University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Team Lead Medical Respiratory Physiotherapist

The closing date is 02 April 2026

Job summary

Come and join us! This is a great opportunity to become part of our dynamic, friendly, and forward-thinking, inclusive Physiotherapy Team at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. We are recruiting an enthusiastic and highly motivated band 7physiotherapist for a 12 months FTC/secondment to cover maternity leave. At the RSCH, the Physiotherapy Team will be based both in the existing buildings but also in the exciting purpose-built Louisa Martindale Building, where there is a the multi-disciplinary office in the new building with access to our brand-new ADL Suites, garden and therapy gym. Enabling, our staff to really make a difference to our patients' therapy and care.

Main duties of the job

Provide day to day operational management of the Medical Respiratory and Renal team based at Royal Sussex County Hospital in planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the Medical Respiratory Physiotherapy Service on a day-to-day basis.

Provide shared leadership to the physiotherapy team within a team-based structure as a specialist within the field respiratory medical Physiotherapy and respiratory Outpatients.

As an autonomous practitioner to carry a high clinical caseload of patients out advanced assessment and treatment of a specialist caseload of patients within Medical Respiratory, 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. Community therapists, GPs, Health Visitors and Teachers.

To be responsible for teaching, supervision and appraisal of other Senior Physiotherapists and Physiotherapists, Senior Support Workers and Support Workers and Undergraduate students to ensure a high quality of clinical care within the speciality, including assessment for clinical competence of all staff providing emergency respiratory care as part of the weekend and "on call" service.

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 abuddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Candidate Pack

Details

Date posted

31 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year Per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

279-7868124-MAR26

Job locations

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication

To adapt communication skills with non-English speaking patients and parents; children of varying ages and those with multi-sensory loss; speech and language disorders; complex needs and learning difficulties; and ensure all members of the team do likewise.

To assess capacity to give consent, gain informed consent and have ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment such as patients who have learning difficulties, are acutely confused.

To persuade, motivate, empathise, reassure, explain and encourage patients, and carers in undertaking their treatment programme, ensure understanding of their condition and communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential.

  • To demonstrate expert ability to clearly communicate complex and sensitive information to staff, patients, and carers. This may include explaining diagnoses or prognoses about long-term / permanent disabilities or chronic pain, where an educational and counselling role is required to be highly developed.

    To be able 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 always promote good working relationships.

    To represent the Physiotherapy department on speciality issues within the trust, e.g. infection control within Physiotherapy department.

    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 Clinical Team Lead Physiotherapist for policy implementation for the designated areas.

To be responsible for identifying and implementing service development within the designated areas and to ensure effectiveness of patient care is continually monitored and improved.

To ensure that the service within the designated areas 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

To supervise less experienced staff and formulate Individual Development Plans and undertake regular appraisals with team members.

To work as an autonomous practitioner in collaboration with the MDT for the care, management and rehabilitation of Medical and respiratory patients with acute/long term conditions which have complex symptoms.

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.

  • 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.

Patient care delivery

To have responsibility for the delivery of patient care in the designated area and to influence and advance physiotherapy practice trust wide.

To have responsibility for the management, organisation and delivery of a case load of Outpatient respiratory patients.

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 areas and ensure staff within the team adhere to Trust, HCPC, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Departmental standards of care.

To be highly competent in the comprehensive assessment of a wide range of Medical Respiratory patients, including those with a highly complex presentations and the critically ill, 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 Medical and respiratory conditions.

To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory skills for the assessment and manual treatment of patients.

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

To provide accurate written information, advice and exercise programmes for patients and those involved in their care.

To continually re-assess patients to progress treatments effectively with advice to Patients and Carers including the appropriate time to return to school, sports and other activities.

To have an active role in interventions which may include other disciplines through Multidisciplinary meetings, goal setting meetings, safe discharge meetings, case conferences.

To always maintain patient confidentiality and dignity and support equality, diversity and rights.

To use advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to refer to other health disciplines as appropriate, 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 weekend working rota and on call service.

To maintain professionalism in public, ward and rehabilitation areas. To undertake any other duties as may be deemed necessary by Physiotherapy managers in the provision of the physiotherapy service.

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

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication

To adapt communication skills with non-English speaking patients and parents; children of varying ages and those with multi-sensory loss; speech and language disorders; complex needs and learning difficulties; and ensure all members of the team do likewise.

To assess capacity to give consent, gain informed consent and have ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment such as patients who have learning difficulties, are acutely confused.

To persuade, motivate, empathise, reassure, explain and encourage patients, and carers in undertaking their treatment programme, ensure understanding of their condition and communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential.

  • To demonstrate expert ability to clearly communicate complex and sensitive information to staff, patients, and carers. This may include explaining diagnoses or prognoses about long-term / permanent disabilities or chronic pain, where an educational and counselling role is required to be highly developed.

    To be able 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 always promote good working relationships.

    To represent the Physiotherapy department on speciality issues within the trust, e.g. infection control within Physiotherapy department.

    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 Clinical Team Lead Physiotherapist for policy implementation for the designated areas.

To be responsible for identifying and implementing service development within the designated areas and to ensure effectiveness of patient care is continually monitored and improved.

To ensure that the service within the designated areas 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

To supervise less experienced staff and formulate Individual Development Plans and undertake regular appraisals with team members.

To work as an autonomous practitioner in collaboration with the MDT for the care, management and rehabilitation of Medical and respiratory patients with acute/long term conditions which have complex symptoms.

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.

  • 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.

Patient care delivery

To have responsibility for the delivery of patient care in the designated area and to influence and advance physiotherapy practice trust wide.

To have responsibility for the management, organisation and delivery of a case load of Outpatient respiratory patients.

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 areas and ensure staff within the team adhere to Trust, HCPC, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Departmental standards of care.

To be highly competent in the comprehensive assessment of a wide range of Medical Respiratory patients, including those with a highly complex presentations and the critically ill, 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 Medical and respiratory conditions.

To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory skills for the assessment and manual treatment of patients.

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

To provide accurate written information, advice and exercise programmes for patients and those involved in their care.

To continually re-assess patients to progress treatments effectively with advice to Patients and Carers including the appropriate time to return to school, sports and other activities.

To have an active role in interventions which may include other disciplines through Multidisciplinary meetings, goal setting meetings, safe discharge meetings, case conferences.

To always maintain patient confidentiality and dignity and support equality, diversity and rights.

To use advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to refer to other health disciplines as appropriate, 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 weekend working rota and on call service.

To maintain professionalism in public, ward and rehabilitation areas. To undertake any other duties as may be deemed necessary by Physiotherapy managers in the provision of the physiotherapy service.

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

Person Specification

Professional Registration

Essential

  • HCPC Registered

Experience/Qualifications

Essential

  • Diploma in Physiotherapy or BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy or MSc Physiotherapy or overseas equivalent
  • Evidence of relevant post graduate courses/CPD and reflective practice

Desirable

  • Completion of advanced respiratory physiotherapy training

Skills non-clinical

Essential

  • Experience of supervising less experienced staff and students
  • Involvement in carrying out clinical audit including the co-ordination and evaluation of, and the use of findings to make service developments
  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

Skills Clinical

Essential

  • Post graduate experience, including work at Band 6 level within the speciality of respiratory and Medicine

Desirable

  • Experience at Band 7 level within the speciality of Respiratory and Medicine

People Management and Development

Essential

  • Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with physiotherapy and multidisciplinary teams
  • Ability to give presentations to therapy colleagues and to audiences of mixed professional backgrounds

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Essential

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

Professional Registration

Essential

  • HCPC Registered

Experience/Qualifications

Essential

  • Diploma in Physiotherapy or BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy or MSc Physiotherapy or overseas equivalent
  • Evidence of relevant post graduate courses/CPD and reflective practice

Desirable

  • Completion of advanced respiratory physiotherapy training

Skills non-clinical

Essential

  • Experience of supervising less experienced staff and students
  • Involvement in carrying out clinical audit including the co-ordination and evaluation of, and the use of findings to make service developments
  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

Skills Clinical

Essential

  • Post graduate experience, including work at Band 6 level within the speciality of respiratory and Medicine

Desirable

  • Experience at Band 7 level within the speciality of Respiratory and Medicine

People Management and Development

Essential

  • Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with physiotherapy and multidisciplinary teams
  • Ability to give presentations to therapy colleagues and to audiences of mixed professional backgrounds

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Essential

  • 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.

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

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Lead Physiotherapist RSCH

George Browne

georgina.browne4@nhs.net

01273696955

Details

Date posted

31 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year Per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

279-7868124-MAR26

Job locations

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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