Team Lead Physiotherapist - Neuro Outpatients

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279); Brighton; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in England is seeking a Team Lead Physiotherapist for Neuro Outpatients. This role involves managing a physiotherapy team, providing clinical guidance, and enhancing service delivery. Ideal candidates should have relevant qualifications, leadership experience, and a passion for patient-centered care. Opportunities for service development are available as well. A competitive salary is offered, ranging from £47,810 to £54,710 per annum pro rata.

Qualifications

• Experience of supervising less experienced staff and students.
• Relevant experience at Band 6 level within the specialty.
• Ability to teach specialized clinical skills to colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operational management of the neurological outpatient physiotherapy team.
• Provide clinical expertise and supervision to ensure high-quality patient care.
• Coordinate interventions with a multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Advanced assessment skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Team management

Education

Diploma in Physiotherapy or BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy

Postgraduate management training

Job description

Team Lead Physiotherapist - Neuro Outpatients

The closing date is 10 February 2026

Do you have a love for Neuro? Want to develop your skills in Neuro Outpatients? Looking to develop your Leadership and Operational Skills in managing a physiotherapy team? Then University Hospitals Sussex may be the place for you. We are seeking an experienced Band 7 Physiotherapist or someone looking to take on their first B7 role, to join our Neuro Outpatient Service for Maternity Leave cover from April 2026. This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a leadership role within a small, friendly, and supportive team, working with a mixed complexity caseload of patients. You will provide clinical expertise, guidance, and supervision to colleagues, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care. There will be opportunity to work with the wider Neurological Services including Consultants, Speciality Nurses and Community Neuro Services and work with them to develop pathways e.g. into FND care. You will have opportunities for service development, supporting innovation and best practice in the service.

Main duties of the job

Provide shared day to day operational management of the Neurological Outpatients Physiotherapy team based at Brighton General Hospital by undertaking a team leader role in planning, co‑ordinating, delivering and evaluating the Neurological Outpatients Physiotherapy Service on a day‑to‑day basis.

To deputise for the Clinical Team Leader if required. Provide shared leadership to the physiotherapy team within a team‑based structure at Brighton General Hospital as a specialist within the field of Neurological physiotherapy.

To actively promote and develop equality and diversity practices and strategic management in this area in order to promote equity of access of care for patients and equity of access to job opportunities and development opportunities for staff.

As an autonomous practitioner to carry out advanced assessment and treatment of a specialist caseload of patients within Neurological Outpatients who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, and to determine clinical diagnoses and physiotherapy treatment indicated, and to maintain records.

To provide specialist advice to other professionals both within the Trust and outside agencies e.g. GPs, Occupational Therapists, Orthotists.

To be responsible for teaching, supervision and appraisal of Static Band 6 Physiotherapist, Rotational Band 6 Neuro Physiotherapist and Band 4 Technical Instructor, and undergraduate students to ensure a high quality of clinical care within the specialty.

About us

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Candidate Pack

Job responsibilities

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role‑specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.

If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.

Communication

To adapt communication skills with patients who have communication and understanding difficulties, e.g. dementia, learning difficulties, visual and hearing impairments, non‑English speaking patients, and dysphasia. Advise other members of staff on appropriate basic communication strategies where necessary.

To assess capacity to give consent, gain informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment such as patients who have dementia, learning difficulties or who are acutely confused or have a neurological injury or illness resulting in impaired memory or cognition.

