Therapy Support Worker

Company Description

Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.

Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Job Description

NHS Band 3 Salary: £25,760 - £27,476 per annum

Hours Per Week: Full time 37.5

Contract:  Permanent

This Therapy Technician role sits within our Acute Stroke Therapy team. The role supports the delivery of specialist Stroke Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy input to patients who have recently had a Stroke, on a 34-bed Hyper-Acute and Acute Stroke Unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth; one of the busiest Acute Stroke units in the country.

You will work alongside a cohesive multidisciplinary team to deliver rehabilitation to patients in the early stages following a stroke, under the guidance and education of highly skilled, registered Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists. In addition to the primarily clinical work, you will be responsible for a number of administration and organisational tasks for the team.

You should:

• Have strong communication skills,
• Work well within a team,
• Be organised,
• Be keen to learn and develop your therapeutic skills,
• Be motivated to provide excellent, patient-centred care.

For further information about this opportunity or an informal visit please contact Laura Ineson, bleep 1038 via Switchboard – 02392 286000, or extension 6438.

Main Duties of the Role:

• Delivering therapy input to patients in the early stages post-stroke, with guidance from qualified Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists. This includes therapeutic handling, delivering exercise programmes and personal and functional rehabilitation (such as washing, dressing, toileting).
• Using a wide range of communication skills to support patients with varying levels of ability to engage in the rehabilitation process.
• Working closely with nursing and healthcare support worker colleagues with patient transfers and seating.
• Responsibility for data input and other non-clinical tasks.

Example of main duties:

• To assist therapists with treatments as appropriate which will include therapeutic handling, personal and functional assessments (including washing & dressing, toileting and kitchen assessments), carrying out programmes of exercise and education in order to support the progress of patients to discharge.
• Ensure that all patients treated understand the therapy process they are about to receive and have given valid and informed consent. The therapy support worker will be expected to use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills e.g. explanation, negotiation, persuasion and demonstrate empathy to ensure effective communication with patients at all times.
• To initiate contact with patients and carers in some circumstances, as guided by the therapist, including the gathering of pertinent clinical and social information. This will require the use of tact and sensitivity and an observation of confidentiality.
• Therapy Support Workers will need to be aware of, and appropriately manage, sensitive and / or complicated information related to patient's diagnosis or social situation. Many patients will demonstrate high levels of anxiety and sometimes aggression caused by pain, confusion or as a result of their health condition.
• To carry out activities of daily living with patients or lead a patient through specific exercise regimes as part of an overall treatment plan set out in broad terms by the therapists.

For further information about the role please refer to the Job Description

Qualifications

• Maths & English GSCEs (grades 9-4 or A*-C) OR Functional skills level 2 in English & Maths (required)
• Care Certificate (required) – This must be completed within 3 months of joining the Trust
• Level 3 Apprenticeship or equivalent (Desirable)

Additional Information

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and Disability, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs. 

For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026