Paediatric Physiotherapist (Community) Band 5

The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:

• Great flexible working opportunities
• Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
• Generous annual leave and pension scheme
• Extensive staff health and well-being programmes

Job overview

Community Physiotherapist (Band 5)

Fixed Term (18 months)

Part Time - 34 Hours per week

We are a specialist community team of paediatric physiotherapists and occupational therapists who work across the Liverpool area.

Our Alder Hey physiotherapy service supports children (0-19 years old) with neurodevelopmental presentations, developmental delay, neuromuscular conditions, complex neuro-disability and associated respiratory problems.

We have an exciting opportunity for a band 5 physiotherapist to join the team on a fixed term basis.

The team consists of clinical specialist physiotherapists (Complexity and Ambulant Neuro-disability), physiotherapists, occupational therapists, support workers (including admin support) and a management team.

The team is experienced, supportive, compassionate and dedicated to providing child and family centred care to those they work with. You will work in a wide variety of community locations including schools (including specialist provision) nurseries, children’s homes and clinics.

As a service we have strong links with acute teams based at Alder Hey and colleagues in education and social care.

We have an extensive support structure in place for PDR, training, supervision, management supervision and health & well-being support.

We welcome applicants who are due to complete an approved physiotherapy course / gain professional HCPC registration in 2025.

Main duties of the job

To act as an autonomous practitioner within a specialised paediatric physiotherapy service, providing physiotherapy assessment, treatment and ongoing physical management to children in a range of settings; special and mainstream schools, child’s home.

To work as required throughout the Liverpool community physiotherapy service. To receive in-service training, teaching and support to enable further development of clinical and managerial competencies. Manage own caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service, working with and without direct supervision.

Working for our organisation

Alder Hey has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients’ homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man.

The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Alder Park building in the nearby borough of Sefton.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of caseload. To ensure a high standard of clinical care (for the patients under your management).
2. To demonstrate the ability to carry out physiotherapy assessment and specialised interventions including manual therapy techniques and therapeutic handling and demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory sensory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients
3. To carry out assessment of patients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with complex presentations, using clinical reasoning skills, knowledge of evidence based practice and liaison with senior physiotherapy staff to determine appropriate care plans utilising specialist paediatric techniques and a wide range of treatment options.
4. To use theoretical knowledge and practical experience to interpret and analyse clinical diagnoses and presentations in a wide variety of conditions, where there may be conflicting evidence or where some information is unavailable.
5. To contribute to accurate prognoses and recommend best course of intervention, developing comprehensive management plans, guided by clearly defined principles or physiotherapy guidelines.
6. To refer to other healthcare professionals and agencies in line with departmental policy, as part of the overall management of the child to ensure holistic care.
7. To continually reassess patients and adjust treatment plans accordingly in order to progress treatments effectively.
8. To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients, and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and time management

Person specification

Education & Training

• BSc or Diploma in Physiotherapy
• HCPC registered
• Evidence of appropriate education in a wide range of physiotherapy approaches to clinical management

• MCSP

Experience

• Participation in multi disciplinary team working
• Working well in a team environment

Knowledge

• To use reflective practice to evaluate own skills and performance

• Member of appropriate special interest groups
• Demonstrates an interest in the field of paediatrics.
• To have knowledge of NHS developments both locally and nationally.

Skills

• Ability to demonstrate assessment and clinical skills within the physiotherapy field
• English (oral and written) skills
• Organisation & prioritisation skills
• To have highly developed communication and problem solving skills

• The ability to work flexibly

Personal Attributes

• Access to transport for work purposes
• To work well within a team setting, complimenting existing team dynamics
• Motivated to develop new skills
• To be able to work independent of peer support or supervision
• The ability to deliver complex and sensitive information

• Innovative in approach and outlook

We reserve the right to close vacancies without notice when we have received a sufficient number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will contact you using this regarding your application. All candidates will be notified via email whether or not they have been shortlisted.

We actively promote equality and diversity and operate a Zero Tolerance policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment.

Please declare within the supporting information if artificial intelligence (AI) has been used in your application.