Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Community COPD Rehabilitation Assistant

The closing date is 03 August 2025

Job summary

Would you like to work in a supportive specialist team? We may be the team for you.

This is an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic and committed person to join the Community COPD Service in West Sussex as a Band 3 Community COPD Rehabilitation Assistant. You will be working as part of a dynamic multi-disciplinary team comprising of nurses, physios, occupational therapist, and community rehabilitation assistants.

The COPD team support chronic respiratory patients in the community. We work to help patients independently manage their lung condition on a day to day basis and to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. The main focus of the role is to assist in pulmonary rehabilitation provision.

It is essential that applicants hold a full UK driving licence and have a car available for work, as the successful applicant will be required to attend clinic settings.

Please note: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role is unlikely to be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.

Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes - GOV.UK

Health and Care Worker visa: If you'll need to meet different salary requirements - GOV.UK

Main duties of the job

a) Under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, participate in planned treatment activities (such as spirometry, nebuliser provision, inhaler technique, Home exercise programmes) taking into account the fluctuating needs of the patient.

b) To implement care plans and follow programmes set up by Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Nurses.

c) To observe any changes in a patient's condition, record accurately and report back any changes or concerns to an appropriate clinician.

d) To undertake patients physical measurements under the direction of a qualified practitioner.

e) To maintain effective documentation in patient records as required by the integrated respiratory service and Sussex community NHS Trust

f) To undertake further training to gain skills and knowledge in specific clinical areas as needed eg spirometry

g) To assist the qualified practitioner with home assessments if required.

h) To assess and instruct in the use of prescribed daily living equipment if necessary and practice its safe use with the patient.

i) To report effectively to the team on patient's progress and performance in relation to the patient goals.

j) To assist in the induction, training and education of students, volunteers and other staff members.

k) To participate in audit and evaluation of the service as requested.

l) To assist in the provision of Pulmonary rehabilitation

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?o Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeingo Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussexo Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retiremento Excellent training, development, and research opportunitieso Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brightono Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networkso Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trusto Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast

Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Details

Date posted

25 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year Per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

150-KB1836-CC

Job locations

Southfield house

Liverpool gardens

Worthing

BN11 1RY


Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

a) To contribute to the care provision and review of the respiratory patient, minimising risks and promoting recovery by supporting a multi-disciplinary approach to delivering individualised care, self-management and preventing unplanned hospital admissions.

b) To empower clients, adopting a problem solving approach, encouraging and giving clients the confidence and skills to improve the self-management of their chronic respiratory disease.

For further information please see job description and person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

a) To contribute to the care provision and review of the respiratory patient, minimising risks and promoting recovery by supporting a multi-disciplinary approach to delivering individualised care, self-management and preventing unplanned hospital admissions.

b) To empower clients, adopting a problem solving approach, encouraging and giving clients the confidence and skills to improve the self-management of their chronic respiratory disease.

For further information please see job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications and/or Professional Registration

Essential

  • Good standard of education

Desirable

  • NVQ level 3 in Health Care
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation technician course
  • NVQ level 2

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a caring environment in health, social or voluntary services
  • Relevant experience as physiotherapy / OT assistant / Health Care Assistant

Desirable

  • Experience of working with adults in the community
  • Experience with chronic disease advice
  • Knowledge and experience in rehabilitation

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Ability to work as a team member
  • Ability to work unsupervised
  • Ability to use initiative and have an empathetic approach
  • Willingness to undertake job related training, multidisciplinary competencies and NVQs
  • Excellent communication skills and an ability to communicate effectively with patient/families/carers/team members
  • Ability to understand work related boundaries and refer matter of importance to a senior colleague
  • Ability to follow detailed instruction
  • Ability to document efficiently and effectively
  • Computer literate

Desirable

  • Rehabilitation skills
  • Venepuncture skills
  • Basic knowledge in the use of respiratory equipment used in the community

Other requirements

Essential

  • Be able to communicate information effectively to patients, carers and relevant staff.
  • Ability to manage own caseload
  • Good time management skills.
  • Car/driver with vehicle available for work purposes (unless under Equality Act)
Person Specification

Qualifications and/or Professional Registration

Essential

  • Good standard of education

Desirable

  • NVQ level 3 in Health Care
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation technician course
  • NVQ level 2

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a caring environment in health, social or voluntary services
  • Relevant experience as physiotherapy / OT assistant / Health Care Assistant

Desirable

  • Experience of working with adults in the community
  • Experience with chronic disease advice
  • Knowledge and experience in rehabilitation

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Ability to work as a team member
  • Ability to work unsupervised
  • Ability to use initiative and have an empathetic approach
  • Willingness to undertake job related training, multidisciplinary competencies and NVQs
  • Excellent communication skills and an ability to communicate effectively with patient/families/carers/team members
  • Ability to understand work related boundaries and refer matter of importance to a senior colleague
  • Ability to follow detailed instruction
  • Ability to document efficiently and effectively
  • Computer literate

Desirable

  • Rehabilitation skills
  • Venepuncture skills
  • Basic knowledge in the use of respiratory equipment used in the community

Other requirements

Essential

  • Be able to communicate information effectively to patients, carers and relevant staff.
  • Ability to manage own caseload
  • Good time management skills.
  • Car/driver with vehicle available for work purposes (unless under Equality Act)

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 details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Southfield house

Liverpool gardens

Worthing

BN11 1RY


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Southfield house

Liverpool gardens

Worthing

BN11 1RY


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Team Lead

Jo Harrison

joanne.harrison8@nhs.net

01273265851

Details

Date posted

25 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year Per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

150-KB1836-CC

Job locations

Southfield house

Liverpool gardens

Worthing

BN11 1RY


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)