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Job summary

Main area
Rehabilitation
Grade
Band 3
Contract
6 months (6 months fixed term temporary)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (7 day service)
Job ref
153-SP05423
Employer
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Town
Bournemouth
Salary
£24,937 - £26,598 pa/pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
05/01/2026 23:59

Employer heading

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust logo

Therapy Assistant - Acute Therapy Inpatients

Band 3

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce. 

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.

Job overview

We are pleased to announce we are recruiting for a full-time 6 month fixed-term temporary Band 3 rotational therapy assistant post within the acute therapy team at Bournemouth hospital.

Within the acute setting the acute therapy team assess and manage patients across different specialities including front door admissions, gastroenterology, respiratory, endocrine, cardiac, haematology, surgical, vascular and critical care. The post is likely to have a focus within the medical team including the areas of gastroenterology, respiratory, endocrine, cardiac, haematology. 

As a team we are passionate in ensuring that any individual presenting to our acute hospital receive the highest quality care from clinicians with a holistic approach and passion in caring for people.

Previous experience of working within an acute hospital or community setting would be desirable.

The key responsibilities would require you to work alongside the therapists on acute wards, supporting the team with rehabilitating patients and enabling them to return to their pre-admission level of independence and function.

The applicant will require a valid driving licence to support with equipment deliveries and home visits. 

Base Location: Cross site working between Poole and Bournemouth Hospital

Interview Date: 13th January 2026

 

Main duties of the job

You will be required to achieve a certain competency level for which the support and training will be provided to help you achieve. We have a structured in-house training programme and a supportive team of clinical staff.

The post will include 7 day working and therefore the post holder will be expected to participate in weekend working. The post holder will need to be able to speak English as necessary for the role.

Some administrative responsibilities will be required within this role.

Working for our organisation

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD.  They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.

In some cases this means that a services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term.  Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have at interview.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • NVQ III Care/Health and Social Care/PromotingIndependence/Diagnostic and Therapeutic Support, or A qualification of this level or above and relevant to working in a care setting

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Previous work as a Therapy Assistant or equivalent (e.g. Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy Assistant, HCA, or another relevant role where direct patient care is involved).
  • Assessing individuals function and mobility
  • Promoting independence
Desirable criteria
  • Previous experience working in a hospital
  • Previous experience working with the elderly/or disabled

Technical skills and competencies

Essential criteria
  • Ability to work independently, on ward and/or in patient’s homes, working on own initiative with guidance/supervision from qualified staff
  • Effective time management skills
  • Ability to manage own caseload with access to qualified staff.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience with a range of manual handling equipment e.g. hoists, stand hoists, samhall turner
  • Methods of gait re-education
  • Delivering exercise programs to individuals and groups

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Basic rehabilitation techniques
  • Manual Handling Techniques

Interpersonal skills

Essential criteria
  • Ability to communicate verbally
  • Ability to write results of interventions clearly and concisely
  • Basic teaching skills
  • Ability work as part of a team
  • Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role
  • Ability to work independently, on ward and/or in patient’s homes, working on own initiative with guidance/supervision from qualified staff

Personal attributes

Essential criteria
  • Flexible attitude
  • Well motivated
  • Able to take direction from senior staff
  • Empathy with older people
  • Ability to recognize boundaries of own job role

Other requirements specific to role

Essential criteria
  • Ability to drive and hold a clean driver’s license
  • Ability to use a keyboard to access and input information from a computer based system
  • Ability to move and handle patients and equipment using approved techniques
  • Ability to work in confined spaces

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Disability Confident - two yearsUHD ValuesApprenticeships logoArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into health

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
Kat Upshall
Job title
Clinical Lead Physiotherapist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0300 019 4403
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