Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Physiotherapist

The closing date is 25 September 2025

Job summary

Community Rehabilitation Service main focus is to provide rehabilitation support to patients within their own communities.

Our focus is helping our patients to regain any lost skills, increase their levels of independence and wellbeing and to empower and equip them to make lasting changes for their future.

We will give them support and guidance to help them to achieve their goals by encouraging them to contribute to decisions about their treatment.

Main duties of the job

To provide high quality patient-centered care and specialist Physiotherapy rehabilitation to adults referred to the Rehabilitation Service.

Participate in the development of the Rehabilitation Service particularly around falls and frailty assessments.

To provide specialist physiotherapy advice regarding the rehabilitation management of patients to families, carers and other members of the MDT.

Provide support, guidance and training to Band 5 Therapists, Apprentices, Rehabilitation Assistants and Students.

Responsibility for a caseload of complex patients within the community and provide cover for the community hospital bedded environments, as required.

Act as Clinical Supervisor and undertake Managerial Supervision including Appraisal for Band 5 Physiotherapists and Rehabilitation Assistants.

Act as Team Lead in the Rehabilitation Managers absence, including supporting staff and attending any meetings delegated by the manager.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

  • Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
  • NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
  • Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
  • A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Details

Date posted

11 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

184-OL-BL-3107

Job locations

Bridgwater Community Hospital

Bower Lane

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 4GU


War Memorial Hospital

Love Lane

Burnham On Sea

Somerset

TA8 1ED


Job description

Job responsibilities

To use advanced clinical reasoning to predict achievable outcomes of treatment and to recommend the best course of intervention, developing comprehensive treatment plans, in conjunction with other professions and agencies.

To be responsible on a daily basis for the allocation of clinical work to the Rehabilitation Assistants

To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload and take action to effectively manage identified risks.

To play a key role in planning and implementing discharge in conjunction with other professionals and agencies in bedded units.

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing, social services, and therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include providing specialist/ expert advice to case conferences, discharge planning, patient reviews and admission prevention.

To be responsible for organising, prioritising, and planning your own caseload and that of the staff under your supervision within the Rehabilitation service

To manage clinical time effectively by caseload prioritisation to meet patient need, balancing this with other patient related activities and professional responsibilities, both planned and unpredictable demands

To provide a high standard Physiotherapy service to all patients referred to the service.

Please refer to main full job description

Job description

Job responsibilities

To use advanced clinical reasoning to predict achievable outcomes of treatment and to recommend the best course of intervention, developing comprehensive treatment plans, in conjunction with other professions and agencies.

To be responsible on a daily basis for the allocation of clinical work to the Rehabilitation Assistants

To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload and take action to effectively manage identified risks.

To play a key role in planning and implementing discharge in conjunction with other professionals and agencies in bedded units.

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing, social services, and therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include providing specialist/ expert advice to case conferences, discharge planning, patient reviews and admission prevention.

To be responsible for organising, prioritising, and planning your own caseload and that of the staff under your supervision within the Rehabilitation service

To manage clinical time effectively by caseload prioritisation to meet patient need, balancing this with other patient related activities and professional responsibilities, both planned and unpredictable demands

To provide a high standard Physiotherapy service to all patients referred to the service.

Please refer to main full job description

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registration
  • Diploma/degree/Masters in Physiotherapy
  • Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent postgraduate courses
  • Post graduate accredited course in Care / Rehabilitation of the Elderly and / or other relevant post graduate courses
  • Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Desirable

  • Membership of relevant CSP special interest group

Experience

Essential

  • Proven post graduate experience with extensive clinical experience relevant to the post.
  • Experience of a wide range of clinical rehabilitation areas of practice to include elderly patients with complex multi-pathology, neurological, orthopaedics etc.
  • Experience in working in a community setting
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills both written and verbal
  • Desire to work with older people within a rehabilitation setting in Somerset

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Ability to cope with distressing situations such as imparting unwelcome news regarding rehabilitation potential
  • Adaptable to sudden changes in workload with fast turnaround of patients
  • Leadership skills
  • Specialist knowledge and application of current best practice in rehabilitation Physiotherapy
  • Ability to cope with working in a stressful environment and with emotional and aggressive patients and carers who can be demanding.
  • Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registration
  • Diploma/degree/Masters in Physiotherapy
  • Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent postgraduate courses
  • Post graduate accredited course in Care / Rehabilitation of the Elderly and / or other relevant post graduate courses
  • Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Desirable

  • Membership of relevant CSP special interest group

Experience

Essential

  • Proven post graduate experience with extensive clinical experience relevant to the post.
  • Experience of a wide range of clinical rehabilitation areas of practice to include elderly patients with complex multi-pathology, neurological, orthopaedics etc.
  • Experience in working in a community setting
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills both written and verbal
  • Desire to work with older people within a rehabilitation setting in Somerset

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Ability to cope with distressing situations such as imparting unwelcome news regarding rehabilitation potential
  • Adaptable to sudden changes in workload with fast turnaround of patients
  • Leadership skills
  • Specialist knowledge and application of current best practice in rehabilitation Physiotherapy
  • Ability to cope with working in a stressful environment and with emotional and aggressive patients and carers who can be demanding.
  • Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service.

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.

UK Registration

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

Additional information

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.

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

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bridgwater Community Hospital

Bower Lane

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 4GU


Employer's website

https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bridgwater Community Hospital

Bower Lane

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 4GU


Employer's website

https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Hiring Manager

Benjamin Lang

benjamin.lang@somersetFT.nhs.uk

07990567063

Details

Date posted

11 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

184-OL-BL-3107

Job locations

Bridgwater Community Hospital

Bower Lane

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 4GU


War Memorial Hospital

Love Lane

Burnham On Sea

Somerset

TA8 1ED


Supporting documents

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