Specialist Frailty Physiotherapist

University Hospitals Dorset Nhs Foundation Trust; Merley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust in Bournemouth is seeking a Senior Physiotherapist to join the Older Persons Services Team. The post covers rotations across ED/SDEC, OPAU, and older persons wards, with community outreach opportunities.

You will develop advanced practice in frailty and supervise junior staff in a dynamic, supportive environment. HCPC registration and a BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy are essential.

Qualifications

• HCPC registered physiotherapist with an honours degree.
• Demonstrated CPD and ongoing professional development.
• Experience delivering care for older adults with frailty in NHS settings.

Responsibilities

• Work across ED/SDEC and OPS wards to support older patients.
• Provide holistic assessment and plan in frailty pathways.
• Supervise junior staff and contribute to service development.
• Participate in on-call respiratory rota and 7-day rota.
• Maintain clear written documentation and outcome measures.

Skills

Respiratory on-call

Supervision of junior staff

Frailty advanced practice

Elderly care

Education

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy

HCPC Registration

CSP membership

Postgraduate study in older people

Job description

Job summary

Are you passionate about working with older people?

An opportunity has arisen for a senior physiotherapist to join our older persons' therapy team. As the successful post holder you will be encouraged and supported to develop extended skills and advanced practice in frailty with our highly regarded, innovative and motivated Older Persons Services Team.

Our rotational post provides opportunities to work as part of the therapy team covering:

• Emergency Department (ED) & Same Day Emergency Care Unit (SDEC)
• Older Persons Assessment Unit (OPAU)
• Older Persons wards
• Older Persons complex care wards
• Day Hospital - offering specialist clinics and community outreach

This provides therapists with an opportunity to develop a full and rich understanding of our patient's journey, from emergency admission to their transition home to outreach and bespoke community interventions.

Expectations of the post holder would include working holistically across professional boundaries, service development, supporting and supervising junior staff and opportunities to work alongside a range of experienced professionals both within the hospital and community.

This role requires HCPC Registration and BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy

Interview: 5th October

Main duties of the job

To be successful in securing this post, you will have:

• relevant experience working as a physiotherapist covering core rotations
• Experience working at a junior level within the NHS is essential
• Experience working on an on-call respiratory rota as participation is expected in this role
• Willing to participate in 7 day working on a rota basis
• Ability to drive, hold a clean drivers licence and have access to a car for work purposes

Previous applicants need not apply.

Base Location: Bournemouth Hospital

About us

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service‑specific questions at interview.

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

UHD has active networks including Women's, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.

AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.

For UHD employees, this fixed‑term post will be offered as a secondment in line with the Trust's Secondment Policy. Please speak with your line manager before applying.

Details

Date posted: 07 September 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year pa/pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part‑time

Reference number: 153-SP06722

Job locations: Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Castle Lane East, Bournemouth, BH7 7DW, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy Degree
• HCPC Registration
• Evidence of C.P.D
• Member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Postgraduate study/training related to older people and frailty
• Evidence of working with frail patients, with complex needs which require advanced clinical reasoning
• Broad experience of working at a band 5 level within the NHS, including experience in rehabilitation
• Evidence of effective supervision of junior staff
• Evidence of and desire to supervise students
• experience working within the NHS
• relevant and recent experience working in an inpatients OPS service
• Involvement in/ leading QI projects
• Experience in a community setting

Technical skills/competencies

Essential

• Ability to assess, manage & treat elderly patients with multi-pathology conditions
• Experience of respiratory/on-call
• Skills in goal setting & evaluating outcome measures
• Ability to produce clear written documentation of intervention & reports
• Therapeutic moving & handling skills at specialist level
• IT Skills within word processing
• Use of standardised assessments
• Ability to complete a holistic assessment which may include some Physiotherapist and nursing skills
• Good knowledge of long term conditions affecting the older person
• Understanding current legislation relevant to older people and frailty
• The interface between hospital, intermediate care and community services.
• A sound understanding of capacity issues and ability to recognise need for formal assessment

Interpersonal skills

Essential

• Demonstrate excellent verbal and nonverbal communication with an ability to establish a good rapport with a range of people.
• Ability to teach patients, relatives, carers & staff
• To be able to delegate work appropriately & Ability to work effectively in a team

Other

Essential

• Ability to drive, hold a clean drivers licence

Personal attributes

Essential

• Well motivated and have an interest in older adults
• Good time management & able to prioritise a caseload
• Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name: University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Castle Lane East, Bournemouth, BH7 7DW, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Lead Therapists

UHD Older Persons Clinical Lead Therapists

[e-mail]

03000196191

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.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

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Specialist Frailty Physiotherapist Bournemouth, United Kingdom