Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Physiotherapist

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Senior Physiotherapist to work as part of the Community Therapy Services, providing rehabilitation to the patients of Gateshead which includes working into immediate care facilities and patient homes.

The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to support admission avoidance, hospital discharge and contribute to urgent community response (UCR) adopting home first principles.

You will need to be able to demonstrate effective communication, problem solving skills and be resilient in challenging situations.

You will be supported within the clinical team which is part of the wider physiotherapy structure, with clinical supervision, peer support and access to CPD opportunities. There will also be opportunity for service improvement and development in the role.

You will be required to work a shift pattern across 7 days (including bank holidays and weekends). As a community-based role, the post holder will be required to hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a car for work purposes.

Main duties of the job

  1. To act as an experienced autonomous practitioner, providing specialised physiotherapy assessment and treatment programmes to patients within the speciality.
  2. To independently manage a caseload, using evidence based /patient centered principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
  3. To deliver care across acute and community settings as required.

About us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the BAME network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our armed forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programmebalancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Details

Date posted

04 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year N/A

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7594126

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Job description

Job responsibilities

  1. To work primarily with the specialist physiotherapy team and across acute and community physiotherapy services as required. This may involve loan working
  2. Responsible to the band 7 physiotherapist in the team
  3. To work as part of the multi-disciplinary team to deliver a holistic patient-centred approach to care.
  4. To regularly liaise with MDT members including those from heath, social services and voluntary agencies to ensure an integrated and comprehensive service is provided.
  5. To ensure that patients are identified for prompt discharge and handover to community services.
  6. To provide leadership for more junior staff, as agreed with senior staff.
  7. To support the band 7 physiotherapist in planning, coordinating, and delivering the service provided to patients and to assist in the development, planning and progression of service provision.
  8. To deputise for the band 7 physiotherapist in their absence as required.
  9. To supervise other registered and unregistered staff within the team
  10. To supervise physiotherapy students on clinical placements
  11. To participate in CPD and develop skills and knowledge through participation in the in service training scheme.
  12. Maintaining Records as an autonomous practitioner.
  13. To be an active participant in the twilight and 7 day working rota (as per service requirements).

Job description

Job responsibilities

  1. To work primarily with the specialist physiotherapy team and across acute and community physiotherapy services as required. This may involve loan working
  2. Responsible to the band 7 physiotherapist in the team
  3. To work as part of the multi-disciplinary team to deliver a holistic patient-centred approach to care.
  4. To regularly liaise with MDT members including those from heath, social services and voluntary agencies to ensure an integrated and comprehensive service is provided.
  5. To ensure that patients are identified for prompt discharge and handover to community services.
  6. To provide leadership for more junior staff, as agreed with senior staff.
  7. To support the band 7 physiotherapist in planning, coordinating, and delivering the service provided to patients and to assist in the development, planning and progression of service provision.
  8. To deputise for the band 7 physiotherapist in their absence as required.
  9. To supervise other registered and unregistered staff within the team
  10. To supervise physiotherapy students on clinical placements
  11. To participate in CPD and develop skills and knowledge through participation in the in service training scheme.
  12. Maintaining Records as an autonomous practitioner.
  13. To be an active participant in the twilight and 7 day working rota (as per service requirements).

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Hold a degree or equivalent diploma in Physiotherapy
  • Be registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in the management of acutely unwell patients within the speciality
  • Have post registration NHS experience across a range of clinical specialties such as neurology, respiratory, critical care, acute medicine, surgery, orthopaedics and MSK outpatients.
  • Experience of organising and prioritising a complex patient caseload in a busy acute hospital and community based settings.
  • Experience in audit, research and understanding quality issues

Desirable

  • Experienced clinical educator
  • Previous experience of specialty management
  • Membership/involvement in relevant special interest group/network

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Hold a full UK driving licence
  • Access to a car for work purposes
  • Expert manual therapeutic skills and handling techniques
  • Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice, developing specialist knowledge of conditions and patient types within the specialty.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Hold a degree or equivalent diploma in Physiotherapy
  • Be registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in the management of acutely unwell patients within the speciality
  • Have post registration NHS experience across a range of clinical specialties such as neurology, respiratory, critical care, acute medicine, surgery, orthopaedics and MSK outpatients.
  • Experience of organising and prioritising a complex patient caseload in a busy acute hospital and community based settings.
  • Experience in audit, research and understanding quality issues

Desirable

  • Experienced clinical educator
  • Previous experience of specialty management
  • Membership/involvement in relevant special interest group/network

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Hold a full UK driving licence
  • Access to a car for work purposes
  • Expert manual therapeutic skills and handling techniques
  • Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice, developing specialist knowledge of conditions and patient types within the specialty.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Employer's website

https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Employer's website

https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Advanced Practitioner Physiotherapist

Karen O'Neill-Williams

karen.o'neill-williams@nhs.net

01914455226

Details

Date posted

04 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year N/A

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7594126

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Supporting documents

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