• To persuade, motivate, empathise, reassure, explain and encourage patients in undertaking their treatment programme, ensuring understanding of their condition and effective communication with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential.
• To demonstrate expert ability to clearly communicate complex and sensitive information to staff, patients and carers, including explaining diagnoses or prognoses about long‑term or permanent disabilities or chronic pain, where an educational and counselling role is required to be highly developed.
• To maintain realistic expectations of the rehabilitation process and outcome for patients and carers.
• To diffuse potentially hostile and antagonistic situations with staff, patients and relatives using highly developed negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up‑to‑date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.
• To maintain close links and work collaboratively with all staff and people involved in patient care, student education, research or policy development and promote good working relationships at all times.
• To represent the physiotherapy department on speciality issues within the trust and external agencies, e.g. GPs, steering groups, working parties.
• To ensure timely and effective communication with all physiotherapy staff on professional matters.
• To resolve verbal complaints and report all formal complaints, incidents and accidents to physiotherapy management as soon as possible, document according to trust policy and carry out preliminary investigation.

Service delivery and improvement

• To be responsible, in conjunction with the Physiotherapy leadership team, for policy implementation for the designated area.
• To identify and implement service development within the designated area and continually monitor and improve the effectiveness of patient care.
• To ensure staff implement policy and service developmental changes.
• To ensure the service responds to national initiatives and policy within the framework of clinical governance, including clinical effectiveness, evidence‑based health care, managing clinical risk, and research and development.

People management and development

• Responsible for carrying out duties in line with the Trusts e‑rostering processes, including managing rosters, supporting staff allocation, and contributing to effective budget reconciliation and workforce planning.
• As a team leader and clinical lead responsible for day‑to‑day management, supervision and co‑ordination of the Neurological Outpatients Team, including allocation of work, staff appraisal and performance management.
• To support the physiotherapy management in matters of grievance and disciplinary action when necessary.

To assist where necessary in the interviewing and appointment of new Trust Physiotherapy staff.

To have shared responsibility and accountability for the delivery of patient care in the designated area and to influence physiotherapy practice trust‑wide, e.g. management of neurological acute and longer‑term conditions.

To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable as an autonomous practitioner for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients in your care.

To ensure high standards of clinical care within the designated area and to ensure all staff within the team adhere to Trust, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Departmental standards of care.

To be highly competent in the comprehensive assessment of a wide range of neurological outpatients and inpatients, including those with a highly complex presentation, using advanced theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology, often in situations where conflicting evidence is present.

To interpret and analyse clinical and non‑clinical facts, which may be conflicting, using underpinning theoretical knowledge and experience to suggest diagnoses, identify main problems and form prognoses in a wide range of highly complex neurological conditions.

To formulate individual patient management, treatment and discharge plans, using clinical reasoning, current evidence and a wide range of treatment skills.

To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co‑ordination and palpatory skills for the assessment and manual treatment of patients – e.g. specific soft tissue massage, facilitation of sequences of normal movement, mobilisation, therapeutic handling to alter neurological tone.

To continually reassess patients to progress treatments effectively and advise patients, employers and occupational health departments on the appropriate time to return to work, sport and other activities.

To coordinate interventions which may include other disciplines through multidisciplinary working/meetings (face‑to‑face, written communication or via telephone) – e.g. OTs, Specialist Nurses, Orthotists, Speech and Language Therapists, Consultants, GPs, Continence Nurses, District Nurses.

To maintain patient confidentiality and dignity at all times and support peoples equality, diversity and rights.

To use advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to refer to other health disciplines as appropriate, especially for further treatment or specialist consultant opinions and to ensure appropriate referral systems are used by departmental staff.

To be an active member of the evening and weekend on‑call service and/or orthopaedic service.

• To maintain professionalism in public, ward and rehabilitation areas.

Person Specification

Professional Registration

• Diploma in Physiotherapy or BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy or overseas equivalent
• Evidence of postgraduate management courses or training

Experience/Qualifications

• Experience of supervising less experienced staff and students

Skills Clinical

• Relevant experience, including work at Band 6 level within the specialty
• High level of clinical skill in specialty area and ability to teach those skills (to own and other professions)
• Clinical specialist/team leader level within the speciality

Freedom to Act

• Ability to work autonomously, liaise and coordinate with the Management Team on a day‑to‑day basis and to take appropriate action as necessary

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

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.

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

£47,810 to £54,710 a year Per annum pro rata