Senior Physiotherapist Community Therapy Services

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy Team at Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust. We have a fixed term (12 months) vacancy for a Specialist physiotherapist (Rotational) nine monthly rotations across acute and community services.


You will be a compassionate, accountable individual who treats all colleagues, patients and service users with respect and seeks to deliver excellence in their role. You will share the Trust values and be committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.


This is a wonderful and unique opportunity to develop your expertise in the speciality of paediatric physiotherapy. The post rotates through a host of different clinical specialities every 9 months and includes experience in inpatients, outpatients and community locations.
To provide a specialised and high standard of physiotherapy care as a member of the physiotherapy team and multi-professional teams within each rotation.
To perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessments of children presenting with a wide range of conditions and problems.
To provide a diagnosis of the problem related to physiotherapy.
To develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme for each child.
To independently manage a personal caseload of children within a defined area of the service or a particular client group, working without direct supervision.
To access the advice, training and support from senior physiotherapists available but also undertake aspects of clinical duties as a developing autonomous practitioner

Sheffield Children's is one of three independent, specialist paediatric hospitals in the country, providing dedicated healthcare for children and young people across community, mental health and acute specialist settings.


We have three overarching aims that set the direction for the Trust in our vision to create a healthier future for children and young people.


Outstanding patient care
Leader in children's health

Our commitment to rewarding colleagues is demonstrated through our brilliant reward and benefits offer including generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme and access to salary sacrifice schemes such as cycle to work and lease cars.


We are committed to supporting colleagues from different heritages and lifestyles while at work. This is supported through the offer we have in place for flexible working and the three equality network groups we have in place. Colleagues are encouraged to join these groups and request flexible working.
To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of children in your care.
To undertake advanced clinical assessments of children and use clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of the specific problems related to physiotherapy intervention.
To take delegated responsibility from the Advanced physiotherapist for managing a caseload of children with particular conditions and be responsible for providing specialist assessment and treatment plans.
To recommend best course of intervention, taking into account such factors as the prognosis, age of child, family / carers circumstances, environmental factors etc.
To gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework for patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
To use a range of age appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with children and their family / carers and others involved with the childs care in order to progress treatment / interventions effectively
To evaluate the childs progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as appropriate.
To manage clinical risk within own case load.
To work within Trust and CSPs clinical guidelines, have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practice as required.
When working in the community, work as a lone practitioner with the appropriate clinical and risk management support from senior colleagues.
To be an active member of the respiratory evening and weekend on call rota. When working on the on call rota, undertake the assessment and treatment of acutely ill children with respiratory problems, who may have a complex presentation and maintain associated records as an autonomous practitioner.
To work some or part of the weekend as and when services develop to incorporate 6 or 7 day working
To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records in line with local and CSP standards of practice.
To represent the physiotherapy service or individual children at various multi-disciplinary meetings, to ensure the delivery of an integrated approach to treatment. This will involve discussion of the childs progress, aims and objectives, treatment planning plus discharge / transfer arrangements as appropriate.
To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment including electrotherapy, gym equipment, aids and appliances and ensure that assistants / students / children / carers using such equipment attain competency through training and supervision.

To undertake risk assessments on a daily basis, for example, work space, equipment, patients and self, using judgement skills to make the necessary adjustments in line with health and safety regulations.
To comply with the Health and Safety at work regulations and all other health, safety and security standards in accordance with Trust policies.
To attend and participate in the Trust mandatory training plus departmental in-service training.
To adhere to departmental and Trust policies and procedures.
To teach, assess and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of assistant therapy staff.
To participate in the departments staff appraisal programme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed objectives and supervision contract.
To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidenced based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or with more senior colleagues.
To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and participation in formal learning, supervision sessions, peer review / support and external courses.
To undertake, as directed the collection of Careflow activity data for service management and other data for use in audit or research.
To be actively involved in professional clinical groups such as the journal club, action learning set, CSP clinical interest groups and other professional development activities.
To provide clinical education and training to physiotherapy students to graduate level.
To provide support, guidance and training to assistant therapy staff, assessing and evaluating competence.

To be responsible for the supervision and delegation of appropriate tasks to more junior staff, assistants and students.
To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities, readjusting plans as situations change / arise.
To contribute to the development, implementation and promotion of departmental and Trust policies and procedures.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer and accurate data capture is an important part of that to ensure we are supportive and representative. Our aim is to ensure that all applicants can see themselves in the available categories on our application form, but we recognise that some of our data capture fields are not inclusive. We offer encouragement and active support to applicants with additional needs, including those from ethnic minorities, with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Gilbert7@nhs.net


We are continually reviewing our recruitment & selection process to support the long-term aim of Sheffield Childrens being a champion of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. Gilbert7@nhs.net


The Trust is committed to providing great quality patient care and keep children, young people and families at the heart of what we do by following our CARE values:


Respect value differences, tackling inequality and fostering a culture of inclusion
Excellence delivering a high-quality standard of care

Diploma / Degree in Physiotherapy.
Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent, relevant postgraduate courses and in-service training.
Experience of working with children either professionally or socially

Significant paediatric caseload experience in an acute or community setting and including acute respiratory rotation
Paediatric on call experience

Understanding of the legal responsibilities of the profession.
Understanding of family / team dynamics and how to develop working relationships with all involved in the child's care.
Understanding of the impact of disability / hospitalisation on children and their families.
Understanding of data protection, confidentiality and health and safety requirements in meeting the needs of the child and family.

Knowledge of consent issues specific to paediatrics.
Ability to keep accurate and legible clinical records.
Reliable, punctual, flexible.
Access to a car for commuting between homes and sites around the city, and delivering small pieces of therapy equipment. Evidence of car insurance for this activity.

Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust