Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner

NHS Lothian; Scotland; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Lothian invites applications for a Band 7 Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner in the Community Respiratory Team based at St John's Hospital, West Lothian. Lead the physiotherapy pathway and deliver specialist assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and complex decision-making to patients with respiratory needs.

You will work with Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team, Hospital at Home, and community services to provide integrated care and promote Home First principles, aiming for early intervention

Qualifications

• The role requires an experienced physiotherapist with advanced practice skills in respiratory care.
• Leadership and mentorship abilities are expected to support the multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the physiotherapy pathway for community respiratory care.
• Provide specialist assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and advanced clinical decision‑making.
• Collaborate with Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team, Hospital at Home, and community services.
• Promote Home First principles and support safe discharge planning.
• Mentor and develop physiotherapy staff and students.

Job description

Job reference: 261949
Salary: Band 7 (£52,845 - £61,466)
Job closing date: 02/11/2026
Job Type: Allied Health Professions
Location: West Lothian
Employment type: Permanent
Hours Per Week: 36
Job posted date: 12/10/2026
Employer (NHS Board): NHS Lothian
Department: Intermediate Care Physio

Job Advert

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

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An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, motivated, and forward-thinking Physiotherapist to join our Community Respiratory Team based at St John's Hospital as a Band 7 Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner (APP).

This role offers a unique opportunity to lead and develop the physiotherapy pathway for patients with respiratory conditions being managed within the community, supporting appropriate admission avoidance pathway and enabling patients to receive high-quality care closer to home. Working within a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, you will provide specialist assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, and advanced clinical decision-making for individuals with complex respiratory needs.

The successful candidate will work closely with key partners including the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team, Hospital at Home (H@H), community services, and acute care colleagues to deliver seamless, integrated care pathways. You will play a pivotal role in promoting Home First principles, supporting early intervention, rehabilitation, recovery, and safe discharge planning, while maximising patient independence and quality of life.

As an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner, you will have the opportunity to influence service development and lead improvements in clinical practice. You will be instrumental in supporting the education, supervision, and development of physiotherapy staff, students, and the wider multidisciplinary team through mentorship, teaching, leadership, and the promotion of evidence-based practice.

We are a forward-thinking and high-performing Health and Social Care Partnership committed to excellence, innovation, and delivering safe, compassionate, person-centred care across West Lothian. Patient safety and experience are at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that people receive the right care, in the right place, from the right professional, at the right time to achieve the best possible outcomes.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious clinician seeking to shape a developing service, drive innovation in community respiratory care, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of patients and their families.

Applications are welcomed from motivated clinicians with strong clinical reasoning, a passion for rehabilitation, and a commitment to service improvement and integrated working.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

For further information on what is included in the role and what skills/experience are being looked for, click on the links at the bottom of the screen to the job description and person specification. If after reading this information you have any questions, please contact Dawn Robertson on 01506524149.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.