Deputy Inpatient Physio Lead - Internal candidates only

Join our team as Deputy Inpatient Physiotherapy Lead and play a pivotal role in delivering safe, efficient, and outstanding patient care. Working closely with the Inpatient Physiotherapy Lead, you will help drive a high-quality, evidence-based inpatient service while ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the department. As an expert clinician and visible leader, you will support, guide, and inspire staff, role modelling professional and organisational values at all times.

You will take responsibility for service management in the Lead’s absence, contribute to effective workforce and resource planning, and ensure optimal use of equipment and supplies. Collaboration is central to this role—you will work alongside multidisciplinary teams and key stakeholders to ensure a seamless, patient-centred experience.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and experienced physiotherapist ready to step into a leadership role, influence service development, and make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes.

As Deputy Inpatient Physiotherapy Lead, you will play a central role in delivering safe, effective, and high-quality patient care while supporting the leadership and development of the inpatient physiotherapy service.

You will be responsible for ensuring all care is evidence-based and aligned with local and national guidelines, maintaining the highest professional standards at all times. Acting as a visible and approachable leader, you will inspire, support, and develop your team, fostering a positive, calm, and safe working environment.

In the absence of the Inpatient Physiotherapy Lead, you will take on the role of ‘Physio in Charge’, overseeing the day-to-day running of the service. This includes ensuring appropriate staffing levels and skill mix, setting clear priorities, and maintaining expected standards of care across the team.

You will be an expert communicator, confident in managing complex situations, resolving concerns from patients and relatives, supporting staff, and building strong relationships with consultants and multidisciplinary teams. You will also ensure accurate documentation, incident reporting, and proactive escalation of risks, contributing to a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Working closely with the Lead, you will support operational and managerial functions such as rostering, audits, incident investigations, KPI monitoring, and the development of policies and procedures. You will contribute to service development, quality improvement initiatives, and the implementation of new processes to enhance patient care and experience.

You will take an active role in staff management and development, including appraisals, performance management, onboarding new team members, and supporting recruitment and retention. Mentorship and education are key aspects of the role, as you will coach colleagues and students while promoting wellbeing through compassionate leadership.

You will also lead on departmental link roles (such as Infection Prevention and Control or Resuscitation), ensuring best practice is embedded through audit, education, and quality initiatives. Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of national guidance and professional standards will be essential.

Clinical Responsibilities

Alongside your leadership role, you will remain an expert clinician, managing a complex caseload and contributing to the resuscitation team.

You will carry out comprehensive patient assessments, including clinical examination and consideration of psychosocial factors, and develop personalised, goal-oriented treatment plans in collaboration with patients. You will provide specialist advice to patients, families, consultants, and colleagues, and support clinical decision-making around investigations, referrals, and ongoing care pathways.

You will actively participate in MDT meetings, ward rounds, safety huddles, and handovers, ensuring physiotherapy is well represented and integrated into patient care. Supporting patient flow and safe discharge planning will be a key focus, working collaboratively with the wider team.

You will also act as a key point of contact for patients and families, addressing concerns and ensuring a seamless, patient-centred experience throughout their hospital journey and beyond.

This role offers an excellent opportunity to combine advanced clinical practice with impactful leadership, shaping services, developing people, and improving patient outcomes in a dynamic inpatient setting.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Experience & Skills

Essential

• Degree in Physiotherapy with HCPC registration

• Evidence of ongoing post-registration training and development

• Minimum 2 years’ experience at Band 6 level (or equivalent) within an orthopaedic/spinal inpatient setting

• Strong clinical expertise in orthopaedic and surgical physiotherapy

• Experience in staff management, including supervision, feedback, and supporting development

• Experience in service coordination, including staffing, rostering, and patient flow

• Experience managing incidents, patient concerns, and contributing to investigations

• Experience in audit, quality improvement, and implementing change

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport, demonstrate empathy, and manage challenging situations

• Strong organisational, prioritisation, and decision-making skills

• Proficient IT skills and ability to use clinical systems and standard software

• Motivated, proactive, and able to lead by example

Desirable

• Master’s degree in a health-related or leadership field

• Leadership or management qualification

• Specialist training in orthopaedics or surgical physiotherapy

• Experience in independent healthcare settings

• NHS/public sector experience

• Experience contributing to policy development

• Understanding of financial and resource management