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Job summary

Main area
Physiotherapy
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 30 hours per week
Job ref
418-AHP3745-MA
Employer
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Bedford Hospital
Town
Bedford
Salary
£24,625 - £25,674 per annum, pro-rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
16/07/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Physiotherapy Assistant - Falls

NHS AfC: Band 3

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the falls physiotherapy team for a Senior Physiotherapy assistant working part time.  Working 30 hours per week over 4 days.

Over recent months the team has expanded to incorporate new and innovative ways of working.  The post will complement the ongoing running of groups, assessment and treatment of this complex group of patients.  The post will also be involved in expanding the service to cover groups working on strength and balance.

Main duties of the job

What will I be doing in my new role?

The workload is varied, involving the delivery and administration of assessment and treatment to elderly patients who have had / are at risk of falling, in a group, out-patient or domiciliary setting.

What about the department I will join?

The team is a close knit group of staff providing physiotherapy to patients with falls in a variety of settings.  The team is driven to improve outcomes for every patient they have contact with.

Although we have a very strong learning and development function, we appreciate you will need to have acquired some skills and experience from your career you will require in order for your time with us to be a real success. These can be found in the Person and Job Description attachments. However we have highlighted three of them below:

  • Excellent and adaptable verbal communication skills are necessary as you will work with patients and families who have very different needs.
  • Evidence of team working and a desire to work with people is therefore essential.
  • Due to the community nature of this post and exercise groups being carried out across the county in addition to individual home visits it will be essential that you are able to independently travel and be physically able to carry and delver equipment.

Working for our organisation

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton.  Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.

You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.

We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.

All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.

Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities

  • To be responsible for your own time management and communicate effectively with others members of the team to ensure patients receive a holistic treatment package.
  • To be responsible for the agreed treatment and rehabilitation goals of 
    patients in close co-operation with the physiotherapists
  • To prioritise the needs of the patients on a day-to-day basis and adjust the delivery of treatment programme as appropriate.
  • To select the appropriate therapeutic media in order to achieve the set goals. Taking into account the patient’s current level of function and any medical conditions that may contraindicate treatment.
  • To give instruction, direction, guidance and education on treatments, 
    exercises, manual handling and positioning, to monitor, review and adjust the treatments when necessary.
  • To monitor clients progress and identifying when to report back to the Therapist. Identifying own limitations of knowledge to ensure best practice and safety in the patients treatment.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Good general education to GCSE or equivalent
Desirable criteria
  • Attended internal and external courses as an Assistant
  • Been assessed as achieved KSF competencies to specified level

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience in working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Theoretical and practical training to NVQ III level or equivalent
Desirable criteria
  • Experience as Therapy Assistant
  • Basic competency training e.g progression of mobility, individual exercise programmes etc
  • Good basic working knowledge of patient related conditions

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Excellent communication skills and good use of the English language
  • Ability to cope with stressful situations/environments and with emotional or aggressive patients and carers
  • Empathy, able to communicate with patients, relatives, carers and external agencies

Personal Skills

Essential criteria
  • Open/Reflective/Warm
  • Enthusiastic and self-aware
  • Creative and Flexible
  • Team focussed
  • Reliable, Adaptable and Dependable

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Care quality commission - GoodDisability confident employerNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024Employer with Heart

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Julie Collins
Job title
Team Lead Physiotherapist
Email address
[email protected]
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