About this role
Job summary
Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week
We are delighted to offer an engaging career opportunity within the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) therapy team and the Emergency Department (ED). If you're eager to make a real difference and thrive in a dynamic hospital environment, this role could be perfect for you.
We are looking for a motivated Senior Therapy Assistant to join our friendly SDEC and ED teams, delivering therapy services right at the front door. You'll play a pivotal role in supporting same day discharges, helping patients safely return home, and reducing unnecessary admissions.
Your role will involve assisting with patient assessments, focusing on mobility, transfers, and daily activities. You'll work closely with our multidisciplinary team to develop personalised discharge plans and ensure continued support from Community services, making every patient's journey as smooth as possible.
This position covers a flexible 7-day service from 8am to 6pm, offering you the chance to be part of a supportive team dedicated to excellent patient care.
Main duties of the job
As part of the team, you will assist therapists with their patient caseload, as well as help with essential administrative and housekeeping duties, keeping our service running efficiently and making a positive impact every day. You will apply your organisational and clinical skills to manage work and respond to service needs. Using your clinical expertise and strong communication, you will adjust care as necessary and refer patients to appropriate community services.
About us The Trust's services are provided from three locations: o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility. o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery
Job description Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service.Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
NVQ level 4 or equivalent ECDL or CLIAT qualification
Experience Essential
Significant experience working in a health or social care setting, working as a therapy assistant Experience of delivering therapy programmes to patients with complex needs Supervisory experience Knowledge of a range of presenting conditions. Carry out interventions using a criteria led discharge protocol Able to undertake reviews and amend action plans accordingly
Desirable
Understanding of professional conduct Health, safety and risk awareness
Skills Essential
Excellent verbal skills Able to demonstrate ability to use basic Microsoft packages such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint Good level of literacy skills to complete therapy documentation and referrals to other services Able to communicate with a range of professionals, patients and relatives regarding patient treatment plans both in the hospital and in the community
Desirable
Working knowledge of Meditech system
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address Countess of Chester Hospital
Liverpool Road
Chester
CH2 1UL
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx (Opens in a new tab)