Highly Specialist Physiotherapist in SpasticityNHS

Bristol, BS10 5NB Permanent £49,387 to £56,515

Posted 19 August 2026 Closing date 2 September 2026

Ashley Down (1.3 miles away) Bristol Bus Station (2.4 miles away)

Job summary

This is a new and exciting opportunity for a specialist physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist, with proven skills and experience in the management of neurodisability and spasticity, to join this progressive and innovative team.

The postwillincludeworking within a multidisciplinaryteam of Neurologists, Rehabilitation Medicine physicians and physiotherapists assessing and managing patients withmixed and complex presentations.

We are seeking an individual with the leadership skills and attributes to collaborate and work across professional and organisational boundaries. The successful post holders will be key in embedding therapy within the service and taking opportunities to ensure the full potential and scope of the therapists roles arerealised.

Clinics run Wednesday afternoons with some flexibility as towhen service development time is delivered. The primary base is Southmead hospital, but there may be need or opportunity to work in alternative locations across the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire health and social care system.

Main duties of the job

Job Summary

TheHighly SpecialistPhysiotherapist/Occupational therapistinSpasticitydelivers an enhanced level of practice andclinical leadership withinthedefined areas of thepathway.
The postwillincludeworking within a multidisciplinaryteam of Neurologists, rehabilitation medicine physicians and physiotherapists assessing and managing patientswithmixed and complex presentations.
The post holder willdeliver ultrasound guided botulinum toxin injectionsto manage spasticity, working within the scope of practiceand competenceof the individual, either as anon-medicalprescriber orutilisingappropriate useof patient group directions.
They willsupport theMDT in thedeliveryof thespasticityservice including management of referrals, participation in multi-disciplinary team clinics, and making onwards referrals whenrequired.
Work as an autonomous, highly skilled clinician, to provide a specialised service of physiotherapy including assessment, treatment, advice and education for patients, carers/familiesand staffwithin the spasticityoutpatient clinics.
Provideappropriate trainingand education to other Health care professionals,includingphysiotherapists and students. To be an expert resource within the Physiotherapy service forthisspecialistpatient group.
To work with and deputise for the Pathway Lead Physiotherapist asappropriate.

Job description

Clinical Practice

To ensure the provision of effective and efficient therapy management to the patientswithin thespecialty.
Toutiliseenhanced andextended scope skillsand be professionally and legally accountable for ahighly specialisedcaseload.
Decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands.
To ensure safe and legal medicinemanagement, in lineindividual competence,trustpatient group direction and non-medical prescribing policies
Towork to Trust,Professional BodyandHealth & Care Professions Council (HCPC)professional, legaland regulatorystandards.
Maintain anup-to-dateworking knowledgeof relevant nationalclinical and regulatorystandards to which quality of practice should bemonitored.
To useappropriate assessmenttools,monitorprogress and measure the outcomes of treatment for individual patientswithin the service.
To formulate individualised clinical management programmes, utilising a wide range of treatment skills and options to plan ahighly-specialisedprogramme of care.
To evaluate andmodifytreatment plans according to patient needs, discharging them whenappropriate. Seek advice from others when necessary and work without direct supervision.
Toidentifyand employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients where there may be barriers to understanding or the inability to accept diagnosis.
To provide spontaneous and planned expert advice, teaching and instruction to patients, relatives, carers, other disciplines, and agencies. To promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure continuation of the treatment programme.
To be a lead member of themultidisciplinary team and to attend caseconferencesandensureaccuratedocumentation of the outcome of these meetings within the physiotherapy records.
Keepaccurateandup to date records of treatment and interventions in line with legal and departmental policy.
To work flexibly across the physiotherapy teams toassistinmaintainingphysiotherapy covertoensure a continuation of service.
To undertake mandatory training,in accordance withTrust Policy.
Ensure the Health and Safety of patients,carersand staff during therapy, managing clinical risk byidentifyingany potential problems and resolving these prior to, during or after treatment.
To fullyparticipateinanypattern of workingthatisrequiredtomeet the needs ofthe service in the future.
All Clinical staff are accountable and responsible for their own clinical competence and should limit their actions to those for which they aredeemedcompetent in line with guidance from their professional bodies.

