Job summary
- Main area
- Physiotherapy Spasticity
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 5.63 hours per week (0.15WTE. Clinics are run on a Wednesday afternoon)
- Job ref
- 339-CCS6107-BAL
- Employer
- Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (BFT)
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- North Bristol NHS Trust
- Town
- Bristol
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 pen annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 02/09/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Highly Specialist Physiotherapist in Spasticity
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 creates 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 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 post will include working within a multidisciplinary team of Neurologists, Rehabilitation Medicine physicians and physiotherapists assessing and managing patients with mixed 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 are realised.
Clinics run Wednesday afternoons with some flexibility as to when 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
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The Highly Specialist Physiotherapist/Occupational therapist in Spasticity delivers an enhanced level of practice and clinical leadership within the defined areas of the pathway.
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The post will include working within a multidisciplinary team of Neurologists, rehabilitation medicine physicians and physiotherapists assessing and managing patients with mixed and complex presentations.
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The post holder will deliver ultrasound guided botulinum toxin injections to manage spasticity, working within the scope of practice and competence of the individual, either as a non-medical prescriber or utilising appropriate use of patient group directions.
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They will support the MDT in the delivery of the spasticity service including management of referrals, participation in multi-disciplinary team clinics, and making onwards referrals when required.
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Work as an autonomous, highly skilled clinician, to provide a specialised service of physiotherapy including assessment, treatment, advice and education for patients, carers/families and staff within the spasticity outpatient clinics.
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Provide appropriate training and education to other Health care professionals, including physiotherapists and students. To be an expert resource within the Physiotherapy service for this specialist patient group.
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To work with and deputise for the Pathway Lead Physiotherapist as appropriate.
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
Clinical Practice
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To ensure the provision of effective and efficient therapy management to the patients within the specialty.
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To utilise enhanced and extended scope skills and be professionally and legally accountable for a highly specialised caseload.
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Decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands.
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To ensure safe and legal medicine management, in line individual competence, trust patient group direction and non-medical prescribing policies
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To work to Trust, Professional Body and Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) professional, legal and regulatory standards.
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Maintain an up-to-date working knowledge of relevant national clinical and regulatory standards to which quality of practice should be monitored.
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To use appropriate assessment tools, monitor progress and measure the outcomes of treatment for individual patients within the service.
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To formulate individualised clinical management programmes, utilising a wide range of treatment skills and options to plan a highly-specialised programme of care.
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To evaluate and modify treatment plans according to patient needs, discharging them when appropriate. Seek advice from others when necessary and work without direct supervision.
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To identify and employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients where there may be barriers to understanding or the inability to accept diagnosis.
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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.
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To be a lead member of the multidisciplinary team and to attend case conferences and ensure accurate documentation of the outcome of these meetings within the physiotherapy records.
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Keep accurate and up to date records of treatment and interventions in line with legal and departmental policy.
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To work flexibly across the physiotherapy teams to assist in maintaining physiotherapy cover to ensure a continuation of service.
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To undertake mandatory training, in accordance with Trust Policy.
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Ensure the Health and Safety of patients, carers and staff during therapy, managing clinical risk by identifying any potential problems and resolving these prior to, during or after treatment.
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To fully participate in any pattern of working that is required to meet the needs of the service in the future.
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All Clinical staff are accountable and responsible for their own clinical competence and should limit their actions to those for which they are deemed competent in line with guidance from their professional bodies.
Education, Training and Research
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To educate patients/relatives/carers regarding the nature of the condition, and the aims of physiotherapy interventions, as part of an overall management plan.
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To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through continuing professional development opportunities.
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To participate in peer review as appropriate.
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To take an active role in appropriate research initiatives.
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In collaboration with the Pathway Leads, initiate implementation of new working practices.
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In collaboration 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
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To undertake supervision and performance assessment of physiotherapists, therapy support workers, and physiotherapy students.
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To participate in mandatory/statutory training as required by the Trust and national standards.
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It is desirable that the postholder has completed or is working towards the Non-Medical Prescribing qualification.
Organisational
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To demonstrate experience of planning and managing own caseload and monitoring that of other members of the team to provide the most efficient use of physiotherapy resources.
