Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Therapy Assistant

The closing date is 25 June 2025

Job summary

Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week

Are you looking for new challenge? Would you like to enhance your skills in post-operative Orthopaedic rehabilitation? This is an exciting opportunity to work as a Senior Therapy Assistant within our Orthopaedic therapy team at the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust. The post is fixed term for 15 months to assist in the delivery of treatment to patients post hip fracture as part of a national randomised controlled trial.

Our teams provide therapy to a range of specialities including orthopaedics, frailty, medical and respiratory services at the Countess of Chester hospital. You will be working alongside an experienced therapy team within the Inpatient Orthopaedic Therapy service, which includes both trauma and elective wards. The role includes working closely with our Multidisciplinary team to ensure we achieve best patient care.

Good communication, adaptability and team working skills are essential for this post. Experience of working with as a Therapy Assistant with adults in a care setting is essential for the role. Previous experience in Orthopaedics is desirable.

The post is varied, and the post holder will need be able to work under their own initiative with supervision from the therapy team.

Main duties of the job

Main Duties

To provide support to the therapists in the assessment and treatment of patients and to implement therapy programmes, predominantly post surgery for hip fracture

You will be a positive individual with a can-do attitude who can learn and adapt quickly and is flexible.

Effective communication with excellent organisational skills and the ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.Applicants should always have a professional and pleasant manner and be enthusiastic about the service provided by the Orthopaedic Therapy Team.

Comprehensive training will be provided for all aspects of the work expected by the post holder.

This post requires an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.

You will be expected to work weekends and Bank holidays on a rota basis.

About us

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

  • The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
  • Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
  • Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.

Details

Date posted

17 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pa

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

15 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

210-2025-413

Job locations

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH2 1UL


Job description

Job responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Job description

Job responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ level 4 or equivalent
  • ECDL or CLIAT qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience working in a health or social care setting, working as a therapy assistant
  • Experience of delivering therapy programmes to patients with complex needs
  • Supervisory experience
  • Knowledge of a range of presenting conditions and implications for swallowing and communication
  • Carry out interventions using a criteria led discharge protocol
  • Able to undertake reviews and amend action plans accordingly

Desirable

  • Understanding of professional conduct
  • Health, safety and risk awareness
  • Experience of undertaking reviews and amending action plans
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ level 4 or equivalent
  • ECDL or CLIAT qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience working in a health or social care setting, working as a therapy assistant
  • Experience of delivering therapy programmes to patients with complex needs
  • Supervisory experience
  • Knowledge of a range of presenting conditions and implications for swallowing and communication
  • Carry out interventions using a criteria led discharge protocol
  • Able to undertake reviews and amend action plans accordingly

Desirable

  • Understanding of professional conduct
  • Health, safety and risk awareness
  • Experience of undertaking reviews and amending action plans

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH2 1UL


Employer's website

https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH2 1UL


Employer's website

https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Orthopaedic Therapy Team Leader

Hannah Hughes

hannah.hughes35@nhs.net

01244366918

Details

Date posted

17 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pa

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

15 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

210-2025-413

Job locations

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH2 1UL


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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