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Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Technical Instructor

The closing date is 24 November 2025

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Job summary

Here at Hellesdon Hospital we have an exiting opportunity for you to join our team as a Technical Instructor. This is a role which service users consistently identify as having a positive impact upon their recovery and their experiences in mental health inpatient services.

We feel this is an excellent time to join us because in January 2025 we opened our brand new gym and outdoor sports facility!

This post is specifically to work along side an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist and the wider MDT to deliver a wide range of 1-1 and group interventions to our patients. A minimum qualification of a Level 2 Gym Instructor would be required. You will support people currently on the ward to engage in conversations or engage practically to help them maintain or improve their physical health and their overall wellbeing.

Main duties of the job

You will be based in the Therapy Team which work across all 5 acute wards and a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Hellesdon Hospital. In this role you will be required to be based across 2 wards across to support service users in undertaking physical activity, but will be expected to help cover for other wards during periods of leave for other Technical Instructors.

You will also be encouraged to facilitate time away from the unit with some individuals in order to access community resources and engage with nature.

A relevant qualification in Occupational Assistant therapies or a foundation degree is essential for this post, in addition to a level 2 Gym Instructor qualification.

You will be expected to observe and assess general behaviour, functional ability and response of patients during therapeutic activities.

Report patient observation and assessment to the appropriate clinical ward-based team.

Attend patient clinical meetings, as deemed appropriate by your Line Manager.

It is essential you can work as part of a team in order for us to provide evidence based interventions for the people we support.

You will require effective communications skills as you will be working with lot of individuals with complex mental health and physical health needs.

About us

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.

Benefits included with this role are:-

  • NHS pension
  • a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
  • career progression
  • starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
  • staff physio service
  • NHS discounts and many more.

Details

Date posted

10 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year gross per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

246-CEN7547232

Job locations

Hellesdon Hospital

Drayton High Road

Norwich

NR9 5AA


Job description

Job responsibilities

We are looking for someone with an interest and background in mental health care to work with existing staff to help drive our standards upwards. Whilst the primary focus is on those who have experience of working in adult inpatient mental health environments, we would also welcome applications from those who may have less experience in this specific field but feel that their existing knowledge and skills can bring something special to our staff teams.We value life skills, lived experience and a commitment to work with us to meet the needs of the ward. We are keen to integrate individuals existing skills into the services we are able to provide, as well as supporting personal and professional development through additional training.If you are someone who relishes a challenge, works well under pressure and likes to be part of a great team then we would welcome your application.

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are looking for someone with an interest and background in mental health care to work with existing staff to help drive our standards upwards. Whilst the primary focus is on those who have experience of working in adult inpatient mental health environments, we would also welcome applications from those who may have less experience in this specific field but feel that their existing knowledge and skills can bring something special to our staff teams.We value life skills, lived experience and a commitment to work with us to meet the needs of the ward. We are keen to integrate individuals existing skills into the services we are able to provide, as well as supporting personal and professional development through additional training.If you are someone who relishes a challenge, works well under pressure and likes to be part of a great team then we would welcome your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Foundation Degree or equivalent in sports and fitness training.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working with a wide range of mental health clients

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to teach/transfer knowledge to a wide variety of people.
  • PMA, Safeguarding and Suicide Training

Desirable

  • Basic knowledge of computers

Knowledge

Essential

  • An understanding of mental health problems

Other

Essential

  • Flexible, adaptable to change.
  • Common sense and initiative.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Foundation Degree or equivalent in sports and fitness training.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working with a wide range of mental health clients

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to teach/transfer knowledge to a wide variety of people.
  • PMA, Safeguarding and Suicide Training

Desirable

  • Basic knowledge of computers

Knowledge

Essential

  • An understanding of mental health problems

Other

Essential

  • Flexible, adaptable to change.
  • Common sense and initiative.

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

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Address

Hellesdon Hospital

Drayton High Road

Norwich

NR9 5AA


Employer's website

https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Address

Hellesdon Hospital

Drayton High Road

Norwich

NR9 5AA


Employer's website

https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Occupational Therapist

Debs Agar

deborah.agar@nsft.nhs.uk

07879117709

Details

Date posted

10 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year gross per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

246-CEN7547232

Job locations

Hellesdon Hospital

Drayton High Road

Norwich

NR9 5AA


Supporting documents

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