Specialist Physiotherapist - Acute Inpatient Service (Band 6)

Job details

• Branch: Western Health & Social Care Trust
• Location: Altnagelvin Hospital
• Directorate: Primary Care & Older People
• Salary: Band 6 (£38,682 - £46,580)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 14/07/26
• Closes: Tue, 28 July 2026 @ 3:30 PM
• Interview Dates: TBC

Notes

If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage. A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week. Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Specialist Physiotherapist; Acute Inpatient Services (AIS)

Band: Band 6

Directorate: NMAHP

Location: AAH

Reports to: Principal Physiotherapist; AIS Services

Accountable to: Head of Physiotherapy Services

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will be responsible for the provision of high quality, efficient and effective physiotherapy services to inpatients with the range of rehabilitation needs; Adult Neurological, Cardio-respiratory, Care of the Elderly/generic debility and Oncology.

Undergraduate students are supported and instructed within these teams while on clinical placement.

The post holder will work inter-professionally and provide a treatment programme for each referred patient. They will be required to liaise with colleagues (multi-disciplinary) from the acute, community and intermediate care sectors. They will perform advanced physiotherapy assessment and treat patients within this speciality who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, determine clinical diagnosis; physiotherapy treatments indicated and maintain records as an autonomous practitioner. They, in conjunction with their senior colleagues, through the Principal, will assist the Head of Physiotherapy Services in review and development of the service as deemed necessary to meet objectives.

This job description is not intended to be definitive nor restrictive and may be altered / modified to meet the changing needs of the service.

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MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Service Delivery

To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients, and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.

To undertake comprehensive and highly skilled holistic assessments of patients, often with complex presentation, using advanced investigative, analytical, clinical reasoning and problem solving skills, and to make clinical diagnoses as necessary to set goals and draw up treatment programmes for individual patients.

To gather and analyse clinical and social information from a range of sources and integrate this information into the patient assessment and treatment program.

To liaise with various GP’s, oncology/haematology, medical and geriatric consultants and their medical team as appropriate.

To plan and deliver effective and individualised PT intervention (treatment and/or management programs) in a community or outpatient setting, taking into account particular complex personal, social and psychological needs of the patient.

To liaise with clients, carers and other members of the multi-disciplinary team for the benefit of the patient, ensuring that effective communication and reporting occurs at all times ensuring effective physiotherapeutic care, especially where difficulty in understanding arises or exists.

To prescribe, deliver, adjust and instruct the patient in the safe use of a wide range of walking aids, orthoses, and to evaluate the efficacy of the equipment.

To provide patients and carers with written treatment and advice materials to promote self-management of their condition and to provide general advice on a wide range of local health, social services, community and voluntary organisations in order to empower the patient and the carers in the management of their conditions so they can fulfil their rehab potential.

To teach junior staff, students and staff of other disciplines or carers when appropriate.

To keep up to date with new trends, developments and research for the benefit of clinical practice.

To supervise junior staff and assistants and delegate rehab programs to Physiotherapy support staff in line with their level of competence and expertise. To review input with the PT support staff on a regular basis and update the program as necessary.

To be an active member of the emergency respiratory on-call service.

Be flexible with respect to place and time of work; not precluding 7-day service.

Communication & Information Management

Communicate effectively with patients and to ensure they (or their advocates) have an understanding of their condition. Communication skills of influence, motivation, explanation, and gaining informed consent will be used with a variety of patients. Obstacles to effective communication will regularly be evident, e.g. loss of hearing, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, pain, and fear etc.

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.

Communicate effectively with staff and maintain productive working relationships amongst your staff and with others to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service. This will include case conferences and discharge planning

Gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework with all patients including those who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.

Report and record all accidents, untoward incidents, sickness and absence, within your area of responsibility, using appropriate forms.

Deal with and report complaints, in keeping with Trust Policy, and assist with investigations, when necessary.

Be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics for use of the department

Quality

Ensure that the needs of patients and their carers are at the core of the way that the Trust delivers services.

Work within the Trust’s governance framework to ensure policies and procedures meet relevant statutory requirements, professional standards, policy guidance and workforce and regulatory requirements.

Be aware of the Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment use is safe.

Promote a culture of continuous service improvement amongst your staff, encouraging their participation and that of service users in reviewing and modernising current services and in service development.

Be an active member of the in-service training programme through attendance and presentation at staff meetings, tutorials, training sessions, external courses and reflective practice.

Comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and facilitate the implementation of new or updated processes.

Participate and support more senior colleagues responsible for leading on procedures to ensure quality of service, evaluating work through the use of evidence based practice projects, audit and outcome measures.

