# Specialist Physiotherapist - NICU > NHS job listing from Job Clerk for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/specialist-physiotherapist-nicu/f83e04c6-3f07-4b25-9753-a4697e3bcf3f - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/specialist-physiotherapist-nicu/f83e04c6-3f07-4b25-9753-a4697e3bcf3f.md ## Summary - **Status:** Live - **Employer:** Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - **Town:** Luton - **Region:** East of England - **Country:** England - **Profession:** Physiotherapist - **Grade:** Band 7 - **Salary:** £49,387 - £56,515 PA - **Contract type:** Permanent - **Employment type:** Part time - 26.25 hours per week - **Closing date:** 2026-06-09T23:59:00.000Z - **Posted:** 2026-05-26T12:12:42.679Z - **Source information URL:** https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/UK/Bedfordshire/Luton/Bedfordshire_Hospitals_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Therapies/Therapies-v8020340 - **Application URL:** https://apps.trac.jobs/job-advert/8020340?ShowJobAdvert=&feedid=9002 - **Employer website:** https://www.ldh.nhs.uk ## Job Content ### Job overview An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and enthusiastic physiotherapist to join our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS foundation trust. You will provide specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment for neonates within a busy NICU service, supporting respiratory care, developmental care, early intervention, and family-centred practice. You will work closely within the multidisciplinary neonatal team and contribute to service development, teaching, and clinical supervision. The post holder will manage a full caseload within NICU and neonatal follow up until 2 years old, ensuring each child receives the highest standard of care possible within resource limitations. We are looking for a physiotherapist with: - Significant post-registration experience in paediatric and neonatal physiotherapy - Experience in acute paediatric and neonatal settings - Excellent communication and MDT working skills - Evidence of continuing professional development In return, we offer excellent professional development opportunities and the chance to work within a supportive specialist neonatal team. ### Main duties of the job The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of specialist neonatal physiotherapy support within the model of Family Integrated Care to infants and families on the neonatal units at ­­­­­Bedfordshire Hospitals Neonatal Services on both Luton and Bedford site The role will use highly specialist skills to manage their own complex caseload, working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team.  They will be responsible for providing advanced neonatal physiotherapy assessment, advice and interventions with babies who are most at risk of developmental issues in the future and to support the neonatal unit with promoting and delivering family integrated developmental care. The post holder will work as an integral member of the neonatal multidisciplinary team, working closely alongside families,  Neonatal Consultants and Nursing Teams, Infant Feeding team, AHP and Psychology Team (local and ODN) to provide evidence based care. The post holder will manage a full caseload within NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and neonatal follow up until 2 years old, ensuring each child receives the highest standard of care possible within resource limitations. ### Detailed job description and main responsibilities - To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills. To interpret clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate diagnosis and prognosis in a wide range of highly complex conditions. These include children with neurological, orthopaedic and respiratory problems. - To have highly developed skills in the observation, handling and assessment skills for an extremely fragile patient population and to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts, including perinatal and maternal history to assist in the formulation of accurate diagnoses and prognoses in a wide range of highly complex conditions. - To formulate individualised management and treatment plans recommending the best course of intervention. To formulate a specialised programme of care using clinical reasoning and to utilise a wide range of treatment skills. This usually involves liaison with a wide range of professionals across the health and social services. Due to the complexity and nature of the patient’s conditions, care management is often longer term and thus requires frequent re-assessment. - To assist with reviewing, organising and participate in the neurodevelopmental follow up clinic with Neonatal consultants to assess children at 9 months and 2 years. - To assist with reviewing, organising and participate in the physiotherapy follow up outpatient clinics ## Job Details An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and enthusiastic physiotherapist to join our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS foundation trust. You will provide specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment for neonates within a busy NICU service, supporting respiratory care, developmental care, early intervention, and family-centred practice. You will work closely within the multidisciplinary neonatal team and contribute to service development, teaching, and clinical supervision. The post holder will manage a full caseload within NICU and neonatal follow up until 2 years old, ensuring each child receives the highest standard of care possible within resource limitations. We are looking for a physiotherapist with: Significant post-registration experience in paediatric and neonatal physiotherapy Experience in acute paediatric and neonatal settings Excellent communication and MDT working skills Evidence of continuing professional development In return, we offer excellent professional development opportunities and the chance to work within a supportive specialist neonatal team. ## Job Description The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of specialist neonatal physiotherapy support within the model of Family Integrated Care to infants and families on the neonatal units at ­­­­­Bedfordshire Hospitals Neonatal Services on both Luton and Bedford site The role will use highly specialist skills to manage their own complex caseload, working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team. They will be