Therapies Assistant Practitioner, Prehabilitation: Sponsorship Available

Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Job Summary

We are seeking a Band 4 Therapy Assistant to join the Prehabilitation Team at Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Our prehabilitation service delivers a patient-centred, needs-led programme within community settings across north-west surrey, supporting individuals to actively prepare–rather than passively wait–for their upcoming surgery or treatment. The programme focuses on engaging, educating, and empowering patients to become medically, physically, and psychologically fit for surgery. Sessions include structured, targeted exercise circuits as well as brief educational components delivered through our “bite-size surgery school.”

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual with experience as a physiotherapy assistant or in exercise delivery to support and lead weekly exercise classes. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong communication skills, the ability to work effectively as part of a team, and the confidence to motivate and encourage patients.

You will work under the guidance of experienced senior staff within the Physiotherapy Department and will receive regular supervision and development opportunities.

 

Main duties of the job

Clinical Duties

  • Deliver and support group exercise classes for prehabilitation cohorts across community gym sites.
  • Complete one-to-one assessments with patients at the start and end of their programme, including basic functional measures and exercise readiness screening.
  • Supervise patients throughout exercise sessions, ensuring safe and effective technique and adapting exercises where required.
  • Progress individual exercise plans within your scope of practice under the guidance of senior clinicians.
  • Monitor patient wellbeing, identify any concerns, and escalate appropriately to senior staff.
  • Provide brief education and advice to support patients’ preparation for surgery, healthy lifestyle changes, and self-management.

Non-Clinical Duties

  • Maintain cleanliness and organisation of equipment and exercise areas in line with infection control procedures.
  • Complete accurate and timely clinical documentation, including session notes, discharge summaries, and onward referrals.
  • Support data collection for service audits, outcomes monitoring, and programme evaluation.
  • Assist in administrative tasks such as scheduling, maintaining attendance records, and communicating with patients.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • GCSE/ O Level Maths and English
  • Formal qualification in relevant subject e.g. City and Guilds/ NVQ level 3 / Basic or Advanced OR relevant in-service training / education

Desirable

  • Experience of working in healthcare or exercise prescription setting

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in exercise prescription or as Band 3 as an assistant in healthcare
  • Experience of direct patient care or client facing role

Knowledge

Essential

  • Sound understanding of the role of the Therapy Assistant
  • Understanding of exercise prescription for prehabilitation

Skills

Essential

  • Good communication skills with patients, families and the MDT
  • Ability to organise and manage time effectively to enable completion of clinical and non-clinical duties
  • Ability to demonstrate and adapt exercises

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).

Closing Date: 11 January 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.