East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Therapy Assistant Practitioner

The closing date is 06 November 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our Integrated Occupational and Physiotherapy team. This position will be based in older peoples services (OPS). The role will consist of rehabilitation and reablement of older people, which may have cognitive impairments such as dementia. The acute OPS team aims to support discharge of patients from the acute, to the community in a timely manner.

We are seeking someone with experience of working as a Therapy assistant or experience at a similar level in a related field of health or social care. You will be taking a key role supporting Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists but also working independently in the assessment and safe discharge planning of patients from hospital.

You will have demonstrable experience of delivering tailored rehabilitation and care of a wide variety of patients. You will carry out assessment for and provision of appropriate equipment. Experience of working in an acute hospital setting would be beneficial.

A flexible approach to working hours including supporting a 7 day service and working Saturday/Sunday shifts on a rota basis.

We offer a very supportive approach to personal development and the opportunity to be a key part of shaping the future of how therapy services are delivered. There is a clear competency framework, and opportunity for teaching and training.

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Main duties of the job

To manage and organise a designated caseload of patients and own professional activities across the older peoples wards
To provide specific skilled support to the registered therapists in providing technical therapy interventions to patients in a variety of settings.
To use an evidence-based, person-centred approach in the planning, implementation, evaluation and monitoring of agreed interventions following guidelines and protocols to promote the functional fitness of patients to aid discharge from hospital in a way that is consistent with their abilities, preferences and cultural beliefs.
To be able to work flexibly over a 7 day service rota.
To communicate complex and sensitive information effectively to patients using skills of persuasion, motivation, explanation, negotiation and empathy. There may be barriers to understanding such as hearing loss, speech difficulty, anxiety, fear and depression.
To work with patients and carers to identify therapy goals for safe, timely discharge, using specialist, standardised assessment tools to assess their skills deficits and functional needs.
In collaboration with the patient, to plan and implement a programme of interventions using treatment techniques to meet the patient's needs for safe timely discharge. These will be achieved using professional, theoretical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills.

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is thatTime Mattersto everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here -www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Date posted

23 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

432-HR819-25

Job locations

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Job description

Job responsibilities

Do you enjoy problem solving and demonstrating compassion in motivating people to seek independence ?

Please get in touch to discuss the post if you have any questions. We would be happy to speak to you and answer your questions.

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Do you enjoy problem solving and demonstrating compassion in motivating people to seek independence ?

Please get in touch to discuss the post if you have any questions. We would be happy to speak to you and answer your questions.

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

o Can demonstrate intermediate level of theoretical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills acquired through coursework, in-house training and experience to NVQ Level 3 level or equivalent

Experience

Essential

oExperience as a Therapy assistant or experience at a similar level in a related field of health care / health and fitness / social care sector
oDemonstrable experience of delivering tailored personal care
oCompletion of Integrated Therapies assistant core and/or specific competencies or equivalent
oExperience of rehab and reablement of patients of patients

Desirable

oKnowledge of community resources and whole systems/ pathways approach to care

Knowledge

Essential

oAbility to work on own initiative without direct supervision
oAble to maintain clinical records and complete basic reports.
oAbility to provide and receive complex and sensitive information
oKnowledge of basic medical conditions and Understanding the impact of illness and disability on individuals/families
oKnowledge of roles of the MDT
oUnderstanding of the role and application of occupational therapy and physiotherapy

Desirable

oKnowledge of various agencies and services available across Health and Social care organisations
oKnowledge of Discharge to assess models
oKnowledge of progression of goals and treatment plans

Skills

Essential

oGood written and verbal communication skills

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

o Can demonstrate intermediate level of theoretical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills acquired through coursework, in-house training and experience to NVQ Level 3 level or equivalent

Experience

Essential

oExperience as a Therapy assistant or experience at a similar level in a related field of health care / health and fitness / social care sector
oDemonstrable experience of delivering tailored personal care
oCompletion of Integrated Therapies assistant core and/or specific competencies or equivalent
oExperience of rehab and reablement of patients of patients

Desirable

oKnowledge of community resources and whole systems/ pathways approach to care

Knowledge

Essential

oAbility to work on own initiative without direct supervision
oAble to maintain clinical records and complete basic reports.
oAbility to provide and receive complex and sensitive information
oKnowledge of basic medical conditions and Understanding the impact of illness and disability on individuals/families
oKnowledge of roles of the MDT
oUnderstanding of the role and application of occupational therapy and physiotherapy

Desirable

oKnowledge of various agencies and services available across Health and Social care organisations
oKnowledge of Discharge to assess models
oKnowledge of progression of goals and treatment plans

Skills

Essential

oGood written and verbal communication skills

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

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)