Exercise Therapy Technician

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Mental Health Allied Health Professional team. This post would be suitable for an individual looking to develop their skills in working in mental health, either as a fixed term contract or secondment.

We are a supportive and innovative team that provide specialist multi-disciplinary care to adults with severe and enduring mental illness.

Our team have been successful in a funding bid to improve access to and provision of physical activity and healthy lifestyle interventions for individuals within the Mental Health Services. The successful candidate will have a passion for physical activity, health improvement and working with adults with mental illness. They will work closely with Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Exercise Therapy Associate Practitioner and Community Exercise providers to deliver and support access to physical activity opportunities across inpatient and community settings as well as support the development of health improvement programmes., This role will support the delivery of an 18 month exercise and improved lifestyle programme with and for people experiencing severe and enduring mental illness who access ward and community based Mental Health Services in Portsmouth.

Working with the Senior Exercise Professional the post holder will ensure a 6 day exercise and physical activity programme across mental health wards. They will support the provision of jointly-run supported gym and exercise sessions in mainstream community exercise facilities, working in partnership with Leisure and voluntary sector providers. And work with public health partners to ensure an Improving Lifestyle range of educational sessions.

Working with people who access our services to improve and evaluate this project is key to its success and this post holder will be key in supporting and promoting this.

They will be supported by a Senior Exercise Professional and wider multi-disciplinary service. And receive supervision and professional development from physiotherapy and the Allied Health Professions Service.

The successful candidate should be able to participate in a 6 day working pattern.

We are looking for someone with a professional and empathetic attitude in addition to excellent communication skills and the ability to motivate and inspire others. Candidates must be able to manage their time effectively and be both flexible and creative in their approach to delivering physical activity and health improvement programmes. Evidence of being able to effectively work as part of a team, as well as working collaboratively with external agencies.

We have been working with other local NHS Trusts to create a new organisation, bringing together all community, mental health and learning disability services from across Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Subject to approvals, the aim is for the new Trust to be formed by the end of 2024.

Project Fusion is the name for the programme to create the new combined NHS Foundation Trust. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will be bringing the services into a single organisation will result in more consistent care, more equitable access to services irrespective of postcode, and a more sustainable workforce and services. The new organisation will operate locally to ensure services can best meet the needs of different communities.

The new Trust will be comprised of all the services currently provided by Solent NHS Trust and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, the community, mental health and learning disability services provided by Isle of Wight NHS Trust and child and adolescent mental health services delivered in parts of Hampshire by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Colleagues will transfer to the new organisation under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) -- known as TUPE on the day the trust is formed. TUPE is a legal process to ensure you transfer out of one organisation and into another, maintaining the terms and conditions of your employment.