Senior Physiotherapist - MSK/Rheumatology | North Bristol NHS Trust

North Bristol NHS; Bristol; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS healthcare provider in Bristol is seeking an experienced Physiotherapist to join their Rheumatology and MSK teams. The role involves managing long-term conditions and treating musculoskeletal issues, working closely within a multidisciplinary team. Candidates should have experience in therapeutic care and be comfortable mentoring junior staff. The position is fixed-term for one year with potential for extension.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing patients with long-term conditions.
• Ability to assess and provide education on inflammatory conditions.
• Skills in mentoring and supporting junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Manage conditions and provide education alongside treatment.
• Assess and treat a range of musculoskeletal conditions.
• Work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Patient management

Therapeutic care

Self-management strategies

Assessment skills

Job description

Overview

We are looking for an experienced physiotherapist to join our Rheumatology and MSK teams. The role is split 50:50 between rheumatology and MSK. The position is a fixed-term post of one year, with the significant likelihood that the post will become a substantive post.

The role will involve working a 4-day pattern in outpatients. The post will also involve weekend working on the trauma and orthopaedic wards as part of your contracted hours; one weekend day, alternating Saturday and Sunday every four weeks.

Rheumatology responsibilities

• Manage patients with long-term conditions, providing therapeutic care and patient education on specific conditions.
• Offer self-management strategies for inflammatory conditions such as Spondyloarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, bone diseases such as Osteoporosis, connective tissue disorders and long-term musculoskeletal problems such as hypermobility syndrome.
• Assess newly diagnosed patients, run education and exercise groups, participate in Axial Spondyloarthritis yearly review clinics and manage patients within hydrotherapy.

MSK responsibilities

• Assess and treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions referred from general practice, A&E, musculoskeletal interface services, and post-operative pathways.
• Mentor Band 5 roles and below, support student supervision, and take part in delivery of IST.
• Work predominantly at Southmead Hospital with possible off-site work at Cossham Hospital (North Bristol Trust community site).

Team and setting

Join a dynamic, experienced team providing high-standard clinical care to patients attending musculoskeletal and rheumatology outpatients and hydrotherapy. The team includes registered clinicians and support staff within a large acute trust with MSK, Hydrotherapy, Rheumatology, Women’s Health, Neurology and Paediatrics services.

North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff serving Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from the Southmead site. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre and a centre of excellence in various services. Our vision is to enable teams to be the best they can be to deliver exceptional care, personally delivered.

We are committed to treating each patient with respect and dignity, aiming for excellent clinical outcomes and a first-class patient experience. We value all people and strive to be anti-discriminatory, welcoming applicants from all underrepresented groups.

Multi-disciplinary team and learning

You would work within a multidisciplinary team including consultants, specialist nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists and physiotherapy rehabilitation technicians. The MSK team collaborates with rheumatology therapies and the wider outpatient physiotherapy team (including hydrotherapy, hand therapy, pelvic health, cancer therapy, neurology and vestibular).

Patients have opportunities for 1:1 physiotherapy, exercise and education classes such as Escape Pain and Back Pain management, gym therapy, and hydrotherapy in our on-site pool. There are opportunities to mentor and supervise Band 5 roles, physiotherapy technicians and students, and participate in IST delivery.

Additional information

See the job description for more details. This advert closes on Sunday 21 Sep 2025.