Financial & Resource Management

To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties, and to adhere to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practice.

Adhere to agreed policies and procedures including standing financial instructions.

People Management

Establish a supportive, fair and open culture that encourages and enables staff, within your area of responsibility, to meet required performance standards.

Train, supervise and delegate appropriate tasks to junior staff, PT assistants, students and staff of other disciplines or carers when appropriate.

Participate in individual staff appraisal scheme (IPR) and development review.

Identify, at least annually through performance appraisal/objective setting, training and development needs of staff in line with the NHS Knowledge and Skills framework and to carry out the development review process as required.

Participate in the recruitment and selection of new staff as required.

Participate in the orientation and induction of new staff and in the development of good interpersonal relationships.

Encourage good practice and act as a role model, give leadership and support to staff and encourage effective teamwork within your area of responsibility.

Participate in grievance and disciplinary matters in keeping with Trust policies.

Take an active role in improving attendance of staff in accordance with the Trust’s Managing Attendance Protocol.

General Management Responsibilities

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with ‘Your right to raise a concern (Whistleblowing)’ policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

General Duties

Employees of the Trust will be required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible.

Develop and maintain good communication with all levels of management and build partnerships with the wider HPSS, NHS and external organizations in the promotion of the Trust.

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with health and safety policy and statutory regulations.

Participate in grievance and disciplinary processes as required.

Promote equality of opportunity through his/her own actions and ensure this policy is adhered to by staff within your area of responsibility.

General Requirements

The post holder will be required to

Ensure the Trust’s policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.

Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Trust's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.

Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example

Smoke Free policy

IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct

standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.

Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.

All employees of the WHSCT are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the WHSCT including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information act 2000 the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the WHSCT policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.

Represent the Trust’s commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom he/she comes into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

The HSC Code of conduct sets out the standards of conduct expected of all staff in the Western Health & Social Care Trust and presents standards of conduct and behaviours required during and after employment with the Trust. Professional staff are expected to follow the code of conduct for their own professions as well as this code.

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community were relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal and Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information.

http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/PPI_leaflet.pdf

Employees must at all times abide by Trust policies and procedures and the terms of their contract of employment. They must conduct themselves with impartiality, integrity, objectivity and honesty and maintain high standards of personal and professional accountability.

Employees are expected to demonstrate commitment to the Trust by ensuring regular attendance at work and efficient completion of duties.

Employees must ensure that they comply with any risk management responsibilities specific to their post, and as set out in the Trust’s Risk Management Strategy.

The Trust is committed to the development and implementation of systems under Integrated Governance to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of services provided. Employees will be expected to co-operate and work with such systems.

All information concerning patients and staff must be held in the strictest confidence and may not be divulged to any unauthorized person.

Employees must ensure that equality and human rights issues are addressed within the post holder’s area of responsibility in accordance with the Trust’s Equality Scheme.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the Trust's area, as needs of the service demand.

June 2026

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE AND BAND: Specialist Physiotherapist; Acute Inpatient Services, Band 6

DEPT / DIRECTORATE: Physiotherapy Dept, NWAHP

LOCATION: AAH

Ref No: June 2026

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

Minimum of 18 months post registration experience to include a minimum of 6 months post registration experience in the clinical management of respiratory patients.

Evidence of post registration clinical experience supporting the development of assessment, clinical reasoning and physiotherapeutic intervention and rehabilitation knowledge and skills across the core specialties of respiratory, musculoskeletal and neurology (paediatric or adult).

Evidence of post graduate training (Formal Course) or CPD (In-service Training) relevant to the management of patients with respiratory conditions.

Willing to undertake further specialist training to meet service objectives.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Qualifications/ Registration

BSc Physiotherapy or equivalent.

HCPC Registered Physiotherapist.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other

Be flexible with respect to place and time of work; not precluding 7-day service.

Shortlisting by Application Form

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / Abilities

Effective communication and interpersonal skills

Effectiveness in a MDT setting

Effective time management and prioritisation skills.

Education and supervision of junior physiotherapists and students; evidence of effective staff development, practical teaching and supervisory skills

Interview / Test

Knowledge

Knowledge and aptitude for the application of current good practice in physiotherapeutic management of patients.

Knowledge of long-term conditions and an aptitude for the application of self-management processes within this field.

Knowledge of clinical risks relevant to the management of acute inpatients.

Knowledge of and an aptitude for the application of methods of evaluating practice.

Interview / Test

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

THE TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants may be required to attend for a Health Assessment

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times