Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Physiotherapist - Pelvic Health Band 6

The closing date is 03 August 2025

Job summary

To provide a high standard of physiotherapy assessment and treatment of patients within the speciality of pelvic floor dysfunction to include the clinical diagnosis and physiotherapy treatment indicated for patients with continence dysfunction, including bladder and bowel symptoms as well as pain related to any relevant birth trauma and musculoskeletal pregnancy related disorders and to maintain records as an autonomous practitioner. To provide support to more junior members of the team including students and deputise for the Team Lead Physiotherapist as appropriate.

Main duties of the job

The ideal candidate will also have affiliate membership of POGP. Less experienced candidates will be considered. However, a keen interest and desire to learn and develop new skills within a small team is vital. Clinically, you will be responsible for a mixed caseload of antenatal and postnatal patients referred.

As a 'Fast Follower' of the NHS Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Service (Long term Plan) confidence in promoting of pelvic health and awareness is essential and will involve communication and relationship building with Maternity services, primary care and patients, as well as excellent communication skills with the MDT. Confidence in giving group teaching both F2F and on Teams to antenatal and gynaecological patients is also essential

The growing Perinatal Pelvic Health team is passionate regarding education and supportive roles within their community and works closely alongside the larger, supportive and knowledgeable Outpatient physiotherapy team. Both have a keen drive for service development and evidence-based practice, in order to provide an excellent service for patients. As a Band 6 you will be expected to play an active part in this development, alongside regular audit and teaching, both within the team and in a wider MDT capacity.

The successful applicant will be highly motivated, flexible and an innovative therapist. Excellent time management and organisational skills are essential, and you should be able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.

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. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Date posted

21 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

418-DTO3236-KA

Job locations

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

Lewsey Road

Luton

LU4 0DZ

Job description

Job responsibilities

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your own work including management of patients caseload.

To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with complex presentations/multi-pathologies and use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition.

Formulate and develop individual treatment programmes underpinned by sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and having a range of treatment options.

Use clinical reasoning skills and evaluate outcomes of treatments to continually reassess and develop treatment programmes.

Establish accurate prognosis and recommend best course of intervention and develop comprehensive treatment and discharge plans.

Assess patients understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid consent having capacity to work within legal framework with patients who lack ability to consent to treatment.

Use a large range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate with patients to progress and gain participation with rehabilitation treatment programmes. This will include patients who have difficulties in understanding and communicating.

To be responsible for management of clinical risk of own caseload.

To work within Trust and CSP guidelines, have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and other qualities of practice in liaison with senior physiotherapists.

To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records in line with Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Standards of Practice and Local Standards.

To provide specialist advice to physiotherapy colleagues working within other clinical areas regarding Pelvic Health.

To represent the physiotherapy service regarding the management of patients with Obstetric and Gynaecological conditions.

To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities

To be responsible for teaching student physiotherapists to graduate level on physiotherapeutic skills and knowledge within your speciality.

To provide support, guidance and training to junior physiotherapists and assistants and contribute to their performance assessment and appraisal as required.

Participate in staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with agreed personal development plan to meet knowledge and competencies.

Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice developing specialist knowledge of particular conditions and patient types.

Participate in audit/evidence-based projects/research to help develop improvements to service delivery and clinical practice, under guidance of senior staff.

Be an active member of the departments In-Service Training Programme by attendance and participation, delivering and receiving tutorials, external courses, peer review, individual training sessions, hospital run mandatory and developmental sessions.

Ensure that own practice and that of staff under supervision meet required professional standards.

Be responsible for organisation and planning of own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Re-adjusting plans as situations change, arise and interruptions change priorities.

To comply with all relevant Trust policies procedures, Professional standards and guidelines (CSP) and the relevant Code of Conduct (HPC). This will including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and attend all mandatory training e.g. Fire, manual handling, and infection control.

To be part of a weekend In Patient rota. This is part of a rota system and is paid as additional hours