Physiotherapy Team Lead | South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust

South West London and St Georges Mental Health Trust; Tooting; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A mental health service provider is looking for a Band 7 Physiotherapist to join their team in Tooting. You will undertake advanced assessments and develop treatment plans for service users with complex mental and physical health issues. The role includes providing leadership, supervising staff, and participating in service development. Ideal candidates should have proven clinical experience and leadership skills, along with a commitment to professional development. This position offers a supportive environment and opportunities for training and mentorship.

Benefits

Flexible working

Career development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Proven clinical and leadership skills essential.
• Experience in various physiotherapy specialties required.
• High level of resilience to manage emotional challenges.

Responsibilities

• Undertake advanced physiotherapy assessments for complex users.
• Formulate comprehensive treatment plans collaboratively.
• Lead team meetings and deliver in-service training.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Physiotherapy assessment

Team collaboration

Interpersonal skills

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Organisational skills

Resilience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Physiotherapy

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 Physiotherapist with proven clinical and leadership skills to join the Physiotherapy Team at South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust. You will be joining a friendly and growing team that will allow you to explore your full potential.

If successful, you will be recruited to work across sites including Springfield University Hospital and Tolworth Hospital. You will encounter patients with a variety of physical health complaints from various specialities, including but not limited to musculoskeletal, neurology and older people. You will also have opportunities to work within the National Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Service alongside a well‑established multidisciplinary team, learning disabilities, forensics and deaf services to name just some.

You will be supported by the Band 8a Head of Physiotherapy in yearly appraisals, monthly supervisions, dedicated CPD time and the option to attend in‑service training sessions with our musculoskeletal colleagues at St Georges Hospital. You will be involved in organising in‑service training and supervision of junior members of staff as well as carrying a clinical caseload. You will also contribute to the development of the future NHS workforce by hosting physiotherapy student placements from a variety of Higher Education Institutions and will be supported in your professional and clinical development.

The successful candidate will support the Head of Physiotherapy providing professional leadership for physiotherapy within the Trust.

Key Responsibilities

You will undertake advanced, holistic physiotherapy assessments and formulate comprehensive treatment plans for service users with complex mental health and physical health problems across several specialities and settings. You will need to be confident in completing musculoskeletal and neurological assessments while clinically reasoning your decisions.

In addition to carrying a clinical caseload, you will also take on a leadership role within the team. You will assist with organising and delivering in‑service training sessions, supervision and service development projects with the support of the Head of Physiotherapy. The successful candidate will lead by example, setting and maintaining a high standard of clinical practice and professionalism.

It is essential that the successful candidate have a high level of physiotherapy experience and knowledge gained through rotations at band 5 and 6 level in a variety of physiotherapy specialities. You will work in a setting where the demand can fluctuate and will need to be highly organised and self‑motivated. A high level of resilience will be required to handle some of the social and emotional components the role can entail. You will be supported by the Head of Physiotherapy and the wider Trust.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Undertake advanced, holistic physiotherapy assessments and formulate comprehensive treatment plans for service users with complex mental health and physical health problems.
• Take into account individual service user history, background & culture to implement treatment plans collaboratively.
• Lead by example, maintaining a high standard of clinical practice.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions and quality of clinical decision‑making.
• Identify significant clinical risk factors in line with local policies, with support from senior managers.
• Ensure safe use of equipment and adherence to departmental policies.
• Serve as a resource for specialist clinical knowledge or information about physiotherapy in mental health.
• Adhere to clinical standards and guidelines (e.g., CPMH/AGILE).
• Plan and prioritise caseload of junior staff and students where necessary.

Communication

• Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills to enable service users to access physiotherapy interventions.
• Participate in inter‑professional meetings, ward rounds, care plan reviews and discharge planning meetings.
• Communicate sensitively with carers and liaise appropriately with outside agencies.

Documentation

• Maintain accurate, comprehensive and timely treatment records in line with CSP standards.
• Supervise junior and student physiotherapists’ record‑keeping to the same standards.
• Ensure electronic documentation and activity data comply with Professional (CSP) and Trust documentation standards.
• Engage in the Trust’s incident reporting system.

Professional Ethics

• Obtain valid consent and work within a legal framework for those lacking capacity.
• Adhere to the CSP code of conduct, HCPC requirements, the Trust’s Code of Conduct and other relevant policies.
• Follow NICE guidelines or SIG recommendations for good practice where available.
• Demonstrate appropriate professional behaviour at all times.

Equality and Diversity

• Promote a culture which respects and values diversity.
• Report behaviours undermining equality and diversity in accordance with policy and legislation.

Leadership, Learning and Development

• Provide professional leadership for the physiotherapy team.
• Display confidence to achieve the best outcomes and self‑awareness of strengths and weaknesses.
• Manage own emotions, display resilience in complex situations.
• Show motivation and drive for performance improvement.
• Maintain personal integrity, openness, honesty and high standards in the leadership role.
• Lead change through people, communicating vision and rationale for change.
• Facilitate effective clinical cover across hospital sites and urgent referrals.
• Review and reflect on practice through professional supervision and the PADR process.
• Hold others to account for agreed targets and empower them for service improvement.
• Supervise physiotherapy students, assess competency and placement performance.
• Induct, train and provide clinical education for other students and Trust staff.
• Maintain mandatory Trust training up to date.
• Delegate and execute general administrative and coordination tasks.

Service Development and Delivery

• Co‑chair or lead physiotherapy team meetings.
• Co‑lead developing local standards, guidelines and protocols.
• Engage in audit and physiotherapy service evaluation.
• Work with clinical improvement groups on care pathways and national service delivery frameworks.
• Represent the physiotherapy service at wider forums and contribute to the Trust‑wide quality/governance agenda.
• Encourage user involvement in service development.
• Gather information from a range of resources to inform service development.
• Stay up‑to‑date with clinical developments and propose new practice where appropriate.

Professional Development

• Engage in learning activities identified at PADR, including leadership skill development.
• Organise and participate in regular in‑service training for self and others.
• Maintain competency to practise through CPD activities identified during supervision and annual appraisal.
• Keep a portfolio reflecting competencies for the post and personal development records.

Clinical Governance, Quality, Standards

• Comply with all Trust policies related to clinical governance.
• Adhere to Health & Safety policies, assess and manage risk.
• Continuously improve the quality of work.
• Ensure quality systems are in place to monitor and act on persistent quality problems.
• Ensure medical devices are managed in accordance with Trust policy.

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill‑health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ – we aspire to be ‘outstanding’.

We are inclusive and diverse and actively anti‑racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

About our locations

Springfield University Hospital, Tooting
Largest 19‑ward site in Springfield Village, created following a £150m investment into two new world‑class mental health facilities. 32‑acre public park, shops and cafes nearby. Close to shops, cafes and Tooting Bec on the Northern Line plus Earlsfield and Tooting rail stations and bus routes.

This advert closes on Sunday 11 Jan 2026.