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To be aware of and able to implement nationally and locally agreed policies, standards and guidelines set by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Trust and other national bodies.
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To be able to demonstrate awareness of Health and Safety policies and ensure implementation within this area including the prompt reporting of accidents and incidents by self and staff within the team.
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To understand clinical risk management and be able to apply to this area.
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To demonstrate active 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.
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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 day e.g. treating patients, answering emails and telephone calls, talking to patients, staff and relatives and being a source of advice and information.
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To be able to facilitate and undertake audit and quality improvement activity within the team and to analyse the outcomes of audit and their implications for the team.
Service Management
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To manage day to day workload and maintain level of service within the pathway at the local site and assist other members of the team to make appropriate prioritisation choices.
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To participate in 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
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To be responsible for management of informal conflicts, disagreements and complaints in the local site pathway by using highly developed negotiation skills
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To ensure all incidents, accidents and complaints within the specialty are reported and documented in the appropriate timeframe and in line with Trust policy. To ensure senior physiotherapy managers are made aware of all incidents, accidents and complaints.
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To monitor the quality of care provided in the designated pathway at the local site and promote a culture of evidence-based practice within the team.
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To participate in the interpretation of professional and national standards for the speciality, recommending and implementing changes in clinical practice where indicated.
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To take responsibility for the regular inspection and safe use of equipment. To advise appropriate personnel of the need to review availability of suitable resources for patient care. To comply with Health & Safety requirements and follow the policy for safe disposal of equipment.
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To be aware of the cost/benefit implications in the selection and ordering of appropriate equipment to be provided to the patient for long term use as an individual and by the pathway team.
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To maintain and provide accurate and timely activity information both as an individual and for the designated specialty to help inform service delivery and evaluation
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To undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as requested by senior physiotherapy managers.
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This post is based on the Southmead Hospital site but may require the post holder to deliver the service from an alternative location across Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).
Human Resource Management
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To undertake supervision, performance and day to day management of pathway staff who report to the post holder.
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To participate in the Trust individual performance review process as both appraiser and appraisee. To be responsible for the 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
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To ensure that staff are aware of and comply with Trust policies and procedures undertaking action as necessary under relevant policies e.g. sickness management
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To be responsible for the clinical standards of the physiotherapy staff reporting to the post holder.
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To facilitate effective team working within the pathway, leading, assisting and supporting other team members.
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To deputise for senior staff where appropriate
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To assist in recruitment, selection and retention procedures for the therapy service
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To contribute to the clinical induction of therapy staff
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All contracted hours can be considered across a seven-day period.
Person specification
Education/Training/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- HCPC registered Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist
- Post Grad Training & Education in Neurodisability including spasticity, dystonia and intrathecal baclofen
Desirable criteria
- Completed or working towards US guided injection therapy competencies or MSc injection therapy module
- Completed or working towards non-medical prescribing qualification
Work Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience at a senior level in the management of neuro-disability including spasticity.
- Experience in supporting clinical governance initiatives
- Experience in delivering service change and improvement initiatives
- Extensive experience in organising, writing and delivering in-service training programmes.
- Extensive experience of supervising less experienced and non-registered staff, including participation in personal development reviews.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential criteria
- Able to communicate highly complex and sensitive information in written, verbal and presentational form to patients, staff and senior managers within the Trust and across other organisations
- Able to identify and recognise when to seek advice and support concerning clinical, managerial, professional and organisational issues.
- Knowledge of common neurological conditions and pathologies seen within a spasticity services including the medical management of such conditions.
- Skilled in leading, motivating and influencing a team
- Highly developed problem-solving and reasoning skills in complex clinical and organisational situations
- Highly skilled and competent in using a range of therapeutic approaches and techniques
- Able to identify your own and staff training needs.
- Well-developed counselling and advocacy skills to support staff, patients and carers.
Personal Qualities/Special Circumstances
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of Clinical Governance and its application
- Extensive knowledge of a variety of Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy concepts, approaches and current best practice in this specialist area of practice.
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Kat Binns
- Job title
- Head of Physiotherapy
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07788322357
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