Job summary
- Main area
- Sports instructor
- Grade
- Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent: This is a full time position working Monday - Friday.
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday-Friday)
- Job ref
- 186-892-26-FS
- Employer
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Wells Road Centre
- Town
- Nottingham
- Salary
- £25,760 - £27,476 per annum (pro rata for part-time)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 25/10/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Sports Instructor
Band 3
We fully support the use of AI and other tools to assist in writing your application. However, it's essential that the content, especially your supporting statement, is personalised and factually accurate. Your application should reflect your genuine experiences and qualifications to ensure authenticity and credibility
Job overview
In line with the Equality Act 2010 there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement to appoint a Male to this post on the grounds of
*Decency or privacy
*The provision of personal services
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 3 Sports Instructor to provide gym sessions , sporting activities and a variety of physical activities to the five wards This will include onsite group sessions, individual sessions and accessing community resources.
Interventions will include supporting patients with increasing their physical activity using the onsite gym and sports hall and community resources.
You will have a Level 2 fitness or gym instructor qualification. qualifications in sport/exercise coaching plus GCSE/ GCE or equivalent in Maths and English. Having knowledge of a range of sporting activities.
You will be a team player and have skills in motivating others and experience in working with individuals with mental health needs.
You will need to have good communication and negotiation skills, you will have experience of group and individual planning and delivery and be able to work independently and be highly adaptable.
Main duties of the job
To provide gym access, sports hall and deliver a range of physical activity and sports to the patients.
To lead on the provision of physical activity and safe access to the gym under the direction of the ward Occupational Therapists.
To develop opportunity for pathways from the hospital setting into mainstream physical activity and sporting opportunity.
To educate and supervise support staff in supervising the use of the hospital gym equipment and gym programmes devised by the sports instructor.
To be a team member contributing to the overall activity and treatment programme delivered to service users.
To develop, deliver and evaluate the physical activity that is offered.
To deliver and support attendance to community based interventions with patients
Working for our organisation
#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire,Leicestershire,Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.
We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.
We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.
The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.
The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To plan and deliver a needs led sports, fitness and physical programme for patients using a range of interventions based on best available evidence and patient's interests. This will include sessions in the gym, sports hall and in the community for individuals and groups.
To provide safe and quality access to the the onsite gym and sports hall for patients.
To contribute and support clinical physical assessment in collaboration with Occupational Therapist and devise plans on physical activity/sports programme for the individuals/ groups.
To build therapeutic rapport and develop individual's skill and confidence.
To develop and deliver social inclusion activities.
To understand the individual's need and associated risk to enable escorted duties and participation in physical activity and community engagement.
To be responsible for the provision of gym access and physical activity and have responsibility for the appropriate use of the gyms and sports hall.
To develop, deliver and evaluate physical activity and gym accessibility for individual's that is socially inclusive and meets their needs.
To work in collaboration with all professionals within the service and the Trust.
Please note that this post does not meet the pay level required for a Skilled worker visa.
Successful applicants with no prior NHS experience would normally be placed at the bottom of the band in line with Agenda for Change. This salary is below the minimum salary required for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa. In these circumstances the Trust would not, therefore, be able to sponsor for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa.
Applicants requiring a Skilled Worker Visa can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship against the relevant criteria here https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £20.00 (standard) or £41.00 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Gym instructor Level 2 or equivalent qualifications in sports/exercise
- GCSE/GCE or equivalent in English and Maths
Desirable criteria
- Level 3 gym instructor qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with individuals with mental health needs
- Experience and understanding of working in team setting, liaising with colleagues, other agencies, and services
- Experience of communicating with a range of other agencies within healthcare setting
- experience of motivating individuals
- Experience of planning and facilitating a variety of 1:1 and or group interventions
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working within Occupational therapy teams
- Experience of working within mental health or the forensic setting
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates an awareness of mental health services
- Demonstrates an understanding of cultural and diversity needs of individuals
- Has an awareness of health and safety issues within the work place
- Has a basic understanding of the purpose and the role of Occupational therapy within mental health care
- Knowledge of a range of sport/ gym/ physical activities
- Knowledge in developing networks with other sporting agencies
- Understanding of current physical health initiatives
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of forensic low secure services
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to motivate others with varying interest in physical activity
- IT skills relevant to post
- Ability to communicate to a range of people on a range of matters, in a range of forms
- Ability to organise and deliver group and individual sessions
- Ability to identify risk and to take responsiblity for self and others in ensuring legislation, policies, and procedures are followed in the work place
- Ability to actively participate in development of the service
- Has an identified interest / area of expertise within physical activity e.g. walking , swimming, Pilates, tai -chi
Physical requirements
Essential criteria
- Ability to engage in physical exercise in a range of environments , gym, sports hall, community
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Nikisha Ayre
- Job title
- Occupational Therapy Team Leader
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01159691300
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