Physical Activity Specialist

Job overview

As a Physical Activity Specialist you will work within the Tier 3 Specialist Weight Management Multi-Disciplinary Team to provide specialist physical activity and behaviour change support to patients living with obesity, helping them to access a programme of specialised, non-surgical treatment and support.

The role involves supporting individuals on a one-to-one basis or in small groups, to develop sustainable lifestyle changes in order to achieve and maintain weight loss, reduce co-morbidities and increase quality of life by addressing all factors associated with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including psychosocial functioning . This includes using specific approaches and skills to support behaviour change along with signposting and supporting access to appropriate services.

The role involves working within a range of clinical and community venues across Torbay and South Devon

Main duties of the job

• To provide group and tailored physical activity support to individuals attending Tier 3 Specialist Weight Management programmes in a variety of community venues across both Torbay and South Devon.
• To assess participants level of fitness and physical performance prior to, during and at the end of their engagement with the Tier 3 service.
• To develop and deliver a range of physical activity education sessions within the Tier 3 group programme.
• To regularly feedback and discuss the progress of individual patients with the wider Level 3 multi-disciplinary team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• For full list of duties, please see job description.
• Undertake fitness and physical performance assessments of overweight and obese patients who have already been medically screened to exclude underlying pathologies, assessing readiness to engage in physical activity and assessing functional fitness capacity.
• - Develop and supervise personalised physical activity and training programmes, specifically targeted for the management of patients living with obesity and/or diabetes.
• - Identify and address barriers to physical activity. This may include motivational, accessibility, financial issues or concerns about safety to exercise in the context of their health problems.
• - Reinforce psychological strategies employed within the group programme when working with patients, using coaching skills and strategies.
• - To deliver group-based exercise sessions as part of the multi-component weight management programme, providing support and encouragement for patients to achieve their personal physical activity goals.
• - To provide 1-2-1 physical activity support enabling those patients for whom a group-based weight management programme would be inappropriate.

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.