Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist –Neonates

Northampton General Hospital Nhs Trust; Northampton; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Part time

Job summary

Northampton General Hospital is seeking a highly specialist Band 7 Physiotherapist to join the Neonatal Allied Health Professional Team. The role supports babies and families during critical early development and offers opportunities for service development and multidisciplinary collaboration.

You will work within a level 2 Local Neonatal Unit, contributing to audit, governance and quality improvement within the neonatal pathway.

Qualifications

• Recognised Physiotherapy Degree or equivalent is essential.
• HCPC registration is essential.
• CPD including neonatal-specific courses is expected.

Responsibilities

• Deliver highly specialist neonatal physiotherapy using advanced knowledge.
• Assess and diagnose conditions in high-risk infants.
• Provide safe, evidence-based treatment and document outcomes.

Skills

Recognised Physiotherapy Degree or eqv

HCPC Registration

Postgraduate neonatal courses

APCP/Paediatric SIG membership

Neonatal/infant experience

MDT collaboration

Band 7 level experience

Neonatal/acute setting

Use of neonatal assessment tools

Training and education of others

Education

Physiotherapy degree or equivalent

HCPC Registration

HEE Neonatal care modules

Job description

Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist –Neonates

Northampton General Hospital is a busy district general hospital with a level 2 Local Neonatal Unit, Gosset ward (LNU) that typically admits around 450 babies per year. Our neonatal service provides intensive, high-dependency and special care for 20 babies (from 27 weeks gestation) as part of the East Midlands Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (EMNON).

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly specialist Band 7 Physiotherapist to join our expanding Neonatal Allied Health Professional Team. This newly created permanent role offers the chance to play a key part in shaping and developing an innovative service that supports babies and their families during some of the most critical stages of early development.

Working within our neonatal team, you will help deliver specialist assessment, intervention and support for infants and families, while contributing to service development, quality improvement and multidisciplinary working across the neonatal pathway.

As part of a significant investment in the service, you will work alongside other AHP's at Northampton General Hospital, and will be supported by a friendly, knowledgeable and highly collaborative neonatal multidisciplinary team. You will also benefit from strong links with an established regional neonatal network, providing excellent opportunities for professional development, networking and shared learning.

Main duties of the job

To have a high level of understanding of the effect of prematurity, congenital conditions and difficulties at birth on both the individual and family unit.

Using highly specialist knowledge, practical skills, assessment tools and communication skills to assess and determine diagnosis of conditions with which high risk infants may present.

To provide high quality physiotherapy using highly advanced specialist clinical knowledge and skills to carry out effective, safe, and evidence-based treatment.

To demonstrate the ability to assess family understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid information consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

To be responsible for maintaining competency to practice through Conti

To participate in audit and the measurement of outcomes, according to Clinical Governance Requirements.

Acts with autonomy in providing highly specialised neonatal physiotherapy care in the management of a varied caseload including those with complex neurological and neurodevelopmental needs.

About us

We recognise that AI tools can support application writing; however, candidates are asked to keep their use to a minimum. Responses should reflect your own experience, skills and knowledge, as over-reliance on AI-generated content may result in generic answers that do not accurately represent your abilities.

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) brings together Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. As a group, we are committed to improving services for our communities through collaboration, modernising care delivery and striving for excellence. Working together enables us to share expertise, strengthen services and create greater opportunities, and there may be a requirement to work across sites depending on service needs.

Our Excellence Values are Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Courage. UHN welcomes applications from all backgrounds and is committed to an inclusive working environment. We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and hold the Gold Award under the Employer Recognition Scheme. Candidates who identify as members of the Armed Forces community and meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

Details

Date posted: 09 September 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pro rata/per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number: 265-8128571-FAM

Job locations: University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire, Northampton, NN1 5BD, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

For a full list of all roles and responsibilities please see attached job description and person specification

Person Specification

Qualifications/ Education/ Registration

Essential

• Recognised Physiotherapy Degree or equivalent
• HCPC Registration
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development including attendance at recent post graduate courses relevant to the clinical field
• Completion of HEE Modules (Introduction to Neonatal Care and Physiotherapy modules)
• Membership of relevant specialist interest groups E.G. APCP or other Paediatric SIG
• Significant experience in paediatric Physiotherapy post qualification
• Experience working with neonates and infants and/or children with complex needs
• Experience of caseload management and prioritisation
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of work at Band 7 level
• Experience working in a neonatal or acute setting
• Experience of using a wide range of standardised tools relevant to Neurological neonatal & Paediatric care (LAPI, Prechtl GM's, Bayley, NBO, AIMS, GMFCS).
• Experience in collecting and evaluating audits and quality improvement projects
• Experience in the training and education of others (i.e., carers, staff and educators)

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Knowledge of processes and policies relating to work in a neonatal setting e.g. safeguarding, developmental/educational needs, APCP guidelines etc.
• Extensive theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology and applied treatment techniques in relation to neurological impairment and physiotherapy.
• Basic theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology for musculoskeletal and respiratory conditions and their management.
• Knowledge of assessment tools and interventions/approaches relevant to neonatal and/or paediatric care.
• Highly specialised handling and observation skills for the assessment of neonatal patients.
• Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Ability to interpret and apply evidence based practice in clinical work. Ability to analyse and apply information from a range of sources e.g. x rays, CT and MRI.
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals working on the neonatal unit

Other

Essential

• Adherence HCPC guidelines and codes of ethics and professional conduct.

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.

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: Northampton General Hospital

Address: University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire, Northampton, NN1 5BD, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk/Home.aspx

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Modern Matron

Michelle Hardwick

[e-mail]

07500608349