Clinical Specialist PCD Physiotherapist

NHS; Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Leicester is seeking a Clinical Specialist PCD Physiotherapist. This exciting role involves providing expert physiotherapy care for children with PCD and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams across central England. Candidates must be qualified physiotherapists with HCPC registration and have experience in respiratory care. The position offers opportunities for clinical leadership and professional development.

Benefits

Compassionate workplace environment

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Experience of working with PCD in paediatrics.
• Evidence of teaching/supervising staff and parents.
• Experience of service development/research project.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert-level physiotherapy care for children with PCD.
• Develop clinical practice ensuring compliance with guidelines.
• Lead planning and coordination of physiotherapy services.

Skills

Expert-level physiotherapy assessment

Communication skills

Leadership in clinical settings

Patient education

Education

BSc Physiotherapy

HCPC registration

Job description

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Clinical Specialist PCD Physiotherapist

The closing date is 28 November 2025

Job Title: Clinical Lead Specialist Physiotherapist in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)

Band: 7

Location: Primary base will be LRI; travel between UHL hospital sites and BCH will be required.

Hours: 30 hours per week (4 days) LRI

Reporting to: Therapy Clinical Team Lead for Paediatrics / Clinical Lead for PCD Management

UHL is one of four specialist centres for the Management of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD).

The service covers a wide geographic area; central England. The post holder will be primarily responsible for the East part but may also support children and young people on the West side of the region.

The successful applicant will work alongside the established paediatric physiotherapy team, which includes our Clinical Specialists working within the following specialities: Cystic Fibrosis, Long Term Ventilation, Difficult asthma, and Respiratory Outpatients. You will also work alongside our in-patient Physiotherapy team.

This post is an exciting role that could lead to future career development within the PCD physiotherapy service.

Main duties of the job

To provide expert-level physiotherapy assessments and interventions/care for all children and young people with PCD in our catchment area to promote health and independence and facilitate optimum function for patients.

This includes clinic-based care, outreach, virtual support, advisory support and community-based interventions.

The post holder will ensure adherence to national PCD physiotherapy standards and support the clinical network across central England. The post holder will be primarily responsible for the children living in the east of the geographical area covered by the Central England PCD Management service. The physiotherapist at BCH will be primarily responsible for the children in the west of the geographical area, with occasional cross-cover.

The post holder will be accountable for the delivery of high quality therapy care within the PCD management service.

About us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023‑2030).

We have four primary goals:

• High‑quality care for all
• Being a great place to work
• Partnerships for impact
• Research and education excellence

We will embed health equality in all we do – taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• We are compassionate
• We are proud
• We are inclusive
• We are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

Job responsibilities

Clinical Duties

Be an integral member of the PCD Team and work alongside the PCD team at UHL and liaise and work closely with the PCD MDT colleagues at BCH.

Attend PCD clinics at UHL and BCH as appropriate.

Attend shared care clinics within our catchment area.

Physiotherapists in UHL and BCH to cross cover as appropriate.

Work flexibly to ensure attendance in clinics and liaise effectively with members of the MDT to ensure all clinics are attended.

Undertake and lead the planning, coordination, delivering and evaluation of the paediatric physiotherapy service to patients with PCD.

Provide clinical and professional leadership to physiotherapy colleagues in the speciality area.

Develop clinical practice within the speciality of PCD ensuring compliance with national and local guidelines and frameworks.

Responsible for the clinical standards, evidence‑based practice and quality metrics within the speciality.

Work as an autonomous practitioner to provide specialist therapy assessments, diagnose and develop individualised treatment programmes based on the patients needs, using advanced clinical reasoning skills. This may be in different settings: outpatient clinics (AR or FU), shared care clinics, transition clinics, home visits, school visits or urgent/ad‑hoc clinical reviews for severely unwell or deteriorating patients. Including sample collection (cough swabs/sputum/nose swab/nasal rinse/virology).

To be responsible for the physiotherapy needs of clinical caseload of the PCD service; including complex cases within the specialist area of PCD. Provide follow‑up assessment / reviews to monitor effectiveness and compliance to physiotherapy treatments and advice.

Advisory support for patients, families, local physiotherapy teams, schools via phone, emails, case discussions or joint working / case reviews.

Undertake an active role in developing and promoting physiotherapy within the speciality.

