Go back Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Senior Physiotherapist - Orthopaedics and Surgery
The closing date is 17 October 2025
Bedford Hospital has a rare and exciting opportunity to join the Orthopaedics and Surgery Team, working as a Senior Physiotherapist. The successful candidate will be working within the fast-paced and dynamic orthopaedic and surgical wards.
The post holder will need to be enthusiastic, energetic and motivated to continually provide advanced physiotherapy assessment and treatment skills. They will also need to be passionate about all things orthopaedics and Surgery and keen to facilitate teaching to junior staff to develop their knowledge and skills.
Main duties of the job
For a full list of key responsibilities, please see the detailed job description and person specification. Below are some of the pertinent points:-
A senior physiotherapy post is designed to allow physiotherapists who have consolidated and developed their graduate skills as a physiotherapist to further develop their clinical, professional and leadership skills.
The post holder will work within the orthopaedics and surgery physiotherapy team, and have the ability and passion to deliver advanced physiotherapy assessment and management to a caseload of orthopaedic and surgical patients, with a particular interest within the Elective and Trauma orthopaedic sub-speciality.
The post holder should have an interest in developing their professional and leadership skills, and have the ability to deputise for their team lead and support with service improvement projects/initiatives.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job responsibilities
- Undertake the physiotherapy assessment and management of patients within the Orthopaedic and Surgical physiotherapy speciality.
- Determine clinical diagnosis or need and the physiotherapy intervention indicated.
- Hold responsibility for their own varied caseload, as an autonomous practitioner and oversee caseloads of more junior staff. They will ensure all patients are managed this using evidence based and patient centred principles.
- Assess, plan, treat and evaluate patient centred interventions. Deliver an individualised treatment programme and ensure the Physiotherapy requirements for the discharge planning process are delivered in a timely manner.
- To work alongside members of the multidisciplinary team to deliver physiotherapy services to patients within the specialities of the work place. This will include patients with multi-pathology and complex needs.
- To supervise, educate and assess the performance of undergraduate physiotherapy students as required ensuring the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification.
- Access advice and support from a senior staff to ensure their clinical work is evaluated.
- To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your work, including the management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients under physiotherapy management, and support more junior staff to do likewise.
- To determine by assessment and liaison with other relevant agencies what the advice, education and treatment requirements are for each patient and or carer. This may include dealing with complex and conflicting opinions within the multi-disciplinary multi-agency team.
- To make independent clinical decisions, evaluate intervention outcomes and alter/ progress treatment programmes accordingly.
- To advise and educate patients and their families/carers on the management of individual problems.
- To continuously evaluate own practice ensuring it is up-to-date and evidence based, complying with Trust and Professional clinical guidelines.
- To be able to manage clinical risk within your patient caseload. Demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to the work situation.
- To maintain comprehensive and accurate patient records to comply with legal and departmental requirements.
- To contribute to relevant multidisciplinary team meetings and case conferences. This will include involvement in patient discharge planning.
- To delegate, take responsibility for work undertaken by, and assist with development of support workers.
- To make known to the Team Leader or Professional lead, any deficiency in working conditions, equipment and procedures, which may constitute a hazard to patients or staff and ensure adequate precautions are taken.
- To communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines both verbally and in the form of reports and letters.
- To assist with the professional development of junior staff including the assessment and management of patients, control of workload and appraisal.
- To be responsible for own professional development record as identified in the personal development plan.
- To educate peers and other members of the MDT on aspects of Physiotherapy through talks, lectures and demonstrations.
- To be involved in appraisal systems, clinical supervision, and be active in identifying aims and objectives for personal development in line with departmental policy.
- To collect and analyse appropriate statistical data in accordance with departmental procedure.
- To participate in multidisciplinary and departmental clinical governance activities including audit.
- To deputise for the Team leader and support them in implementing targets and objectives to assist in the on-going development of the Team. To participate in service evaluation and advise the Team Leader on the service needs.
- To attend and contribute to departmental meetings as agreed by team lead.
- The post holder may be required to work at any identified site where Bedford Physiotherapy Services are delivered.
- To undertake any other duties that may be reasonably required by clinicians.
- The list of responsibilities above, are key primary requirements for the role, however, additional duties may be required to ensure patient and employee safety is met.
Person SpecificationQualifications
- Physio Degree or Equivalent
- HCPC Registration
Experience
- Previous NHS experience in a rotational capacity in core specialities or similar position
- Previous NHS experience within respiratory areas
- Experience supervising junior and support staff
- Previous NHS experience within orthopaedic and surgical speciality
- Clinical educator experience
Knowledge
- Able to present information, written and orally in a clear logical manner
- Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate
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.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
£38,682 to £46,580 a yearper annum pro rata
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