Education, Trainingand Research

To educate patients/relatives/carersregardingthe nature of thecondition,andthe aims of physiotherapy interventions,as part of an overall management plan.
Toberesponsibleformaintainingown competency topracticethroughcontinuing professional developmentopportunities.
Toparticipatein peer review asappropriate.
To take an active role inappropriate researchinitiatives.
Incollaboration with the Pathway Leads,initiateimplementation of new working practices.
Incollaboration with the Pathway Leads, to prepare, co-ordinate,participate, and contribute to the delivery of a specific in-service training programmes for staff in the designated pathway
To undertake supervision and performanceassessment ofphysiotherapists,therapy support workers,andphysiotherapy students.
Toparticipatein mandatory/statutory training as required by the Trust and national standards.
It is desirable that the postholder has completed or is working towards the Non-Medical Prescribing qualification.

Organisational

Todemonstrateexperience of planning and managing own caseload and monitoring that of other members of the team to provide themost efficient use of physiotherapy resources.
To be aware of and able to implement nationally and locally agreedpolicies,standards and guidelines setby the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC),Trustand other national bodies.
To be able todemonstrateawareness of Health and Safety policies and ensureimplementation within this area including the prompt reporting of accidents and incidentsby self and staff within the team.
Tounderstandclinical risk management and be able to apply to this area.
Todemonstrateactive participation in CPD(Continuous Professional Development)by attending and presenting in departmental in-service training and to be able to promote CPD within the department.
To be able to work flexibly in order to be able to deal with a number of different tasks and situations simultaneously and interchange between tasks and situations quickly and frequently during the daye.g. treating patients, answeringemails andtelephone calls, talking to patients, staff and relatives and being a source of advice and information.
To be able tofacilitateand undertake audit and quality improvementactivitywithin the team and to analyse the outcomes of audit and their implications for the team.

Service Management

To manage day to day workload andmaintainlevel of service within the pathway at the local site andassistother members of the team to makeappropriate prioritisationchoices.
Toparticipatein ensuring clear and open channels of communication exist within the physiotherapy pathway team. To ensure the cascade of received information including corporate, strategic ideas to all pathway staff
Tobe responsible formanagement of informal conflicts,disagreementsand complaints in the local site pathway by using highly developed negotiation skills
To ensure all incidents, accidents and complaints within thespecialtyare reported and documented in theappropriate timeframeand in line with Trust policy. To ensure senior physiotherapy managers are made aware of all incidents,accidentsand complaints.
Tomonitorthe quality of care provided in the designated pathway at the local site and promote a culture ofevidence-basedpractice within the team.
Toparticipatein the interpretation of professional and national standards for the speciality, recommending and implementing changes in clinical practice whereindicated.
To take responsibility for the regular inspection and safe use of equipment. Toadvise appropriate personnel of the need toreview availability of suitable resources for patient care. Tocomply withHealth & Safety requirements and follow the policy for safe disposal of equipment.
To be aware of the cost/benefit implications in the selection and ordering ofappropriate equipmentto be provided to the patient for long term use as an individual and by the pathway team.
Tomaintainand provideaccurateandtimelyactivity information both as an individual and for the designatedspecialtyto help inform service delivery and evaluation
To undertake other dutiescommensuratewith the grade as requested by senior physiotherapy managers.
This post is based on the Southmead Hospital sitebut mayrequirethe post holder to deliver the servicefrom an alternative location acrossBristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).

Human Resource Management

To undertake supervision,performanceand day to day management of pathway staff who report to the post holder.
Toparticipatein the Trust individual performance review process as both appraiser and appraisee. Tobe responsible forthe appraisal and professional development of designated pathway physiotherapy staff in line with the requirements of the Trust ensuring all team members have a comprehensive development plan
To ensure that staff are aware of andcomply withTrust policies and procedures undertaking action as necessary under relevant policies e.g. sickness management
Tobe responsible forthe clinical standards of the physiotherapy staff reporting to the post holder.
Tofacilitateeffective team working within the pathway, leading,assistingand supporting other team members.
To deputise for senior staff where appropriate
Toassistin recruitment,selectionand retention procedures for the therapy service
To contribute to the clinical induction of therapy staff
All contracted hours can be considered across a seven-day period.

About us

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

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