Senior Physiotherapist (Trauma rotation)

Transformationunitgm; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is seeking a Senior Physiotherapist to join the Trauma rotation team. The role involves providing high-quality physiotherapy services in various settings including trauma and critical care, with opportunities for professional development and contributions to team-based patient care.

Benefits

Career development opportunities

Support for flexible working

Qualifications

• Demonstrable broad post graduate clinical experience in Neurology, Acute Respiratory, Trauma and Orthopaedics.
• Proven evidence of contribution to clinical education / supervision of less experienced staff.
• Attendance at relevant professional courses.

Responsibilities

• Provide high standard physiotherapy services across multiple clinical areas.
• Assist in planning, coordinating, and evaluating physiotherapy services.
• Perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessments and manage complex patient caseloads.

Skills

Communication

Clinical Reasoning

Teamwork

Education

Degree (BSc Hons Physiotherapy)

HCPC registration

Job description

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

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week ((Mon - Fri plus weekends, bank holidays, late shifts and On call)) Job ref 216-PL-C7187147

Employer University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Derriford Hospital Town PLYMOUTH Salary £37,338 - £44,962 Per Annum, pro-rata Salary period Yearly Closing 23/06/2025 23:59

Senior Physiotherapist (Trauma rotation)

NHS AfC: Band 6

Job overview

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is currently looking for an existing Band 6 or Band 5 Physiotherapist who is wishing to extend and develop their assessment and treatment skills to join our trauma service.

This post is also suitable for a Band 5 transitioning to Band 6 on completion of training and competency to deliver trauma services within UHP NHS Trust.

The successful candidate will be joining already established teams in delivering an enhanced seven day physiotherapy service inclusive of weekend working and evening work to patients as part of the wider physiotherapy department including a commitment to respiratory on-call. There is a comprehensive on-call competency pack and pathway to support staff going on-call.

These teams provide physiotherapy services to Cardiothoracics (cardiac and thoracic wards and cardiac ICU/HDU), Neurosurgery (neurosurgical ward and neuro ICU), Orthopaedics (major trauma, paediatric orthopaedic, fractured neck of femur, day-case, fracture clinic, elective orthopaedic and outpatient orthopaedic), Health Care of Elderly and Emergency Department (emergency care, medical assessment, acute assessment and short-stay units).

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Main duties of the job

To provide a high standard physiotherapy service to the patients in the clinical areas which you have rotated. This involves working across the trust and peripheral sites in a range of settings providing a seven day service including weekends and evening to Cardiothoracics (cardiac and thoracic wards and cardiac ICU/HDU), Neurosurgery (neurosurgical ward and neuro ICU), Orthopaedics (major trauma, paediatric orthopaedic, fractured neck of femur, day-case, fracture clinic, elective orthopaedic and outpatient orthopaedic), Health Care of Elderly, Emergency Department (emergency care, medical assessment, acute assessment and short-stay units) and trauma ward, providing assessment and treatment to major trauma patients as well as elective surgery patients across those areas.

To assist the Team Leaders in planning, coordinating, delivering and evaluating the Physiotherapy Service provided to patients within the team, on a day-to-day basis.

To assess and treat own caseload of patients, who may have complex presentations, and maintain own records as an autonomous practitioner.

At times community / home visits may be required to be undertaken.

To deputise for the Team Leaders when necessary.

To perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions, to provide a diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.

Working for our organisation

We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care
• To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) standards and local/Trust policy. To communicate appropriately with other disciplines (this might include meetings, report and letter writing
• To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate clinical diagnosis of their condition
• Formulate and deliver an individual physiotherapy treatment programme based on a sound knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment skills e.g. specialist neurological or respiratory techniques, manual physiotherapy techniques, patient education, and other alternative options
• To take delegated responsibility from the Band 7 physiotherapist for managing patients with particular conditions and be responsible for providing specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment plans for patients with these conditions
• Formulate accurate prognoses and recommend best course of intervention, developing comprehensive management plans
• Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent, which must be documented and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment. To comply with local confidentiality policies, child protection and vulnerable adult procedures
• Use an extensive range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients/carers; to motivate, gain co-operation, to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating. For example, patients may be dysphasic, depressed, deaf, blind or who may be unable to accept diagnosis, or realistic expectations of Physiotherapy intervention
• Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes if required
• To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload and to report incidents and near misses
• Work within trust clinical guidelines and CSP guidelines and to have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate
• Rarely, when working in the community and domiciliary settings, work as a lone practitioner with telephone support from a senior physiotherapist if required.
• To be an active member of the respiratory evening and weekend on-call rota and medical / surgical / cardiothoracic and critical care seven day services. Individual to ensure competencies are maintained.
• When working on the emergency duty rota, undertake the assessment and treatment of acutely ill patients with respiratory/orthopaedic/ neuro problems, who may have a complex presentation and maintain associated records as an autonomous practitioner
• When working on the emergency duty on-call rota, provide advice to medical and nursing staff and other members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding patient’s respiratory/ major trauma orthopaedic/ neurology and chest functions/condition and its management.
• To train, clinically supervise and performance management more junior staff, technical instructors, assistants and students, with assistance from more senior members of the physiotherapy team. This will include the use of formal appraisal documentation
• Represent physiotherapy service and /or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate physiotherapy treatment into the treatment programme. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning
• To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all electrotherapy equipment, gym equipment and patient appliances and aids by patients and ensure that junior staff/assistants attain competency prior to use.

For further details please see attached JD&PS

Person specification

Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrable broad post graduate clinical experience in Neurology, Acute Respiratory, Trauma and Orthopaedics / and Frailty
• Proven evidence of contribution to clinical education / supervision of less experienced staff, students or assistants
• An awareness of current NHS and Health issues related to Trauma Care
• Demonstrable experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Proven evidence of relevant CPD
• Previous demonstrable experience of working in Cardiothoracics/ Neurosurgery/ ICU/ Emergency care/Health Care for the Older Person/ Major trauma / MSK patients.
• Clinical educator course
• Demonstrable experience within a large acute healthcare environment

Qualifications

• Degree (BSc Hons Physiotherapy) or equivalent.
• HCPC registration.
• Proven attendance at additional relevant professional courses
• MSc relevant to the area

APTITUDE & ABILITIES

• Demonstrates effective and adaptable communication skills including written and verbal
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Proven evidence of Service Improvement

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.

If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included .

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests. This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.

We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.

In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.

We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.

Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.

Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.

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 Achin Sobti Job title Head of Physiotherapy Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01752 432241 Additional information

Jude Fewings, telephone [phone], email [e-mail]