Physiotherapist jobs in United Kingdom

The Oxford Sleep & Ventilation Service are a tertiary centre of excellence, supporting over 20,000 patients on Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) and around 1500 on long term ventilation and airway clearance needs.

We are looking for a Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist to join our fantastic multi‑disciplinary team in delivering safe and effective care to patients in Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals – the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

In 2023 NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the core principles. Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.

• Performs specialist assessment of patients, including those with highly complex presentations and formulates appropriate treatment plans, which are carried out as an autonomous practitioner.
• Works in a variety of healthcare settings including outpatient, inpatient and domiciliary outreach.
• Assists in the supervision, teaching and appraisal of senior and junior physiotherapists, physiotherapy students and other MDT members.
• Assists the team leader (Lead Specialist Physiotherapist) in the operational management and overall development of the service, deputising as required.
• Participates in evidence‑based projects and assists in the implementation of changes within the service and the setting and monitoring of standards of practice.

1. To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own professional activities.
2. To undertake the specialist assessment of patients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with highly complex presentations. To use clinical reasoning skills, knowledge of evidence‑based practice and advanced expertise to determine appropriate interventions.
3. To interpret and analyse clinical and non‑clinical facts to form accurate diagnoses in a wide range of highly complex conditions.
4. To formulate accurate prognoses and recommend best course of intervention, developing and implementing comprehensive treatment plans.
5. To be responsible for own patient care plans and to be consulted frequently for specialist advice and guidance by junior team members and other health care professionals.
6. To continually reassess patients in order to progress treatments effectively.
7. To be highly competent in assessing a wide range of cardio‑respiratory conditions based on specialist theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology, often in situations where conflicting evidence is present.
8. To be highly skilled in a diversity of assessment and treatment skills within the specialty of Sleep and Ventilation including non‑invasive and invasive ventilation, advanced cough management, airway clearance strategies and continuous positive airways pressure.
9. To be highly competent in selecting, setting‑up and adjusting a range of medical devices used in the treatment of Sleep and Ventilation patients and to keep up‑to‑date with new devices and technology.
10. To demonstrate highly competent information technology skills in order to analyse, interpret and respond to results or data relating to patient care.
11. To demonstrate physical ability to carry out physiotherapy assessment and interventions including manual therapy techniques and therapeutic handling.
12. To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co‑ordination and palpatory sensory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients.
13. To provide domiciliary care working as a lone practitioner using expert skills in assessment, diagnosis and provision of expert treatment in a non‑hospital setting, often to very unwell patients who may have end‑stage disease.
14. To assess a patient’s capacity to understand and to gain valid, informed consent for treatment. To work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent or refuse treatment.
15. To demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information to patient, carers and other staff, where there may be barriers to communication e.g. non‑English speaking patients, those with communication disorders, impaired speech or hearing and ensure all members of the team do likewise.
16. With support, to sensitively deal with distressing or emotional circumstances regarding patient care e.g. imparting news of poor prognoses, management/treatment of the patient in the terminal stages of the disease.
17. To take an active role in health promotion using up‑to‑date knowledge of the range of support services available to patients.
18. To liaise with and advise other physiotherapists, relevant medical staff, nursing staff, social workers and other members of the Oxford Sleep and Ventilation MDT with regard to patient care.
19. To communicate effectively with all other disciplines involved in the patient’s care both in the hospital and in the community thus ensuring a multidisciplinary approach and integrated service.
20. To attend meetings and case conferences as appropriate and liaise with and advise other disciplines to achieve comprehensive, effective and confidential patient management throughout their long‑term management within the service.
21. To use specialist knowledge to refer to other healthcare professionals or teams as appropriate.
22. To manage clinical risk within own caseload at all times.
23. To be responsible for maintenance of accurate written records according to Trust and CSP standards.
24. To ensure accurate and timely written communication to other healthcare professions, including letter dictation and report writing.

1. To assist the Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and Lead Respiratory Physiologist in ensuring that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually improved.
2. To deputise for the Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and Lead Respiratory Physiologist in the day‑to‑day operational management of the service.
3. To assist the Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and Lead Respiratory Physiologist to ensure competent use, repair and maintenance reporting of the various devices used within the Oxford Sleep and Ventilation Service and that designated staff attain competency prior to use.
4. To comply with all Trust policies and procedures and Health and Safety at Work Act, including adherence to Universal Precautions and Infection Control measures.
5. To attend mandatory fire, manual handling and resuscitation training on an annual basis and be familiar with local procedures within speciality areas of work, and ensure that staff within the team are aware of their responsibilities.
6. To participate in the Trust Appraisal Scheme, both as appraisee and appraiser.
7. To attend and be an active participant in departmental staff meetings.
8. To maintain an accurate and evaluative record keeping system for own clinical caseload and assist the Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and Lead Respiratory Physiologist in ensuring that other staff and student physiotherapists are maintaining the safe standards within the service.
9. To provide statistics and analysis reports regarding the designated service using databases in an accurate and timely manner.
10. To take responsibility for the induction of new staff to the service in preparation for their undertaking of duties.
11. To take responsibility for maintaining stock levels and ordering equipment according to Trust policy.
12. To flexibly plan and organise own time and assist in the organisation of team to include patient care, training, supervision and meetings.
13. To achieve the effective daily management of a caseload of patients including responding to urgent referrals, prioritising clinical work and balancing other patient related and professional activities in accordance with departmental standards.
14. To assist in ensuring that the agreed quality standards of service, based on professional guidelines and standards from CSP Clinical Practice, HCPC professional standards, and national guidelines are maintained and to work with the Lead Specialist Physiotherapist in this area.
15. To motivate others through developed communication skills, with the benefit of verbal and non‑verbal skills, using written and electronic information where needed.
16. To maintain close links, communication and liaison between all staff and people involved in patient care, student education, as appropriate and promote good working relationships at all times.
17. To be well‑versed with the Trust’s informal and formal complaints procedure.
18. To impart complex information to small groups of people, for example in class and training sessions, using a variety of methods of communication.
19. To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner.
20. To ensure close links of communication with Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and other senior staff as necessary, and to ensure timely and effective communication on all professional matters.
21. To support the Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and Lead Respiratory Physiologist to ensure that the service responds to national initiatives and policy within the framework of clinical governance including clinical effectiveness, evidence based healthcare, managing clinical risk and research and development.

1. To assist in the provision of specialised teaching to small and large groups, for example, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals, carers, students and hospice staff.
2. To be responsible for own personal and professional development and keep abreast of new clinical practices in cardio‑respiratory physiotherapy in general and Sleep and Ventilation specifically. To attend and contribute to external courses, meetings and conferences as appropriate.
3. To maintain a CPD portfolio reflecting personal and professional development and ensure all members of designated team have a comprehensive performance plan, in accordance with HCPC code of conduct and standards.
4. To clearly convey complex knowledge of techniques, biomechanics, anatomy and physiology to patients and staff.
5. To assist in the supervision, training and professional development of physiotherapists on rotation through the service and other MDT members.
6. To supervise undergraduate and masters physiotherapy students as required, and to liaise with academic institutions regarding student performance and to support and advise less experienced clinical educators as required.

1. To participate in the department’s ongoing audit and appropriate work‑related research/evaluation projects in areas relevant to the clinical field.
2. To assist in the supervision of evidence‑based projects for rotational staff.
3. To keep abreast of evidence‑based practice in Respiratory Medicine and Long Term Ventilation, and appropriate conditions through relevant reading, attendance at in‑service training, external courses.
4. To ensure good working knowledge of national and local standards.

If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for more details.

This advert closes on Wednesday 11 Feb 2026.