responsible for providing advanced neonatal physiotherapy assessment, advice and interventions with babies who are most at risk of developmental issues in the future and to support the neonatal unit with promoting and delivering family integrated developmental care. The post holder will work as an integral member of the neonatal multidisciplinary team, working closely alongside families, Neonatal Consultants and Nursing Teams, Infant Feeding team, AHP and Psychology Team (local and ODN) to provide evidence based care. The post holder will manage a full caseload within NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and neonatal follow up until 2 years old, ensuring each child receives the highest standard of care possible within resource limitations. ## Responsibilities To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills. To interpret clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate diagnosis and prognosis in a wide range of highly complex conditions. These include children with neurological, orthopaedic and respiratory problems. To have highly developed skills in the observation, handling and assessment skills for an extremely fragile patient population and to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts, including perinatal and maternal history to assist in the formulation of accurate diagnoses and prognoses in a wide range of highly complex conditions. To formulate individualised management and treatment plans recommending the best course of intervention. To formulate a specialised programme of care using clinical reasoning and to utilise a wide range of treatment skills. This usually involves liaison with a wide range of professionals across the health and social services. Due to the complexity and nature of the patient’s conditions, care management is often longer term and thus requires frequent re-assessment. To assist with reviewing, organising and participate in the neurodevelopmental follow up clinic with Neonatal consultants to assess children at 9 months and 2 years. To assist with reviewing, organising and participate in the physiotherapy follow up outpatient clinics ## Person Specification ### Skills **Essential** - - Highly specialised observation and treatment skills relevant to the assessment of neonates and infants developmental needs - - Excellent time management, delegation and prioritisation skills - - Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure - - Ability to adapt to change - - Ability to travel across site - - Ability to work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team - - Committed to personal and team development - - Ability to demonstrate personal and professional integrity and present a profession image of the team/profession **Desirable** - - Data collection & analysis skills - - Service improvement skills ### Knowledge **Essential** - - Specialist knowledge of physiotherapy related to working within the neonatal intensive care environment and neonatal neurodevelopmental follow up. - - Ability to relate theory to practice - - Ability to pass on skills/ knowledge to others within formal and informal environments - - Specialist knowledge of broad range of illnesses, injuries and conditions relevant to the speciality - - Specialist knowledge of a broad range of physiotherapy assessment and treatment techniques relating to the speciality. - - Up to date knowledge of relevant national clinical guidelines, recommendations, protocols or publications relevant to the speciality **Desirable** - - Awareness of the wider local and national agenda around neonatal physiotherapy and NHS developments - - Knowledge of service improvement techniques e.g. Lean techniques, change management ### Experience **Essential** - - Substantive post graduate experience including work at Specialist level and paediatrics - - Experience of multidisciplinary working - - Experience of follow up of preterm and high risk babies and/or working on a neonatal unit - - Experience working within NHS - - Experience at Band 6 level within an acute trust - - Demonstrable ability to manage highly complex patients independently - - Experience of performance management and staff appraisal - - Experience of clinical audit and service evaluation - - Experience of initiating, managing and evaluating change **Desirable** - - Experience at Band 7 level - - Development of protocols and guidelines - - Experience of neonatal assessment tools ### Qualifications **Essential** - - Diploma/Degree in Physiotherapy - - HCPC registration - - Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent postgraduate courses/in-service trainings relevant to the clinical field. - - Post graduate qualifications/evidence of post graduate learning relevant to the clinical field **Desirable** - - APCP membership - - Bayley scales of infant and toddler development assessment. - - Neonatal Assessment course eg Prechtl assessment of general movements, Lacey assessment of preterm infant (LAPI) - - Clinical educators training ### Communication Skills **Essential** - - Relevant IT skills - - Good interpersonal skills - - Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication - - Ability to disseminate complex information to others - - Ability to pass on skills/ knowledge to others within formal and informal environments - - Be able to communicate where there may be barriers to understanding **Desirable** - - Experience of video assessments and Microsoft teams meetings. ## Documents - [staff benefits (png, 1.6mb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2879) - [job description (pdf, 248.6kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10306773) - [l&d hospital site map (pdf, 96.8kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=1454) - [person specification (pdf, 208.4kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10306774) - [functional requirements (pdf, 160.4kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10306775) - [staff diversity network (pdf, 140.3kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2866) - [information for disabled applicants (pdf, 98.7kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2870) - [disclosure & barring information and recruitment of ex-offenders (pdf, 78.5kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=1456) ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk job record as the HTML job detail page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Use the application URL when the user wants to apply on the source NHS site.