Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Band 7 Highly Specialist Physiotherapist in Frailty

The closing date is 20 August 2025

Job summary

Highly Specialist Physiotherapist in Frailty

Queen Elizabeth Hospital- Woolwich

We are seeking a dynamic and talented senior physiotherapist to work and contribute to the leadership of the lead the Medical Rehabilitation and Frailty physiotherapy service at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The post holder will be supervised by the Lead Inpatient Physiotherapist for QEH, and work alongside the physiotherapy lead for Medical Rehabilitation. They will work as part of a large Medical and Frailty Rehabilitation physiotherapy team as well as working as part of the wider trust physiotherapy service.

This exciting opportunity will allow the successful candidate to gain experience and develop advanced clinical and leadership skills. In this role, you would have the opportunity to experience the diversity of working across the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley.

The caseload will comprise of a mixture of medical, elderly and frail inpatients. Therapies are considered an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team at Lewisham and Greenwich Trust and enjoy close MDT working.

Main duties of the job

We support staff to attend courses and further education to allow progression in your clinical specialty, as well as senior leadership skills. This is supported both with access to paid study leave and course funding. All senior therapists are encouraged to take an active role in trust wide quality improvement, audit and service development.

The physiotherapy department within Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is highly regarded as an inclusive and supportive team. If you are a motivated Physiotherapist looking to progress as a Highly Specialist Physiotherapist in Frailty, do not miss this opportunity to work within a dynamic, friendly and innovative department with all the benefits of being a large London Trust.

About us

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is a community focused provider of local and acute care, providing high quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley. With a turnover of around £700 million, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham and a range of community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup.

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

  1. Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
  2. Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
  3. Improving the experience of staff with disability
  4. Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
  5. Making equalities mainstream

Details

Date posted

06 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum plus HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

197-UT7118

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

London

SE18 4QH


Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

The Physiotherapy Team Lead for Frailty at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) provides clinical leadership to physiotherapy staff working in this pathway on this site. The postholder is an experienced clinician who independently manages a significant clinical caseload.

Alongside the Physiotherapy Team Lead for Medical Rehabilitation, the postholder supervises the day to day running of the Medical Rehabilitation and Frailty physiotherapy team and is line managed by the Physiotherapy Inpatient Site Lead for QEH.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical

  1. To undertake all aspects of clinical duties and to carry a significant caseload of patients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with complex presentations
  1. To work at an advanced level and to be professionally and legally accountable for a highly-specialized patient caseload and to decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands
  1. To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work, and of the local pathway teams work. This will include the management of clinical risk, clinical governance, knowledge of indications and precautions of chosen techniques in line with national and trust clinical guidelines and protocols where they exist.
  1. To assess patients capacity, gain valid and informed consent to treatment and where such capacity is lacking/absent to work within a legal framework in the management of the patient
  1. To undertake the comprehensive assessment and accurate diagnosis of patients including those with complex presentation, using investigative, palpatory, analytical and clinical reasoning skills
  1. Under supervision of the Physiotherapy Inpatient Site Lead to request diagnostic procedures that will inform clinical decision making as appropriate to individual competency level and the job role
  1. To undertake physical treatment techniques utilizing highly developed manual skills
  1. To formulate individualized clinical management programs, utilizing a wide range of treatment skills and options to plan a highly-specialized program of care
  1. To use recognized outcome measures to evaluate the effect of physiotherapy interventions and ensure that treatment programs are progressing appropriately
  1. To provide spontaneous and planned expert advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers, other disciplines and agencies. To promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure continuation of the treatment program. To be consulted by staff within the local pathway and the trust
  1. To participate in and where indicated, initiate multidisciplinary / multi-agency team meetings and case conferences to ensure the co-ordination of patient care. This may include the review of patient progress and discharge planning
  1. To ensure accurate, comprehensive and up to date clinical records are maintained in accordance with Trust guidance and professionally agreed criteria
  1. To identify and employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients where there may be barriers to understanding or the inability to accept diagnosis. To facilitate the best possible communication outcome in every situation and use appropriate services, e.g. interpreters, SALT
  1. To ensure that individual practice and that of the local pathway team is patient focused and patient views are incorporated into treatment planning
  1. To employ appropriate skills such as persuasion, motivation and negotiation to gain co-operation in the continuation of the agreed treatment program
  1. To communicate with empathy, patient information which may be of a complex and sensitive nature including details of prognosis or disability that may be unwelcome
  1. To receive complex patient related information from patients, relatives, carers and other professionals to effectively plan and develop individual case management
  1. To communicate and advise regarding complex patient related information effectively to ensure collaborative working within the physiotherapy service and with other professionals across health and other agencies to ensure the delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service
  1. To be integral in discharge planning including liaison with referring hospitals or community staff to which patients are discharged, providing timely discharge reports
  1. To produce comprehensive patient related reposts for other disciplines or agencies relating to assessment findings and or treatment outcomes
  1. To undertake an extended scope role as appropriate to the needs of the service and supervised by the Physiotherapy Site Lead (an extended scope practitioner undertakes delegated responsibility on behalf of medical practitioner(s) including the independent management of complete episodes of care of patients from referral to discharge)
  1. To undertake the measurement and evaluation of work through audit, outcome measurement, the application of evidence-based practice and research where appropriate. To identify and initiate audit projects to review current clinical practice within the pathway
  1. To facilitate the implementation and evaluation of physiotherapy clinical outcomes within a designated pathway and monitor adherence with professional and national standards
  1. To work to Trust and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy clinical guidelines and have a good working knowledge of relevant national standards to which quality of practice should be monitored.
  1. To raise physiotherapy staff awareness of current clinical developments and the implication these may have on clinical practice
  1. To be accessible and provide expert clinical advice to colleagues in particular for complex case management
  1. Once considered competent to participate in the on-call, week-end, bank holiday and extended working rotas where clinically appropriate
  1. To fully participate in whatever pattern of working (including 7-day rosters) is required by the service in the future

All clinical staff are accountable and responsible for their own clinical competence and should limit their actions to those for which they are deemed competent in line with guidance from their professional bodies.

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

The Physiotherapy Team Lead for Frailty at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) provides clinical leadership to physiotherapy staff working in this pathway on this site. The postholder is an experienced clinician who independently manages a significant clinical caseload.

Alongside the Physiotherapy Team Lead for Medical Rehabilitation, the postholder supervises the day to day running of the Medical Rehabilitation and Frailty physiotherapy team and is line managed by the Physiotherapy Inpatient Site Lead for QEH.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical

  1. To undertake all aspects of clinical duties and to carry a significant caseload of patients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with complex presentations
  1. To work at an advanced level and to be professionally and legally accountable for a highly-specialized patient caseload and to decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands
  1. To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work, and of the local pathway teams work. This will include the management of clinical risk, clinical governance, knowledge of indications and precautions of chosen techniques in line with national and trust clinical guidelines and protocols where they exist.
  1. To assess patients capacity, gain valid and informed consent to treatment and where such capacity is lacking/absent to work within a legal framework in the management of the patient
  1. To undertake the comprehensive assessment and accurate diagnosis of patients including those with complex presentation, using investigative, palpatory, analytical and clinical reasoning skills
  1. Under supervision of the Physiotherapy Inpatient Site Lead to request diagnostic procedures that will inform clinical decision making as appropriate to individual competency level and the job role
  1. To undertake physical treatment techniques utilizing highly developed manual skills
  1. To formulate individualized clinical management programs, utilizing a wide range of treatment skills and options to plan a highly-specialized program of care
  1. To use recognized outcome measures to evaluate the effect of physiotherapy interventions and ensure that treatment programs are progressing appropriately
  1. To provide spontaneous and planned expert advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers, other disciplines and agencies. To promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure continuation of the treatment program. To be consulted by staff within the local pathway and the trust
  1. To participate in and where indicated, initiate multidisciplinary / multi-agency team meetings and case conferences to ensure the co-ordination of patient care. This may include the review of patient progress and discharge planning
  1. To ensure accurate, comprehensive and up to date clinical records are maintained in accordance with Trust guidance and professionally agreed criteria
  1. To identify and employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients where there may be barriers to understanding or the inability to accept diagnosis. To facilitate the best possible communication outcome in every situation and use appropriate services, e.g. interpreters, SALT
  1. To ensure that individual practice and that of the local pathway team is patient focused and patient views are incorporated into treatment planning
  1. To employ appropriate skills such as persuasion, motivation and negotiation to gain co-operation in the continuation of the agreed treatment program
  1. To communicate with empathy, patient information which may be of a complex and sensitive nature including details of prognosis or disability that may be unwelcome
  1. To receive complex patient related information from patients, relatives, carers and other professionals to effectively plan and develop individual case management
  1. To communicate and advise regarding complex patient related information effectively to ensure collaborative working within the physiotherapy service and with other professionals across health and other agencies to ensure the delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service
  1. To be integral in discharge planning including liaison with referring hospitals or community staff to which patients are discharged, providing timely discharge reports
  1. To produce comprehensive patient related reposts for other disciplines or agencies relating to assessment findings and or treatment outcomes
  1. To undertake an extended scope role as appropriate to the needs of the service and supervised by the Physiotherapy Site Lead (an extended scope practitioner undertakes delegated responsibility on behalf of medical practitioner(s) including the independent management of complete episodes of care of patients from referral to discharge)
  1. To undertake the measurement and evaluation of work through audit, outcome measurement, the application of evidence-based practice and research where appropriate. To identify and initiate audit projects to review current clinical practice within the pathway
  1. To facilitate the implementation and evaluation of physiotherapy clinical outcomes within a designated pathway and monitor adherence with professional and national standards
  1. To work to Trust and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy clinical guidelines and have a good working knowledge of relevant national standards to which quality of practice should be monitored.
  1. To raise physiotherapy staff awareness of current clinical developments and the implication these may have on clinical practice
  1. To be accessible and provide expert clinical advice to colleagues in particular for complex case management
  1. Once considered competent to participate in the on-call, week-end, bank holiday and extended working rotas where clinically appropriate
  1. To fully participate in whatever pattern of working (including 7-day rosters) is required by the service in the future

All clinical staff are accountable and responsible for their own clinical competence and should limit their actions to those for which they are deemed competent in line with guidance from their professional bodies.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential

  • Degree/diploma in Physiotherapy
  • Post graduate training in Respiratory Physiotherapy
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
  • HCPC registration

Desirable

  • Relevant MSC
  • Member of ACPRC
  • Research experience

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience in respiratory Physiotherapy at Band 6 level
  • Effective teaching skills
  • Evidence supported by portfolio

Desirable

  • Involvement of audit
  • Able to teach using simulation suite

Knowledge

Essential

  • Possession of in-depth knowledge of respiratory physiotherapy and service developments
  • Commitment to the development of physiotherapy and education within the clinical setting
  • Competence in setting up and teaching set up of NIV to other physiotherapists
  • Excellent communication skills at all levels, both verbally and written
  • Computer literacy
  • Approachable to all colleagues and members of the public
  • Able to work in a diplomatic and professional manner
  • Awareness of Government agenda especially in relation to acute care
  • Knowledge of the modernisation agenda
  • Ability to work as a team leader

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a variety of clinical and educational settings
Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential

  • Degree/diploma in Physiotherapy
  • Post graduate training in Respiratory Physiotherapy
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
  • HCPC registration

Desirable

  • Relevant MSC
  • Member of ACPRC
  • Research experience

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience in respiratory Physiotherapy at Band 6 level
  • Effective teaching skills
  • Evidence supported by portfolio

Desirable

  • Involvement of audit
  • Able to teach using simulation suite

Knowledge

Essential

  • Possession of in-depth knowledge of respiratory physiotherapy and service developments
  • Commitment to the development of physiotherapy and education within the clinical setting
  • Competence in setting up and teaching set up of NIV to other physiotherapists
  • Excellent communication skills at all levels, both verbally and written
  • Computer literacy
  • Approachable to all colleagues and members of the public
  • Able to work in a diplomatic and professional manner
  • Awareness of Government agenda especially in relation to acute care
  • Knowledge of the modernisation agenda
  • Ability to work as a team leader

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a variety of clinical and educational settings

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).

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.

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

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

London

SE18 4QH


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

London

SE18 4QH


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Band 8a Inpatient Physiotherapy Lead, QEH

Hannah Witherow

hannah.witherow@nhs.net

02088365003

Details

Date posted

06 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum plus HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

197-UT7118

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Stadium Road

London

SE18 4QH


Supporting documents

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