Be responsible for the day‑to‑day management of the delivery of physiotherapy in an efficient and effective way.

Ensure the training and development of staff within the Therapy Speciality Team and any local physiotherapists working with children with PCD.

Liaise with colleagues and work across site/ cross speciality/other centres to ensure the provision of a seamless equitable service.

Develop the evidence base practice through audit, clinical effectiveness and research.

Assist and support the Therapy Management Team and Therapy Speciality Leads and Therapy Team Leaders within the service in the improvement and transformation of Therapy services.

To be responsible for the advancement of personal skills and knowledge in a clinical and leadership context and to attend post registration training in order to maintain own and others CPD.

Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge and understanding of the best available evidence for practice for the specialty.

Equipment Management

Maintain adequate stock of physiotherapy adjuncts: PEP devices, nebulisers (Pari‑boy and eflows), NIPPY Clearway for use of patients within PCD Management Service.

Liaise with suppliers to gain quotes as well as organising updates and teaching sessions for physiotherapy adjuncts.

Liaise with PCD administrator to coordinate equipment ordering and delivery.

Ensure all equipment delivered that requires regular service is taken to UHL medical supplies department and logged onto their system.

All nebuliser compressors and Clearways barcodes are inputted on the equipment database in the PCD drive.

Maintain documentation of issued equipment in line with service policy.

Any nebulisers/clearways that are issued to patients, to be documented on the equipment database so we have a log of where the equipment is. It is the responsibility of the person that issues the equipment to complete the database form.

Liaise with the physiotherapist at BCH to ensure all equipment that needs servicing is done so in a timely manner.

Offer support and advice regarding equipment queries from patients, carers, and local professionals.

Advise patients and families on the appropriate use, care and maintenance of physiotherapy devices/adjuncts and equipment. If necessary use equipment contract to ensure family return device for regular maintenance services in line with UHL policy.

Education & Family Support

Provide tailored education and support to children, young people with PCD and their families on:

• PCD and management of PCD symptoms; understanding their baseline symptoms.
• Airway clearance techniques and escalation plans.
• Physiotherapy adjuncts/devices: use, care and maintenance.
• Importance of exercise / activity.
• Infection prevention.
• Monitor and support compliance with physiotherapy treatment plans via additional virtual calls, home visits or out‑patient appointments.
• Reassessing, evaluating and delivering training across patient developmental stages to maximise/optimise effectiveness at each stage.
• Support transition of care from paediatric PCD to adult PCD management services.
• Liaise, educate and support schools to help children with PCD reach their potential in education and not miss out due to their condition.

Service Delivery & Development

Attend and contribute to regular MDT clinics.

Liaise with physiotherapists and teams in shared care hospitals and community settings to ensure continuity of care.

Participate in regional outreach clinics across Central England.

Maintain timely, effective communication with external professionals.

Follow national PCD physiotherapy guidelines and best practice frameworks.

Maintain accurate, timely documentation in line with trust and professional standards.

Participate in ongoing service development and quality improvement projects.

Attend training and professional development to maintain specialist knowledge.

Support and supervise junior staff or students as appropriate.

Liaise and work closely with the national PCD physiotherapist in England to maintain high standards of care for children with PCD.

Develop links with international physiotherapists working with children with PCD.

Promote research and development in collaboration with national and international PCD physiotherapists.

Governance

Comply and be aware of all aspects of the clinical governance agenda e.g. risk, audit, evidence‑based practice, patient involvement.

To initiate and develop audit initiatives for the benefit of the Therapy Service, specialty and patients.

To lead audit within the speciality and to ensure standards are maintained using the audit process.

Use 'Datix' to complete incident forms, untoward incidents and near misses and ensure that appropriate action is identified and implemented and lessons learned is shared.

Escalate clinical concerns via agreed MDT or safeguarding pathways.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• BSc Physiotherapy
• HCPC registration
• Evidence of accredited course or working at Masters level in clinical area
• Enthusiasm for working in paediatrics speciality

Experience

• Experience of working in the clinical area with respiratory experience
• Evidence of teaching/supervising staff and parents
• Experience of working with PCD in paediatrics
• Experience of student education
• Experience of service development/research project

Communication

• Evidence of using communication skills within a professional setting

Trust Values

• Experience of working to trust values

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.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust