Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Senior Physiotherapy Specialist/Respiratory Lead

The closing date is 17 August 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Therapy Team at Southport Hospital as the Respiratory Lead Physiotherapist on a fixed term basis.

The post will involve providing specialist respiratory assessment and treatment for the in-patient adult acute wards, you will work closely with the wider acute therapy team and the Critical Care Specialist therapists.

The post holder will lead on supervision and education of junior respiratory physiotherapists as well as responsibility for ensuring the operational delivery of the 7 day emergency respiratory on-call physiotherapy service.

The acute therapy team is a dynamic team made up of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and assistants.

We are based in Southport District General Hospital which is easily accessible by car or train from Liverpool City Centre (19 miles), Ormskirk (6.5 miles), Wigan (19 miles) and Manchester (44 miles).

The medical and surgical team is a dynamic multidisciplinary service, delivering an acute in-patient therapy service across a number of medical specialities including respiratory, cardiology, gastroenterology, care of the elderly, in addition to surgery, post-operative critical care and the therapy/nursing led 11A unit.

The successful candidate will support 7 day working and be supported by the clinical therapy management team.

The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and are subject to change

Main duties of the job

  • To lead and manage the respiratory physiotherapy service with day to day operations, acting as a representative for the service.
  • To act as an advanced clinician and a source of expertise and clinical support and supervision to physiotherapy, occupational therapy and therapy assistant staff within the service.
  • To provide formal and informal training, supervision, appraisal and support to members of staff within the team.

About us

Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust provides healthcare in hospital and the community to 258,000 people across Southport, Formby and West Lancashire.

Acute care is provided at Southport and Formby District General Hospital and Ormskirk District General Hospital. This includes adults' and children's accident and emergency services, intensive care and a range of medical and surgical specialities. Women's and children's services, including maternity, are provided at Ormskirk hospital.

The North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre at Southport hospital provides specialist care for spinal patients from across the North West, North Wales and the Isle of Man.

Details

Date posted

06 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

Depending on experience per annum, pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

9 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

409-7329253

Job locations

Southport District General Hospital

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To provide a broad range of expert, complex therapeutic advice to patients carers for a wide range of medical conditions to meet varying complex needs. Advice on treatments may need to be given where there is no national or professional consensus to assessment and treatment.

2. To make recommendations to the Medical and Surgical Therapy Team and other Health Professionals regarding therapy needs of patients.

3. To ensure effective internal and external 2-way communication with patients, carers and all other Health and Social Care Professionals to negotiate, review and adapt care plans and in all aspects of patient care ensuring the holistic care of patients.

4. To demonstrate skills of active listening and respond to verbal and non-verbal cues of your patients or their carers, recognising and dealing with their concerns.

5. To provide and receive complex information which requires empathy and reassurance. Communicating where there may be barriers to understanding, or when patients/their carers may be finding difficulty dealing with their diagnosis and where skills such as motivationalinterviewing and counselling are required.

6. To accurately record all assessments and interventions on Therapy records, and in relevant nursing and medical records in line with Trust Policy, ensuring that the data is inputted onto the Trusts data collection/Information systems.

7. To lead and contribute to the production and evaluation of resources produced by the department e.g. information and training packs, advice leaflets etc.

8. Liaise with Therapists across the region and refer to other health professionals to ensure appropriate care pathways for those patients seeking information outside your area of skills and knowledge.

9. Liaise with colleagues at other Hospitals to ensure a seamless transfer of care between hospitals.

10. To be a member of the multi-disciplinary team and actively participate in M.D.T. meetings and case conferences.

11. To provide cover and when necessary deputise for other team leaders and Therapy Managers during periods of annual leave/sickness.

Advertising date: 15th May 2024

Closing date: 27th May 2024

Shortlisting date: 28th May 2024

Interview date: 4th June 2024

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To provide a broad range of expert, complex therapeutic advice to patients carers for a wide range of medical conditions to meet varying complex needs. Advice on treatments may need to be given where there is no national or professional consensus to assessment and treatment.

2. To make recommendations to the Medical and Surgical Therapy Team and other Health Professionals regarding therapy needs of patients.

3. To ensure effective internal and external 2-way communication with patients, carers and all other Health and Social Care Professionals to negotiate, review and adapt care plans and in all aspects of patient care ensuring the holistic care of patients.

4. To demonstrate skills of active listening and respond to verbal and non-verbal cues of your patients or their carers, recognising and dealing with their concerns.

5. To provide and receive complex information which requires empathy and reassurance. Communicating where there may be barriers to understanding, or when patients/their carers may be finding difficulty dealing with their diagnosis and where skills such as motivationalinterviewing and counselling are required.

6. To accurately record all assessments and interventions on Therapy records, and in relevant nursing and medical records in line with Trust Policy, ensuring that the data is inputted onto the Trusts data collection/Information systems.

7. To lead and contribute to the production and evaluation of resources produced by the department e.g. information and training packs, advice leaflets etc.

8. Liaise with Therapists across the region and refer to other health professionals to ensure appropriate care pathways for those patients seeking information outside your area of skills and knowledge.

9. Liaise with colleagues at other Hospitals to ensure a seamless transfer of care between hospitals.

10. To be a member of the multi-disciplinary team and actively participate in M.D.T. meetings and case conferences.

11. To provide cover and when necessary deputise for other team leaders and Therapy Managers during periods of annual leave/sickness.

Advertising date: 15th May 2024

Closing date: 27th May 2024

Shortlisting date: 28th May 2024

Interview date: 4th June 2024

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy
  • HCPC Registration
  • MSc level or equivalent post-graduate respiratory qualification
  • Leadership qualification of equivalent experience

Desirable

  • Clinical Educator Qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Ability to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience in acute and respiratory specialities
  • Demonstrate a commitment to continual professional development

Desirable

  • Experience of leading audit

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Ability to initiate evidence based practice within clinical area and demonstrates experience in developing local care pathway
  • Excellent teaching and presentation skills
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy
  • HCPC Registration
  • MSc level or equivalent post-graduate respiratory qualification
  • Leadership qualification of equivalent experience

Desirable

  • Clinical Educator Qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Ability to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience in acute and respiratory specialities
  • Demonstrate a commitment to continual professional development

Desirable

  • Experience of leading audit

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Ability to initiate evidence based practice within clinical area and demonstrates experience in developing local care pathway
  • Excellent teaching and presentation skills

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

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Southport District General Hospital

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Southport District General Hospital

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Therapy Manager

Liz Gemmell

Elizabeth.Gemmell@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk

01704705115

Details

Date posted

06 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

Depending on experience per annum, pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

9 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

409-7329253

Job locations

Southport District General Hospital

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Supporting documents

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