Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Sport & Exercise Therapy Instructor

The closing date is 10 February 2026

Job summary

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

This role has been set up with funding from the South East London MHLDA Quality Improvement Plan. The overall aim of this plan is to ensure that staff and service users in the inpatient services can be supported in the most effective way through a holistic and inclusive therapeutic care environment.

Woodlands (Bexley), Green Parks House (Bromley), and Oxleas House (Greenwich) are psychiatric acute units treating adults aged 18-65 with severe mental illness who cannot be safely managed in the community. This role will be based across all three sites.

The post holder will work under the supervision of the Directorate Lead Occupational Therapist to deliver sport & exercise therapy, with support from the Trust Sport & Fitness Lead. This entails planning and implementing an evidence-based exercise prescription programme, tailored to the clinical conditions of the service user/s needs.

The Sport & Exercise Therapy instructor will work with both individuals and groups offering a range of sporting activities.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work under the supervision of the Directorate Lead Occupational Therapist to deliver sport & exercise therapy, with support from the Trust Sport & Fitness Lead. This entails planning and implementing an evidence-based exercise prescription programme, tailored to the clinical conditions of the service user/s needs.

The Sport & Exercise Therapy instructor will work with both individuals and groups offering a range of sporting activities.

About us

At Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, we offer a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people living in South-East London and to people in prison across England. Our wide array of services includes community health care, such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies.

Oxleas is a great place to work. It has been recognised as one of the Top 10 Best Places to Work 2023 by the Sunday Times amongst very big employers. Our staff survey results show that we are in the Top 5 in England and the highest in London for staff experience amongst similar trusts.

Details

Date posted

27 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£31,081 to £33,665 a year pa inc pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

277-7764088-AAC

Job locations

Oxleas House, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

Woolwich

SE18 4QH


Job description

Job responsibilities

Facilitate sports and fitness programmes for service users across all three inpatient sites, offering a range of sports and fitness activities as well as encourage access to community sports programmes to promote social inclusion.

Manage own clinical caseload.

Work autonomously under the supervision of the Directorate Lead Occupational Therapist.

Apply evidence-based methods, experience and skill set to assist in providing therapeutic sport, exercise and physical activities for individuals/groups of service users.

Communicate with service users/carers and MDT.

Provide feedback on caseload and therapeutic activities at monthly supervision.

Have an awareness of local sport, exercise and physical activity providers that will promote social inclusion and skills development for service users.

Undertake additional delegated responsibilities as directed by the Directorate Lead Occupational Therapist.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Facilitate sports and fitness programmes for service users across all three inpatient sites, offering a range of sports and fitness activities as well as encourage access to community sports programmes to promote social inclusion.

Manage own clinical caseload.

Work autonomously under the supervision of the Directorate Lead Occupational Therapist.

Apply evidence-based methods, experience and skill set to assist in providing therapeutic sport, exercise and physical activities for individuals/groups of service users.

Communicate with service users/carers and MDT.

Provide feedback on caseload and therapeutic activities at monthly supervision.

Have an awareness of local sport, exercise and physical activity providers that will promote social inclusion and skills development for service users.

Undertake additional delegated responsibilities as directed by the Directorate Lead Occupational Therapist.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • Relevant qualifications (see person spec)

Desirable

  • Degree in relevant field

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a health or social care setting

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a mental health setting

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

  • Knowledge of disorders/complexities prevalent in acute mental health care
  • Health, safety and risk awareness
Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • Relevant qualifications (see person spec)

Desirable

  • Degree in relevant field

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a health or social care setting

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a mental health setting

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

  • Knowledge of disorders/complexities prevalent in acute mental health care
  • Health, safety and risk awareness

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

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Oxleas House, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

Woolwich

SE18 4QH


Employer's website

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Oxleas House, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

Woolwich

SE18 4QH


Employer's website

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Directorate Lead for Allied Health Professionals

Clare Forbes

c.forbes6@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

27 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£31,081 to £33,665 a year pa inc pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

277-7764088-AAC

Job locations

Oxleas House, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

Woolwich

SE18 4QH


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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