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Job summary

Main area
Critical Care
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Fixed term: 23 months (Secondment Considered. Until end of September 2028.)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (1:4 Saturday working commitment plus 1 Bank Holiday. Part of the respiratory Sunday and on-call rota)
Job ref
387-D&T3538-LH
Employer
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
City site - Bristol Royal Infirmary
Town
Bristol
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
29/10/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust logo

ECMO and Critical Care Team Lead Physiotherapist

NHS AfC: Band 7

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.

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Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join a friendly, supportive and forward-thinking Critical Care and ECMO Therapy team within a large inner-city Intensive Care service, providing highly specialist care to patients from across the Southwest of England. 

The Critical Care unit at City Hospital Operating unit if a regional specialist centre for Severe Acute Respiratory Failure, Cardiac surgery, Upper GI surgery, Hepatobillary surgery, Thoracic surgery and ENT & Max-Fax.

Main duties of the job

As an ECMO Lead Physiotherapist, you will provide clinical leadership and specialist expertise within our highly collaborative multidisciplinary ECMO and Critical Care team, supporting the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based respiratory and rehabilitative care to patients with complex and life-threatening illness. Working closely with colleagues across the multidisciplinary team, you will contribute to the assessment, treatment and ongoing management of patients requiring advanced organ support.

 

We are a research-active service with a strong commitment to education, innovation and continuous improvement, and our ambition is to provide leading specialist ECMO and critical care therapy within the UK. The role offers excellent opportunities for clinical leadership, education, research and service development, making this an ideal opportunity for an experienced critical care physiotherapist looking to develop their specialist practice and contribute to the continued development of ECMO and critical care therapy.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and 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. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description and person specification for a more detailed breakdown of the different elements of the role

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Degree or diploma in Physiotherapy
  • HCPC registration
  • Evidence of relevant Continuing Professional Development
Desirable criteria
  • Involvement in relevant special clinical interest groups

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • In depth clinical knowledge of Severe Acute Respiratory Failure underpinned by theory and practical experience
  • Knowledge of clinical governance and it's application to Physiotherapy

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Effective communication skills both verbal & written
  • Leadership Skills – to effectively support the effective running of a team
  • Excellent organisational skills

Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Ability to effectively perform patient assessments & interventions, including manual therapy & therapeutic handling
  • Ability to effect & manage change
  • Ability to cope in a stressful environment undertaking moderate to intense physical effort throughout the working day and carry out concurrent activities

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working with patient requiring ECMO support – providing both respiratory and rehabilitation intervention
  • Experience of working in a Critical Care – providing respiratory and rehabilitation input
  • Significant experience of working as part of a Physiotherapy team & multidisciplinary team at a senior level

Experience

Essential criteria
  • A variety of experience in acute core areas, as postgraduate physiotherapist i.e T&O, musculoskeletal, respiratory & neurological, dealing with a wide range of patients with differing needs
  • Contribution to clinical supervision & education of less experienced staff, students
  • Previous experience at Band 6

Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Ability to meet deadlines & work under pressure
  • Ability to work unsupervised
  • Ability to plan, prioritise & delegate
  • Competent IT Skills
  • Presentation skills

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • Credible & mature attitude, which is recognised & respected by other staff
  • The ability to work well in a team
  • A strong desire to develop one's self, others and the therapy service.
  • A drive to deliver best possible care to patients and their families.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Trust IDDisability Confident - two yearsVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveCare quality commission - GoodMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerNHS Pastoral CareStep into healthMenopause Workplace PledgeDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldPride In Veterans

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Thomas Lunn
Job title
Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

Helen Phillips

[email protected]

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