Job overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us. 

Job Title: Newly Qualified Physiotherapist- rotational
Contract Type: Permanent

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications.

This is an exciting opportunity for Band 5 Physiotherapists with post qualification experience to join our large Therapy Services department, working in acute care, on a variety of wards as part of our therapy workforce. Our excellent appraisal programme also includes a one-year preceptorship programme for anyone with less than 1 years’ experience and you will be allocated a mentor to support you.

You will have the opportunity to work in over 14 different clinical areas, with rotations lasting 6 months, enabling you to expand your knowledge and develop robust skills in acute care. 

This post is part of the wider Therapy Services department and therefore you will have many opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge, through our in-service training. You will be part of a large department of over 300 Therapy staff including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Therapy support staff.

We run a 7-day therapy service working on weekends and Bank Holidays, on a rota basis, you will be expected to work as part of your usual working hours.

You will be working alongside advanced and specialist clinicians in all areas, and will have access to regular supervision, in-service training, development, and a personal development plan. 

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care. 

 We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

 Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

 We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

This B5 opportunity for suitable for an experienced B5 wishing to widen their skill set in acute care. Newly qualified staff should apply through our NQ advert.

Our B5 rotations are for 6 months each and initially you will slot into vacancies, being able to request rotations when these are due to change. We currently provide rotations in over 14 different clinical specialities, including respiratory, cystic fibrosis, critical care, cardiac, vascular, cancer, surgery, paediatrics, medicine, frailty, AMU/ED, orthopaedics, outpatients, and neurology.

Experience of working in the acute setting and recent NHS, as a student or therapy support worker, is desirable and we welcome applications from people who have previously undertaken student placements with us. Please make this clear on your application form.

Summary of the role:
•    Provide assessment and treatment of patients with a variety of pathologies. 
•    Support patient discharges, with the support of the wider MDT.
•    Engage in training and developmental opportunities for yourself and others.
•    Support students and therapy technicians. 
•    Develop a network of relationships with partner agencies to deliver the best possible care for patients across organisational boundaries.
•    Support quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient care.
•    All staff are expected to work flexibly to support a 7-day service. 

Please make sure you read the attached Job Description and Person Specification AND fulfil the specifics below:

Essential skills and qualifications:
•    Physiotherapist with post qualification experience.
•    HCPC registered.
•    Able to treat patients with care, compassion, and dignity.
•    Happy working alone, making autonomous decisions, as well as part of a wider team.
•    Good communicator (verbal and written)
•    Knowledge and understanding of the NHS and its systems.
•    Specific reasoning for wanting to work in UHS Therapies given on your application form.

Desirable skills:
•    Previous experience working in an acute hospital as a Physiotherapist
•    NHS experience

Please include the following in your application, failure to do so will mean you may not progress through to shortlisting:
1)    If you have experience working at UHS on a student placement or as a Therapy support worker, or experience in another acute NHS hospital, please include this information in the employment section of your application

2)    In the supporting information section, please answer the following questions:
a)    Using an example from your most recent employment, describe how information shared by another professional changed your assessment, treatment plan, or discharge recommendations 
b)    Describe a situation when your workload changed unexpectedly: how did you reprioritise tasks, who did you communicate with, and how did you ensure patient safety was maintained.

Please note:
1.    Please only apply for this vacancy if you are a Physiotherapist with post qualification experience, for newly qualified please use the alternative NQ advert.
2.    We are looking for people who can start by January 2027
3.    Before applying, please ensure you will be able to attend an interview in person, as we will include practical assessments as part of our interviews. 
4.    If you invited to interview, please dress in smart, comfortable clothing for the practical asst.
5.    The interviews will take place in person on 12th and 16th October.
6.    No virtual interviews will be offered, please do not apply if you will be unable to attend in person.
7.    We do not accept CV applications.
8.    As part of these interviews, we may put names in reserve for future B5 Physiotherapy posts, including fixed term opportunities.
9.    Please be aware me may close the advert early if we get too many applications.
10.    You will only be contacted if you are successfully shortlisted.
11.    We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

For other therapy opportunities please email: Annette.Purkis@uhs.nhs.uk