Job overview
A warm welcome awaits you to join us at Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (NHFT) as a therapy assistant supporting the occupational therapy (OT) and physiotherapy staff within the in-patient mental health service. We have full time and part time posts available at the Welland Centre, Kettering and Berrywood Hospital, Northampton.
The therapy team work closely alongside nursing staff and the wider multi-disciplinary team to provide quality and effective care for our patients with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, and dementia.
Patients are in hospital 24 hours a day and therefore flexible working patterns across the week may be required to meet service need.
Main duties of the job
You will be working across the in-patient acute mental health wards for adults and/or older people under the direction and support of the occupational therapists and physiotherapists. You will be undertaking assessments and providing individual and group treatments enabling individuals to undertake day to day tasks which may be compromised by their mental and physical health.
The focus of treatments will include aspects such as daily living skills; social skills; mobility and range of movement; balance, strength and endurance; problem solving; confidence and self-esteem. The aim is to enable each individual to re-build (or slow deterioration of) daily living and coping skills to return to independent or supported living that meets their personal goals, quality of life and safety.
If you have existing practical skills and hobbies (for example pottery, woodworking, gardening) that you can use as therapeutic activities with patients, that would be advantageous. Good levels of English (written and verbal) and computer literacy are essential, as well as a positive outlook to promote person centred and recovery focused care.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading.
You will need an awareness of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, psychosis and dementia; and possess skills to positively engage with people from a variety of backgrounds and with differing needs.
You must demonstrate an understanding of the focus of occupational therapy and physiotherapy in enabling individuals to undertake day to day tasks which may be compromised by their mental and physical health.
Person specification
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Can you tell us about your skills and abilities that enable you to carry out the roles of this job and give examples?
- Describe how you adapt your communication style and therapeutic approach to meet the individual needs of patients with different levels of ability, understanding and engagement
Desirable
- Do you have any experience of undertaking basic functional assessments (e.g. sit-stand, washing, dressing, feeding) and completing paperwork and observations, and communicating results to senior staff?
- What experience do you have of working with people with mental health difficulties?
Behaviours and values
Essential
- Can you describe your own behaviours and values that would make you an ideal candidate for this position and give examples
- Briefly describe a recent example that demonstrates your ability to manage your time effectively, maintain good punctuality and reliable attendance, and meet the demands of your role
Desirable
- Using an example from your own experience, describe how you remained professional and resilient when faced with a distressing, emotional or challenging situation. Include what happened, how you responded and the outcome
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Provide an example of working effectively within a team.
- Give two examples of working effectively with different groups of people
Desirable
- Articulate your understanding of mental health problems and impact on daily functioning
- Provide evidence of working in a healthcare / social care / educational setting and ability to apply transferrable skills to this setting
- Demonstrate how your practical and creative skills can be used therapeutically
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Therapy Assistant with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in Kettering, Midlands, England. It is listed as a Band 3 Healthcare support worker role. The advertised salary is £25,760 - £27,476 pa, pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 24 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (09 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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