At Epsom and St Helier Hospitals, above all we value respect. We put respect at the heart of all we do, by living up to our shared behaviours of kindness, professionalism, positivity and teamwork. This enables us to provide great patient care and make ESTH a great place to work. When you sign up to work with us, you sign up to this and we welcome applicants who share our values.
Join a team where every day makes a real difference.
As a Therapy Assistant within the Dysphagia Team for Adults with Learning Disabilities (DTALD), you’ll play a vital, hands-on role in helping people eat, drink, communicate and live more safely and confidently. Working alongside Dietitians and Speech & Language Therapists, you’ll support life-changing care for adults with complex needs—bringing compassion, creativity and practical skills into community settings across Sutton.
This is a dynamic and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You might be supporting someone in their home to follow a safe eating plan, creating engaging and accessible resources to aid communication, or helping deliver training that empowers carers and professionals. You’ll be at the heart of a multidisciplinary team, contributing to personalised care plans, monitoring progress, and ensuring every individual’s voice is heard.
If you’re passionate about person-centred care, enjoy working closely with people, and want to be part of a forward-thinking, supportive service that truly puts patients first—this is your opportunity to make an impact that matters.
- 1. Supporting safe and effective clinical care
The post holder supports Dietitian and Speech and Language Therapists in delivering safe care to adults with learning disabilities and dysphagia, nutritional and communication needs, including undertaking delegated tasks, monitoring progress, and escalating concerns. This ensures risks associated with eating, drinking and swallowing are managed effectively, contributing to safe and effective care.
- 2. Delivering responsive, person-centred care
The role involves working directly with patients and the carers to support therapeutic interventions and achieve individual goals. A key aspect of the role is developing and using accessible information and communication approaches to meet the needs of individuals with learning disabilities, ensuring equitable, inclusive care and a positive patient experience.
- 3. Supporting multidisciplinary working and service efficiency
The post holder works as part of a multidisciplinary team and across services to support coordinated care, while also contributing to administrative and service support tasks. This promotes partnership working, and supports efficient and sustainable service delivery.
St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).
After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.
At gesh we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process.
Your recruitment team
The NHS South West London Recruitment Hub is your dedicated recruitment team, here to support you at every stage of the process. If you have a query, please contact us:
E: [email protected]
Your application
Please ensure your supporting statement clearly reflects the job description and person specification, as shortlisting will be based on these criteria.
Please refer to the latest UKVI guidance and ensure you have the appropriate right to work before applying for this role.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
We kindly ask that you avoid using AI tools to draft your application. We value authentic, individual responses that reflect your own experience and communication style.
References
Please provide a minimum of 3 years’ employment and/or education history, including professional email addresses (not personal accounts such as Hotmail or Gmail). If you cannot provide these, please inform the interview panel to avoid delays in pre-employment checks.
Closing date
To help us manage recruitment efficiently, some vacancies may close early once we have received a sufficient number of applications.
Shortlisting
If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be contacted by email or SMS from the South West London Recruitment Hub. Please check your registered TRAC email regularly.
Application feedback
If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.
Safeguarding and DBS Checks
We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. For roles with direct access to these groups, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required. All staff are expected to understand and uphold their safeguarding responsibilities as part of their role.
