Senior Physiotherapist on Respiratory rotation

Cambridge University Hospitals; Cambridge; Remote; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Senior Physiotherapist to join the Respiratory rotation. This Band 6 post offers a seven‑monthly rotation across ICU, NCCU, acute respiratory, NIV service and cardiac wards, with weekend/on‑call responsibilities.

The role supports professional development within a regional trauma centre, emphasizing advanced respiratory skills, education, and multidisciplinary collaboration in a busy tertiary setting.

Qualifications

• Qualified physiotherapist with registration to HCPC.
• Experience in cardio-respiratory physiotherapy and critical care.
• Competence in managing NIV and respiratory rehabilitation.

Responsibilities

• Provide high‑standard physiotherapy to respiratory and critical care patients.
• Rotate through critical care, NIV service, and respiratory wards on a seven‑month cycle.
• Participate in weekend and on‑call respiratory duties.

Skills

Respiratory physiotherapy

Critical care

NIV service

Education

Physiotherapy degree

HCPC registration

Job description

Senior Physiotherapist on Respiratory rotation

NHS AfC: Band 6

Main area Physiotherapy Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Across seven days) Job ref 180-B-263184

Employer Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Addenbrookes Hospital-Division B Town Cambridge Salary £39,959 - £48,117 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 01/11/2026 23:59

Job overview

Do you have a passion for Cardio-respiratory Physiotherapy and are keen to work in a busy, high calibre environment to further advance your career and skills set?

We can offer an exciting opportunity for an experienced, dynamic and highly motivated physiotherapist to rotate on a 7 monthly rotational scheme, where you will rotate through our critical care specialities –John Farnham Intensive Care unit (large multi-speciality tertiary ITU), Neuroscience Critical Care Unit, (including Major Trauma, Neurosurgery and tertiary neurology patients), Acute Respiratory ward and our NIV Service/ Clinic.

This opportunity is open to band 6 physiotherapists who are now ready to specialise further in their career. The team is friendly and dedicated towards the delivery of an excellent service for all our users, as well as constantly looking at better ways to provide a service. You will be strongly supported in learning new skills and gaining additional training in this regional trauma centre.

You will be required to partake in our Emergency out of hour’s services which includes our weekend and on‑call services

Main duties of the job

To provide a high standard physiotherapy service to patients on:

- Surgical Wards

- Neuro Critical Care Unit (NCCU) and Neuro Wards

- N3 Respiratory and K3 Cardiology Wards

- N3 Acute NIV service and outpatient respiratory physiotherapy

- Surgical wards

To participate in the band 6 rotational scheme, working for 7 months in each of the above clinical areas. The option of rotating through paediatrics is negotiable, if wishing to choose this as a rotational speciality.

This is a specialist rotational post, which will provide applicants with the opportunity to further develop their respiratory skills in both the acute setting and the clinic setting and the rehabilitation skills to the adult critical care and acute patient population.

CUH is a tertiary provider for many specialities including respiratory, immunology, transplant services, oncology, hepato-biliary, major trauma, neurology and neuro-surgery. This rotational post will allow development of skills across many specialities and disciplines. There will be potential for involvement in clinics and exercise rehabilitation groups that exist across the rotations.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:
- applied for a Graduate visa
- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment

This vacancy will close at midnight on 1st November 2026

Interviews are due to be held on 12th November 2026

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on‑site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work‑life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part‑time working, job‑share, term‑time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Diploma / Degree in Physiotherapy (or equivalent)
• State Registration
• Evidence in engagement in ongoing professional development through courses or other learning opportunities, excluding work‑based mandatory training.
• Membership professional body e.g. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy or Professional network, e.g. ICP, ACPRC, ACPIN
• Evidence of relevant postgraduate level education

Experience

• Evidence of experience working as a qualified physiotherapist in multiple specialities including: 1. Respiratory care 2. Intensive care 3. Elderly care 4. Neurology / Neurosurgery / Stroke 5. Musculoskeletal
• Significant experience of working with acute and chronic conditions in respiratory and neurology
• Experience in the management and rehabilitation of patients requiring respiratory care across a number of Surgical, Medical and Neurological, and critical care areas.
• Experience of tracheostomy management
• Evidence, with examples, of working in a multidisciplinary team in a clinical setting to optimise patient care and service delivery.
• Experience of providing clinical education of less experienced staff or assistants
• Currently participating / recent experience in on‑call respiratory working
• Band 6 experience or senior physiotherapy experience (i.e. responsible for the supervision and development of other physiotherapy team members).
• Experience, with examples, or supervising, mentoring, and developing physiotherapy students, physiotherapy assistants / instructors, and band 5 / junior physiotherapists.
• Experience of working in a community setting
• Experience, with examples, of participation in clinically relevant audit/research projects
• Experience of working with the MDT in tracheostomy management
• Experience of working in acute hospital setting.
• Experience of working in an outpatient clinic setting
• NHS Experience

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Neuromusculoskeletal physiotherapy
• Knowledge of Chronic Respiratory disease management
• Understanding of ventilation and tracheostomy weaning strategies for patients in critical care Experience of reviewing and applying evidence based practice.
• Knowledge of workings of community and primary care, e.g. at Papworth
• Evidence, with examples, of knowledge and application of relevant national clinical guidelines, in the delivery and evaluation of services or physiotherapy interventions

Skills

• The ability to use professional communication strategies with patients, carers and members of the MDT and ability to modify appropriately.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• The ability to demonstrate empathy and to motivate patients who may have complex physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges.
• Ability to manage own time in prioritising clinical and non‑clinical duties.
• Sound administration skills and the ability to use variety of IT software
• Evidence of participation in research / audit.
• Evidence of the ability to pass skills / knowledge to others within formal / informal settings
• Evidence of providing formal feedback and appraisals to other team members.

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Jamie Forrester Job title Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist Email address [e-mail] Additional information

Please use email as primary source of contact