Cancer Care Specialist Physiotherapist

Job overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Main duties of the job

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced B6 Physiotherapist t to join our highly valued Cancer Care Therapy team at University Hospital Southampton (UHS).

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, motivated, and approachable individual who has an interest in working within this rapidly expanding specialist area. So, if you have a passion for working alongside and supporting patients with a cancer care diagnosis and their families, we want to hear from you.

UHS is one of Europe's largest teaching hospitals, a designated Major Trauma Centre, and a Regional Treatment Centre for Cancer Care, covering Southern England and the Channel Islands.  We are part of the MDT for the Specialist Teenage and Young Adult Unit and are a centre for CAR-T cell therapy.

Our Cancer Care service provides timely and holistic therapy assessments, implements individualised patient centred therapeutic interventions and facilitates discharge and onward referrals. You will work as part of a highly motivated and dedicated team which currently delivers a therapy service across 6 days, including Saturdays and bank holidays.

This post is part of the wider Therapy services department. You will have many opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge through our in-service training. You will be part of a large department of over 300 Therapy staff including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Therapy support staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For this B6 specialist Therapy post the applicant should have a broad range of clinical experience with the ability to treat patients with care, compassion, and dignity. The successful applicant will be supporting a dedicated Cancer Care therapy team to maximise physical function and well-being whilst facilitating timely discharge.  The team work jointly with the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) to provide a high standard of care to all patients, which will include end-of-life care.

The successful applicant should have relevant clinical experience with a desire to develop their knowledge and skills in the care of patients with a wide range of cancer pathologies, including both oncology and haematology. An understanding of working in Cancer Care is essential and recent NHS experience is desirable. The physiotherapy applicant must have respiratory skills (including NIV awareness) or be willing to undertake the appropriate training and participate in the twilight and on-call physiotherapy rota.

The successful applicant should have a desire to develop their leadership skills and knowledge in the care of patients with a wide range of pathologies. Excellent support will be given towards continual learning and professional development, including undertaking quality improvement projects, service development and audits.

The applicant will be expected to lead the therapy team in the absence of the Band 7’s and to be involved in service development, staff and student supervision, the development of Band 4-5 therapy staff and co-ordinating in-service training.

The UHS Therapy services department runs a 7-day service, using a rota system for weekend/Bank Holiday working with Physiotherapy participation in the On-call out of hours acute respiratory service. Currently, the Cancer Care Therapy team offer a 6-day service Monday-Saturday.

As well as meeting the person specification the postholder will also need the following specific skills, experience and knowledge, that can be demonstrated in their application and practically at interview:

Essential:

Post-graduate experience working with patients with a Cancer diagnosis

Postgraduate experience of working with end-of-life patients

Postgraduate experience within a variety of areas e.g. Orthopaedics, Medicine, Elderly Care, Neurology

Proven knowledge of cancer treatments, side effects and implications for therapy input

Clear written reasoning for wanting to work in this specialist field on application form

Clear understanding of NHS systems

Able to demonstrate an awareness of own well-being.

Experience of supervising and supporting staff and students.

Postgraduate experience of managing inpatient respiratory patients and acute respiratory on-call shifts

If you are a dynamic and enthusiastic Physiotherapist looking to further your career in Cancer Care, we would love to hear from you. We welcome questions and informal contact prior to application and interview.

Please note: Interviews will be held in person only due to practical element, and no alternative virtual option will be given. Interview date is 21st April 2026 No CV applications will be accepted. The advert may close early if applications are plentiful.

If this post is not for you and you are interested in finding out about other Therapy opportunities, please email [email protected]