Specialist Physiotherapist

The Community Rehabilitation and Falls Service is looking to recruit an enthusiastic and passionate band 6 community physiotherapist. The service covers the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. This is an excellent opportunity for a Band 6 physiotherapist or an experienced Band 5 Physiotherapist looking to develop in a supportive, diverse team.


Applicants should have experience of delivering high quality evidence- based falls prevention and management. We also provide rehabilitation to older people with frailty, a variety of non- neurological and long term conditions affecting their function. The post holder will have opportunities to support service quality improvements and will join us at a time when the Trust has just moved onto a new Electronic Patient Record, which will enhance the service we provide to patients .


The post holder will work in a multi-disciplinary team to implement person-centred assessments and rehabilitation programmes. The role includes partnership working across teams within the Integrated Local Services and other agencies within primary and secondary health and social care.


The post holder will be required to contribute to the 6 day therapy service on the Pulross Intermediate Care Ward.


Perform specialist physiotherapy assessments and treatments in the community as a part of Community Rehab and Falls Service.
Work within and across professional and organisational boundaries, liaising with health and social care professionals and voluntary agencies to deliver individualised and expert care to a high standard to clients.
Support the service's commitment to meeting client needs and delivering excellence. It is essential the post holder be able to work their hours flexibly and contribute fully to both existing and new rotas. This may include 7 day working and non- traditional shift patterns.
Be responsible for supervision, education and assessment of students and new/junior members of staff.

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.


We have around 23,500 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, and neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.


We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.


The Community Rehabilitation and Falls Service, part of the Local Integrated Services Directorate of Guys and St Thomas' NHS Trust, is looking to recruit a Band 6 community Physiotherapist to join our friendly, enthusiastic and passionate team. The Service covers both the Boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. This is an excellent opportunity for a Band 6 physiotherapist or an experienced Band 5 Physiotherapist.
To work as an autonomous lone practitioner, case managing clients in the community and co-ordinating their care, seeking support from seniors where appropriate.
To participate in referral triage and prioritise referrals based on urgency of need and risk according to service protocols.
To be competent in using a wide variety of specialised assessment, and treatment approaches with adults with a range of conditions.
Assess a clients understanding of proposed rehabilitation and seek valid informed consent from clients before commencing treatment. Work within a legal framework for clients who lack the capacity to provide informed consent.
To teach and demonstrate specific therapeutic techniques to clients, carers and therapy assistants to enable them to carry out a physiotherapy programmes.

~ Be able to identify significant health changes that would warrant medical intervention and liaise with the relevant practitioner.


To adapt care plans accordingly and delegate tasks appropriately to therapy assistants and more junior members of staff, ensuring that they are competent to deliver the tasks given.
To maintain up-to-date clinical records in accordance with local and professional standards, ensure safekeeping and confidentiality of these records and also writing comprehensive reports on clients as required.
Be able to assess and manage clinical, physical and/or environmental risk. To adhere to incident reporting procedures and to support colleagues to do likewise.
To act as lead health professional for clients when required. To participate in the weekend rota and community rotations when required.
To respect an individuals ethnicity and cultural and religious beliefs.
Must use lone worker device and adhere to local lone working procedures.
To plan, organise and prioritise own patient caseload and support less senior members of staff in caseload management when required.

Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based research relevant to physiotherapy practice and rehabilitation.
Responsible for identifying own training and development needs in line with service needs and Chartered Society of Physiotherapists standards of practice.
To maintain an advanced level of clinical knowledge through relevant reading, attendance at in-service training, specialist external courses and literature searches and be able to impart knowledge and skills gained to colleagues.
Actively participate in promotion of the Community Rehabilitation and Falls Service to staff within the Trust and for external organisations.
Provide physiotherapy services which are consistent with relevant legislation, Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and Trust standards of practice, as well as working within clinical governance and national guidelines e.g. To actively contribute to the development / review of clinical policies and guidelines relevant to the service.

To be highly skilled in communicating, using both verbal and non-verbal means, with clients, carers and families who have a range of physical and cognitive disabilities and other associated barriers to understanding.
To be able to communicate sensitive and highly complex information, to clients, carers, family and other health and social care professionals and organisations.
To offer support, reassurance and advice to diffuse the situation when required.
To deal with and attempt to resolve verbal complaints and to be well versed with the Trusts formal complaints procedure.
To develop and maintain effective communication links and working relationships with all people involved in patient care, student education, research or policy development as appropriate.
To offer specialist advice and communicate written and verbal information to clients, carers and agencies including other health professionals, social services and voluntary organisations.
Provide and document clinical and professional supervision for band 5 therapists, rehabilitation support workers and therapy assistants.
To lead the appraisal process for junior members of staff including setting objectives, formulating a personal development plan and identifying training needs.
To ensure that all complaints and incidents are reported and managed in line with the Trust complaints procedure policies
To participate in the monitoring of the quality of therapy/rehabilitation services offered
To report defects in equipment in a timely manner according to service protocol
To implement relevant national and local guidance, policies and procedures. To act as a lead in key areas in line with the Trust priorities and actively engage in service development.
Actively participate and/or lead in clinical governance activities, clinical audits, quality assurance and evidence-based research as required.
Undertake any other duties as directed by the service managers, and be prepared to work at any location within the Trust.

Education and Professional Development


~ To actively participate and contribute to the in-service training programme and provide training for more junior members of staff and therapy assistants.
To provide a high standard of physiotherapy training for students on placement in order to promote professional standards. To undertake all mandatory and statutory training in line with the Trust policy.
To actively participate in the performance and development review process and improve knowledge and skills in line with personal development plans.
To identify and be responsible for own training needs as well as identifying team training needs and supporting development of others.
To educate referrers, clients and other service users about the services the team offers

Complete required activity and performance data regarding all clinical and professional activities and support other staff to complete their statistics to required timescales.
Update all information on written and electronic records as per local and Trust requirements
Ensure confidentiality and information governance policies are adhered to for all data gathered and recorded.

Registered member of the Health and Care Professions Council
Willingness to undertake Postural Stability Instructor (PSI) training.

Registered member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy


Broad-based experience as a qualified physiotherapist including orthopaedics, older people, falls and general rehabilitation
Demonstrates awareness and promotes equality, diversity and inclusion.

Experience of working in community setting
Experience of working in falls prevention service
Experience of supervising less senior staff and students including supervision and appraisal

Specialist knowledge and skills in assessing the impact of physical and medical conditions on a clients functional abilities, independence and safety.
Specialist knowledge and skills in the assessment, treatment and longer term management of a variety of clinical presentations.
Knowledge and application of outcome measures relevant to service area
Proficient IT skills, including electronic healthcare records
Demonstrate highly developed verbal, non-verbal and written communication including report writing in English
The ability to devise, deliver and evaluate training both within the service and to other agencies
Ability to evaluate quality and use evidence-based practice
Knowledge of current policy and procedures relevant to service area e.g. falls, older people
Ability to carry out risk assessments