Highly Specialist Physiotherapist; Orthopaedics

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialist children's healthcare provider seeks a Highly Specialist Physiotherapist to join their Orthopaedic Physiotherapy team in Liverpool. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing rehabilitation for children undergoing multi‑level surgeries. Key tasks include leading specialized care, liaising with multiple healthcare professionals and ensuring quality patient care. A minimum of 5 years of experience post-graduation in physiotherapy and relevant qualifications are required. This challenging role offers an outstanding benefits package and the opportunity to work in a supportive and professional environment.

Benefits

Great flexible working opportunities

Generous annual leave and pension scheme

Extensive staff health and well-being programmes

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years post graduate experience in physiotherapy.
• Demonstrates specialist experience in relevant fields/rotations.
• Proven knowledge of child protection.

Responsibilities

• Manage and provide specialist rehabilitation for children with complex needs.
• Lead Physiotherapy input for multi-site surgery and orthopaedic patients.
• Develop and implement highly individualised therapy programmes.

Skills

Evidence of knowledge of a wide range of approaches used within specialist clinical field

Excellent communication skills, written and verbal

Proven ability to compliment the dynamics of the existing team

Proven physical ability to carry out any therapeutic handling

Basic computer skills

Education

Diploma/Degree in Physiotherapy, recognised by Health and Care Professions Council

Member of HCPC

Level 7 study

Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Job description

Highly Specialist Physiotherapist; Orthopaedics

The closing date is 06 January 2026

We are pleased to advertise this exciting opportunity for an experienced Physiotherapist to join our Orthopaedic Physiotherapy team, on a fixed term contract, providing assessment and intervention to children and young people admitted to the wards and providing specialist pre‑op, post‑op and outpatient review for children undergoing multi‑level surgery.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the child's multi‑level surgery pathway from pre‑op through to rehabilitation post‑surgery.

• Pre‑op appointment
• Community liaison
• Rehabilitation admission
• Rehabilitation outpatient appointment
• Ongoing liaison with Gait Lab team regarding child's progress

The successful candidate will join our Integrated Therapy team of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Assistant Practitioners, managing a complex caseload on the acute wards at Alder Hey.

There will be a requirement to cover Burns inpatients when deputising for Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist.

Main duties of the job

To work as an autonomous practitioner managing and providing specialist rehabilitation for children who have undergone multisite surgery, managing a large caseload of children with complex needs and presentations.

To lead the Physiotherapy input for multi‑site surgery and orthopaedic surgery patients, working with the team of orthopaedic surgeons, Physiotherapy Practitioners and gait lab therapists in the planning and management for children undergoing orthopaedic surgery.

To liaise regarding the acute phase/admission with the wider team involved in the care of this group of patients including families and their local community services.

To be involved in the pre‑operative planning of the physiotherapy care of these patients, their management and rehabilitation whilst an inpatient in AHCH.

About us

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care to over 275,000 children and young people each year. Alder Hey has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients' homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man. The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We're also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under‑represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:

• Great flexible working opportunities
• Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
• Generous annual leave and pension scheme
• Extensive staff health and well‑being programmes

Job responsibilities

To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of caseload. To ensure a high standard of clinical care (for the patients under your management) to maximise function and independence.

To carry out assessment of patients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with highly complex presentations, where expert opinion may differ, using clinical reasoning skills, knowledge of evidence‑based practice and expertise to determine appropriate care plans utilising highly specialist treatment skills and a wide range of treatment options.

To contribute to accurate prognoses and recommend best course of intervention, developing comprehensive management plans, guided by clearly defined principles or occupational policies.

To refer to other healthcare professionals and agencies as appropriate as part of the overall management of the child to ensure holistic care.

To hold an independent, complex, and highly specialist caseload, being able to highly demonstrate specialist assessment, diagnostic, treatment, and management plans with goals based on advanced clinical reasoning skills. To provide specialist assessment and intervention across the identified speciality, delivering holistic assessment of the child's needs and providing treatment programmes to meet the child's rehabilitation needs.

To plan and implement highly individualised therapy programmes to be carried out by the therapist, Assistant, Educational Staff and Carers. To continually monitor, evaluate and modify the programmes to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention for children with changing needs.

Manages own caseload and is responsible for the delivery of therapeutic intervention within the defined areas of the service. To organise this caseload effectively and efficiently regarding clinical priorities, time management, and staffing levels.

To gain valid informed consent in accordance with trust policy and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

To provide highly specialist advice to colleagues working within other clinical areas.

To manage clinical risk within own caseload and to contribute to that of designated team at all times.

To participate in weekend, evening and on call working as required, working as an autonomous practitioner undertaking the assessment and treatment of acutely ill patients, who may have highly complex presentations. Be expected to participate in on‑call update training and clinical competence.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Diploma/Degree in Physiotherapy, recognised by Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Member of HCPC
• Level 7 study
• Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Experience

• Demonstrates specialist experience post‑graduation in relevant fields/rotations
• Minimum 5 years post graduate experience
• Proven experience relevant to a wide range of approaches to the management of patients
• Paediatric experience as a Band 6 in specialist clinical field

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• Evidence of knowledge of a wide range of approaches used within specialist clinical field
• Evidence of being capable of specialist assessment techniques in specialist clinical field
• Post graduate courses relevant to specialty
• Proven physical ability to carry out any therapeutic handling required
• Evidence of knowledge of current trends within clinical specialty
• Evidence of excellent communication skills, written and verbal, enabling applicant to converse across a range of understanding
• Proven knowledge of child protection
• Basic computer skills

Management and Organisation

• Evidence of experience of supervising and teaching junior and undergraduate physiotherapists
• Proven experience of the delegation of tasks to other staff, with a firm understanding of the process of delegation
• Proven ability to prioritise and organise caseload, underpinned by sound time management skill
• Evidence of experience of positive working as part of a multi‑agency team
• Currently a Member of Specific Clinical Interest Group i.e. ACPRC

Professional

• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development, with current portfolio
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance
• Demonstrate knowledge of current pertinent issues affecting therapy provision both locally and nationally

Personal/ Other

• Proven ability to compliment the dynamics of the existing team
• Should be able to move around the city in line with the requirements of duty

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.

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust