Physiotherapy Assistant; XR

The Respiratory Physiotherapy Team at St James Hospital in Leeds are looking for a motivated and committed individual to join our team as a permanent, full-time Physiotherapy Assistant on the general surgical wards.

As a Physiotherapy Assistant you will be required to undertake specific support work to aid the rehabilitation and progression of patients in the hospital environment. You will be supported to work independently with your own patient caseload in addition to assisting other physiotherapy staff to treat more complex cases.

This work can be demanding but is varied and enormously rewarding. You will have the opportunity to be involved with the treatment of a wide range of patients throughout all stages of their recovery during their stay on our wards and be involved in planning discharge to appropriate locations and with appropriate support.

The role will also include administrative duties including the collection of data and the ordering and maintenance of equipment.

We are a friendly, dynamic and hard working team, working within supportive multidisciplinary environments. We aim to provide care that is focussed on compassion, sensitivity and kindness towards all our patients, carers and relatives, meeting their individual needs every time. Team work and communication is paramount, both within the physiotherapy team and with other members of the multi‑disciplinary team.

Interviews will be held during the week of 16th March 2026.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying ‘at risk’ members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

To undertake specific skilled support work to aid the rehabilitation of patients.

To accept patients referred by a physiotherapist and carry as own patient caseload with responsibility for planning and organising these treatment sessions.

Treat non‑complex patients according to set protocols and monitor patient progression.

Work both supervised and unsupervised, regularly reporting back patient progress and informing the referring practitioner of any non‑routine problems/enquiries.

The post holder will be based within a particular specialty area.

• Qualifications:
  
  NVQ II or equivalent
• Experience:
  
  Work within a healthcare environment
• Skills:
  
  Competent written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge:
  Insight into therapy and rehabilitation
• Personal Attributes:
  Enthusiastic and self‑motivated;
  Flexible and adaptable;
  Happy to accept a challenge

Communications skills

An understanding of the principles of patient‑centred care.

Clinical

• Assist the therapy staff in the rehabilitation of patients using a range of delegated therapy treatments.
• To manage the rehabilitation of patients as delegated by the therapist. This will involve working without direct supervision on occasions.
• Support the treatment of patients individually or in a group in a variety of settings working to set protocols and guidelines.
• To undertake skilled support work e.g. mobility assessments where some analysis of gait/stability is necessary to decide on the appropriate prescription of a walking aid.
• Encourage patients and their carers in an active approach to regaining and maintaining personal independence. This requires empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills.
• Use effective communication tools verbal and non‑verbal to communicate treatment programmes to patients who may have barriers to understanding or communicating.
• To attend patient home visits assisting a qualified member of staff.
• When applicable liaise with nursing colleagues and members of MDT.
• To develop skills to ensure the safe use of equipment e.g. hoist/wheelchairs in order to facilitate…