assistance Programme
8. NHS Car Lease scheme and Cycle to Work scheme
9. An extensive range of learning and development opportunities
10. Discounts on restaurants, getaways, shopping, motoring, cinema and finance from a range of providers
For further information on the fantastic range of benefits we offer please visit the Trust's dedicated Staff Benefits pages.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
A full description of the role is available in the attachment: job description.
Please note that if a high number of applications are received this advert may close early. You are advised to submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
Working for the Trust
Across our organisation, people are guided by values that were co-developed with staff: we are kind; we are open; and we pursue excellence.
Our values play into our ambition to develop a more diverse workforce, truly representative of our communities. We welcome applications from everyone, while working with our Staff Networks - including our Race Equality, LGBTQ+, Disability and Carers Networks - to increase the number of applications we receive from different backgrounds. If there is anything we can do to make our application process more accessible to you, please contact: .
As part of seeking to become more inclusive, we will consider requests for flexible working from the start of your employment. It may not be suitable for every role, but we will try and be supportive where we can. We would encourage you to speak to the recruiting manager named within this advert to discuss any requirements you may have.
Armed Forces Friendly Employer
We are holders of the Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers. This means that we have made a statement of intent to support all Defence personnel, including with applications for employment.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
11. Educated to GCSE Level or equivalent. Maths and English at C or above – or equivalent qualification/demonstrable experience
12. Practical knowledge through a combination of in-house training attendance on short courses, completion of local competency objectives to NVQ 3. level in relevant area
Desirable criteria
13. Educated to NVQ 3 Level
Skills
Essential criteria
14. Ability to problem solve
15. Proficient in computer use and IT skills
16. Possess a range of communication skills, both written and verbal
17. Ability to organise, prioritise and take responsibility for own workload
Experience and Knowledge Required
Essential criteria
18. Team player
19. Practical awareness of issues affecting patient safety and risk
20. Detailed understanding of the role of a Therapy Assistant Awareness of what is important to a patient.
Desirable criteria
21. Experience of working as part of a health or social care team or other multi disciplinary team
22. Experience of responsibility for decision making