Highly Specialist Physiotherapist Neuro Medical/Respiratory Inpatients

Job overview

Summary of the Role

• Act as an autonomous practitioner to assess and treat own caseload, providing a highly specialist physiotherapy service for neuro-medical critical care patients.

• Work as a core member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in acute neurology, critical care, and medical wards.

• Provide specialist assessment and management for patients with complex neurological, respiratory, and multi-pathology conditions, including acute neurological deterioration, stroke, MND, and critically ill or complex medical patients.

• Lead on the development and delivery of physiotherapy input within the neuro-medical critical care pathway.

• Support the organisation, prioritisation, and coordination of referrals across the neurology and medical inpatient services.

• Provide supervision, line management, and clinical leadership to junior physiotherapists, assistants, and students.

• Contribute to service development, clinical audit, quality improvement and research.

• Engage in continuing professional development (CPD) and maintain a portfolio of evidence.

• Participate in the 7‑day working rota and respiratory on‑call service.

Main duties of the job

Summary of the Role

• Act as an autonomous practitioner to assess and treat own caseload, providing a highly specialist physiotherapy service for neuro-medical critical care patients.

• Work as a core member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in acute neurology, critical care, and medical wards.

• Provide specialist assessment and management for patients with complex neurological, respiratory, and multi-pathology conditions, including acute neurological deterioration, stroke, MND, and critically ill or complex medical patients.

• Lead on the development and delivery of physiotherapy input within the neuro-medical critical care pathway.

• Support the organisation, prioritisation, and coordination of referrals across the neurology and medical inpatient services.

• Provide supervision, line management, and clinical leadership to junior physiotherapists, assistants, and students.

• Contribute to service development, clinical audit, quality improvement and research.

• Engage in continuing professional development (CPD) and maintain a portfolio of evidence.

• Participate in the 7‑day working rota and respiratory on‑call service.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Working Relationships & Communication

• Communicate complex, sensitive, and sometimes distressing information to patients and families, including prognosis, rehabilitation potential, and treatment complexity.
• Use advanced communication strategies with patients who have cognitive, communication, or physical barriers (e.g., tracheostomy, intubation, dysphasia, reduced consciousness).
• Work collaboratively within the MDT to support safe, timely discharge planning and coordinated care.
• Provide written documentation including discharge summaries, therapy reports, care plans, and MDT contributions in line with CSP and Trust standards.
• Deliver teaching and training to MDT colleagues, students, and physiotherapy staff.
• Communicate performance feedback and support PDPs for junior staff.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Undertake highly specialist assessment and treatment of patients with acute and complex neurological and medical presentations, including:
• Stroke, neuromuscular disorders, rapidly deteriorating neurology
• Critical illness, complex respiratory compromise, high‑dependency needs
• Multi-pathology, frailty, complex discharge needs
• Interpret and analyse advanced diagnostics including CT/MRI imaging and complex medical information.
• Formulate individualised treatment plans using advanced clinical reasoning.
• Identify and respond promptly to acutely deteriorating patients, escalating appropriately.
• Deliver specialist interventions such as neuromuscular facilitation, complex respiratory care, positioning, casting/splinting, early mobilisation and rehabilitation.
• Support seamless transitions across acute, community, and outpatient services.
• Prioritise and manage own and team caseloads based on clinical need.
• Maintain high standards of clinical governance, safety, and risk management.

Leadership & Management Responsibilities

• Line manage and supervise junior physiotherapists, assistants, and students.
• Support recruitment, induction and workforce planning.
• Support management of service cover, annual/study leave, and sickness.
• Manage conflict sensitively within teams and follow Trust HR processes as needed.
• Deputise for senior leads as required.
• Ensure safe and effective use of therapy equipment, including assessing for and ordering specialist items.

Service Development & Improvement

• Lead and contribute to audits, quality improvement projects, research and evaluation of service outcomes.
• Deliver and contribute to in‑service training across neuro, medical and critical care pathways.
• Participate in Trust and regional networks to support evidence-based practice and guideline development.
• Contribute to strategic planning and operational development of neuro-medical physiotherapy services.

Handling Difficult Situations

• Provide empathetic support for patients and families experiencing distress, uncertainty or deterioration.
• Communicate difficult or unwelcome information in a professional and compassionate manner.
• Work in emotionally demanding environments, including critical care and deteriorating patients.

Physical Demands & Working Environment

• Frequent moderate to intense physical effort for patient mobility, positioning and manual therapy.
• Exposure to bodily fluids and challenging clinical environments.
• Work flexibly across areas, including rapid transitions during emergencies.
• Occasional lone working in community or off‑ward areas with remote senior support.