Job summary

Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week

This is an exciting opportunity to work as a Senior Therapy Assistant within our ICU/Respiratory therapy team.

Our team provides therapy to patients at the Countess of Chester Hospital. You will be working in a fast-paced environment alongside an experienced therapy team. The role includes working closely with our Multidisciplinary team to ensure we achieve best patient care.

You will work collaboratively with the therapy team and the wards to advocate functional independence for the patients and work with them to achieve their goals to facilitate timely discharge from the hospital.

Main duties of the job

Effective communication, adaptability and team working skills are essential for this post. Experience of working with adults in a care setting is essential for the role, alongside experience of working as a therapy assistant. We offer a friendly and supportive environment for learning alongside in service training and opportunities to further develop your career.

This role would be suitable for an existing band 4 or a band 3 therapy assistant looking to expand their skills and progress in their career.

This post requires an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.

You will be expected to work weekends and Bank holidays on a rota basis.

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

Details

Date posted

06 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£28,392 to £31,157 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

210-2026-696

Job locations

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH2 1UL

United Kingdom

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.

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 and implications for swallowing and communication
• 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
• Experience of undertaking reviews and amending action plans

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

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 and implications for swallowing and communication 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 Experience of undertaking reviews and amending action plans 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).

Additional information 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).

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)

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)