Therapy Assistant Practitioner | University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Posting date:	13 February 2026
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£27,485 - £30,162 per annum
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	15 March 2026
Location:	Christchurch, BH23 2JX
Company:	Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7731674/153-SP05601

Summary

An exciting opportunity to join the Interim Care Assessment Team as a Therapy Assistant Practitioner.

Our highly regarded team is an early supported discharge to assess service based at Christchurch Hospital. We support patients home who are medically ready to leave the acute hospital setting but who require additional support to regain and optimise their independence. We are a therapy-led service and you would be working alongside Nurses and Occupational Therapists. You would support with the supervision of senior therapy assistants

Interview Date: 9th March 2026



·To provide assessment & therapy interventions to a caseload of patients discharged from the acute hospitals to facilitate effective recovery from acute illness and trauma.

·To modify and update care and therapy goal plans to reflect patient needs.

·To provide induction, core training and clinical supervision to a small number of therapy assistants to support the team to deliver a high quality service.

·To lead on audits as requested by the clinical lead including audits to review compliance with medication administration chart protocols and documentation standards.

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.


If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.


UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.


AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.


1. To manage a community caseload of patients requiring a supported home from hospital
assessment service.
2. To carry out community care reviews with non-complex patients to modify and update their
goal and care plans and determine their needs of the service.
3. To refer on patients with more complex problems or issues to the registered therapist or nurse
as required.
4. To carry out functional assessments to determine the patient’s level of independence and aid basic clinical decision making within agreed protocols.
These assessments will include, but not be limited to:
 Personal care assessments, (washing, dressing, grooming.)
 Functional Mobility
 Transfers: bed, chair, toilet and car
 Domestic Activities.
 Environmental home falls assessments
5. To complete assessments requested by a registered clinician. These may include but will not be limited to:
 Mood assessments
 Clinical observations
 Cognitive assessments
 Environmental home falls assessments
 Gait, strength and balance assessments
 Pressure sore risk assessments
 Nutritional screening
6. To assess for, demonstrate & issue routine aids and equipment to patients using the most appropriate teaching techniques to enable independence.
7. To ensure equipment ordered is safely and correctly fitted in a timely manner.
8. Deal appropriately with unforeseen clinical and practical difficulties and use problem solving skills to resolve issues as quickly as is practical.
9. To provide personal care to patients as required using trust infection control processes and personal protective equipment.
10. To write and check medication administration records in line with the trust operating policy.
11. To provide patients with information and advice regarding issues of health and social care to ensure patient’s needs are met once discharged.
12. To document the results of Therapy intervention following Trust and departmental guidelines, to ensure continuity of care.
13. Access patient information from the available health and social care information systems to inform therapy process
14. To identify patients where social care issues are a problem and refer them to the appropriate services to ensure a holistic approach to treatment.
15. All of the above is to be completed under the guidance/supervision of a qualified therapist and if identified patients have more complex needs they should be handed over to a qualified Therapist/nurse to continue their assessment/treatment/discharge plan.
16. To keep up to date with clinical knowledge and skills by undertaking self-directed study, attending formal training as available, and liaising with registered clinical staff


This advert closes on Sunday 1 Mar 2026

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.