Therapy Assistant Practitioner Stroke/Neuro Early Supported Discharge in Christchurch

This Therapy Assistant Practitioner post is an exciting development for the Stroke & Neuro Early Supported Discharge (ESD) Service. The ESD service provides prompt and intensive, tailored rehabilitation in the patient's home environment to maximise their recovery after a stroke or neurological event. The successful candidate will be well supported and have access to training and opportunities for development. Our friendly team includes disciplines of Physiotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy, Nursing, Senior Therapy Assistants, Follow-Up and close links with the Stroke Association.

The post holder will support multi-disciplinary aspects of rehabilitation provision as required, in order to provide holistic patient care, and meet service needs.

Base Location: Canford House

Interview Date: 7th August 2026

• To be responsible for an identified caseload of non-complex patients, following initial triage/assessment from a registered therapist - facilitating return home from hospital, and maximising effective recovery and independence.
• To modify and update care and therapy goal plans to reflect patient needs.
• To provide induction, core training and clinical supervision to a small number of therapy assistants to support the team to deliver a high quality service.
• To lead on audits as requested by the clinical lead, including audits to review compliance with medication administration chart protocols and documentation standards.
• To work flexibly access all disciplines to provide holistic care and meet service needs.
• To devise, implement, review and progress treatment programmes, within a defined scope of practice, and with reference to a qualified therapist.

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview. If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

UHD has active networks including Women’s, DEN, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes. AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.

• Communication: To use a range of verbal and non-verbal tools to communicate effectively with patients during assessment and treatment to engage them with rehabilitation plans. This may include patients, family and other agencies. This includes using teaching skills to enable education.
• Analytical and Judgement Skills: To assess the patient’s level of functional independence and make decisions on appropriate action such as making changes to the goal and care plan or onward referral to registered clinicians within the team. This includes dealing appropriately with unforeseen clinical and practical difficulties and using problem solving skills to resolve issues as quickly as is practical and communicate and escalate to relevant qualified staff.
• Planning and Organisational Skills: Plan and organise rehabilitation and care plans for individual patients, taking into account their individual preferences and wishes and using a strength-based approach. In addition, to exercise good personal time management, punctuality reliability and a consistently reliable attendance record.
• Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy: To manage a community caseload of patients requiring rehabilitation following stroke or other neurological diagnosis, as part of the Early Supported Discharge model. This includes carrying out Welcome Home, Half Way and Discharge visits with non-complex patients, to modify and update their goal and care plans and determine their needs of the service. All of the above is to be completed under the guidance/supervision of a qualified therapist and if identified patients have more complex needs they should be handed over to a qualified Therapist to continue their assessment/treatment/discharge plans.
• Responsibility for Policy / Service Development: To adhere to professional standards, codes of practice and policies of the Trust, and to assist with compliance for departmental operating procedures.
• Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources: To undertake any non-clinical/clerical duties as necessary. This may include maintaining stock levels, filing, dealing with telephone calls, and booking appointments.
• Responsibility for Human Resources: To be responsible for day to day supervision of the therapy assistants within the service with the support of the registered clinicians.
• Responsibility for Information Resources and Administrative Duties: To be responsible for maintenance of concise and accurate written documentation consistent with legal and organisational requirements.
• Responsibility for Research and Development: Undertakes surveys or audits as necessary and requested by the clinical lead.
• Mental, Physical, and Emotional Effort: Ability to carry out therapeutic and manual handling activities (involving patients and/or equipment). Ability to deal sensitively with patients who have high levels of anxiety caused by neurological changes, pain, dementia or limited ability with occasional exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances.
• Other Specific Tasks: To have full driving licence and business insurance. Ability to drive within local geographical region and have access to a car for business use as cross-site working will be required.