Band 7 Critical Care Highly Specialist Physiotherapist

Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.

Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We are proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 (0.8 WTE, 30 hours, 1 year fixed term) specialist rehabilitation and respiratory physiotherapist to join the Intensive Care multidisciplinary team at the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust. Our Intensive Care unit (ICU) is a 54-bed, state-of-the-art unit, incorporating an 8-bed High Dependency Unit (HDU) and a 12-bed Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU), admitting a wide range of complex patients including those from hepatobiliary/vascular surgery and liver and renal transplantation services.

The postholder will be part of the Trust’s largest therapy service, working within the Critical Care, Medicine and Surgery (CMS) team. This comprises over 50 multi-professional staff operating within an interdisciplinary, co-located model across critical care, HPB/surgical wards, medical wards, and sleep and ventilation services. As a designated Highly Infective Disease Centre, the Royal Free also offers the unique opportunity to work within the UK’s only active High Level Isolation Unit (HLIU), managing conditions such as Ebola virus disease.

Main duties of the job:

• Clinical support is provided by a Clinical Lead ICU Physiotherapist/Speech and Language Therapist, an Advanced Care Practitioner Physiotherapist, two Band 7 peers, and a Respiratory Physiotherapy Consultant.
• The postholder will lead the delivery of physiotherapy care to critically ill patients, with a strong focus on complex respiratory management, rehabilitation, and ventilation and tracheostomy weaning.
• The team offers excellent development opportunities, including access to independent prescribing physiotherapists, lung ultrasound training and mentorship, and support from colleagues with postgraduate Master’s-level qualifications.
• The role includes responsibility for education and training of the CMS team and the wider multidisciplinary team, with an emphasis on simulation-based learning, alongside leadership of quality improvement initiatives.
• The CMS team places a high priority on staff development, with regular national and international conference presentations and strong engagement in research.
• The department is research-active, with dedicated research and education leads and a clinical trials coordinator.
• The Trust also provides comprehensive leadership training, coaching, and mentorship, supporting the postholder in their line management responsibilities within an interdisciplinary model.

Person specification:

• Royal Free World Class Values: Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values.
• Education & professional Qualifications: Degree/graduate diploma in Physiotherapy, Health Professions Council (HPC) registration, commitment to advanced clinical and professional development, member of CSP, membership of special interest group, additional qualification eg MSc or accredited courses at postgraduate level in specialist clinical area.
• Experience: Substantial postgraduate experience at a Band 6 level including within the critical care area, knowledge and experience of a wide range of approaches for the management of patients within specialist clinical area, experience of multidisciplinary and interagency working, previous experience of junior staff & student supervision/clinical education, previous experience of leadership of staff members, experience of clinical audit and/or research, experience of teaching to uni-disciplinary/multidisciplinary groups, motivational interviewing/behaviour change training (CBT or facilitation skills), lectures/presentations to groups/teaching other healthcare professionals and patients, student training/supervisory skills, undertaking research, audit and/or QI, active contribution to service improvement, proficient IT knowledge, evidence of active involvement in service development & contribution to change within the workplace.
• Skills: Highly specialist level of clinical skill within clinical area, substantial lone working experience due to on call and weekend rota involvement, experience of line management, excellent verbal communication skills with a range of patients and healthcare professionals, an ability to lead & motivate others, ability to critically evaluate current research & apply to own practice, motivated to achieve personal and professional goals to an excellent standard as appropriate to the job role, a helpful, positive and flexible attitude, ability to recognise and challenge unacceptable behaviour, demonstrate a clear understanding of governance issues (to include confidentiality, health and safety, risk management).
• Personal Qualities & attributes: Ability to sustain and maintain good working relationships, complies with trust manual handling guidelines.

Applications are welcome from people wishing to job share or work flexible patterns. We are committed to equal opportunities.