Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Therapy Assistant - Early Supported Discharge for Stroke

The closing date is 30 September 2025

Job summary

Come and join our specialist, dynamic and friendly multidisciplinary team to support patients in their recovery from stroke! We are looking for a new Therapy Assistant in our Early Supported Discharge Team. Our team supports patients in their own homes immediately following hospital discharge and for up to 12 weeks. You'll work to support intervention planned by the Therapists and will help patients with their Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech & Language Therapy, in addition to delivering stroke education.

You'll manage a caseload with guidance, and support non-clinical duties too, like ordering equipment and data entry. You'll need to work flexibly sometimes in response to service demands.

We have a positive approach to development and value our staff, supporting regular training, supervision and appraisal.

We have extensive health and wellbeing support within the organisation, including a wellbeing hub, free staff gym and excellent catering facilities. We endeavour to support work/life balance for our staff.

Are you motivated, a good communicator and team worker? If you're enthusiastic and committed to providing high standards, do get in touch.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will

Assist the therapy team in providing a range of treatments under the guidance and supervision of qualified staff, to facilitate patients to reach their optimum level of health, independence and social integration. This will include gathering collateral information from patients and providing intervention within set parameters to facilitate patients reaching their optimum level of independence and social integration

Work independently, under the guidance and supervision of qualified staff

Maintain effective communication links with patients, carers and all relevant professionals as appropriate

Continue professional and personal development including participation in training programmes

Undertake non-clinical duties related to the treatment and management of patients, i.e. ordering of equipment, recording contacts/stats

There is an expectation that the post holder will be required to travel between sites for meetings/training as necessary and to support other teams if required.

About us

Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North-West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond.

Over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff make up our workforce, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites, Ashford, Surrey and St Peter's, Chertsey, Surrey.

We also run many specialist clinics in the community and local community hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

Our vision is to be one of the best healthcare Trusts in the country. There has never been a better time to join us in the NHS at ASPH. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to shape our workforce around our patient care.

We are expanding our theatres at Ashford Hospital and moving towards this becoming our dedicated elective centre. We want to create a state-of-the-art centre for excellence for planned surgical procedures.

We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:

Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
On-site Nurseries
On-site staff cafes
On-site parking
Support in career development
Salary Sacrifice schemes including wage stream, lease cars, Cycle to Work schemes and home electronics

Adverts may close early, so applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

For more information about a career at ASPH please visit:www.asph-careers.org

Date posted

18 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£26,240 to £27,928 a year per annum inc. HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

323-ACS2671-ED

Job locations

Ashford Hospital

London Road

Ashford

TW15 3AA

Job description

Job responsibilities

Work in collaboration with other team members to provide a service for patients within the specialty, assisting in the implementation of programmes to meet individual needs

Provide therapeutic intervention for individual patients to maintain or improve function in mobility, personal, social and domestic activities including accessing the community, and evaluating the findings, to feed back to qualified therapists.

Work with patients individually or in a group, in a variety of settings as directed by a qualified therapist.

Understand the Assistants role in contributing to disease prevention and health promotion

Contribute to patient education using agreed programme in the service area

Organise the identified workload efficiently and effectively regarding clinical priorities and use of time

Plan treatment programmes, adapting and progressing the rehabilitation of patients within the guidelines set by the assessing therapists. This will include modifying treatments to take account of changes in the patients physical and mental state.

Identify and manage clinical risk within own clinical caseload, and report to supervising clinician

Be able to judge when patient is unwell and deteriorating, and call for appropriate assistance in a timely manner

Be aware of problems that could affect the patients progress and report back any changes to senior staff

Supply aids and appliances (e.g. walking aids and ADL equipment) ensuring appropriate sizing and education of client in the correct use of appliance, as prescribed by a qualified therapist.

Demonstrate knowledge of a range of manual handling and mobility skills relevant to the management of patients, including safe use of transfer equipment

Understand local referral and prioritisation processes

Contribute to the discharge planning process from the service, completing delegated onward referrals to different agencies where required

Be independently responsible for time management, planning and organisation of daily workloads as delegated by a qualified clinician

Work to the standards of individual speciality areas and ensure that the background knowledge within each area is acquired through independent learning and collaboration during the working day with qualified staff

Maintain the high standards of the service by contributing towards individual, team and service objectives

Advocate for service users, their families and carers, as well as staff

Identify and develop own leadership skills e.g. by volunteering to support broader opportunities

Demonstrate an awareness of your own and others health and wellbeing needs and ask for support when needed

Develop, manage and maintain positive, appropriate relationships with service users, families and carers, demonstrating respect and kindness, and promoting dignity, compassion and empathy at all times

Maintain strict confidentiality regarding patient and staff information, adhering to organisational policies and procedures

Maintain accurate and legible records of all interventions and management

Ensure competence in the accurate and effective use of email, and all Trust IT systems to record patient notes and activity

Use a range of verbal, non-verbal, written and presentation skills appropriately with colleagues, patients and carers

Adapt communication methods accordingly for those with barriers to understanding, communication or challenging behaviour

Be able to engage, persuade and motivate patients through effective communication to optimise treatment outcome

Convey information in a sensitive manner taking account of differences in expectations, cultural beliefs or desires

Report back directly to the MDT, particularly re any changes in functional abilities, relevant information gained, or patients comments linked to treatment

Attend appropriate team meetings and liaise with other agencies and members of the MDT, participating in the clinical decision-making process to ensure planned, coordinated and effective delivery of care

Demonstrate ability to manage potentially stressful and upsetting or emotional situations in an appropriate and empathetic manner

Attend staff meetings and relevant training, and actively participate

Participate in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), including competency-based training programmes, to develop knowledge and skills by attending relevant opportunities and keeping statutory/mandatory training up to date

Take responsibility for and actively record own personal development through educational and experiential learning

Participate in regular meetings with clinical supervisor/mentor to include clinical supervision and appraisal

Provide appropriate advice, demonstrate own activities or workplace routines to new or less experienced employees or students, including during induction of new staff

Be aware of new developments generally within Therapies, and within the area of work particularly

Be aware of and demonstrate boundaries in personal scope of practice

Have an awareness of the importance of Evidence Based Practice

Participate in quality/ development projects, including audit, as directed

Contribute to the evaluation of the service and make improvements and alterations with support