Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Acute Medical Inpatient Physiotherapy Team at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. This is a fantastic opportunity for a highly motivated, and enthusiastic individual to work alongside the multi-disciplinary team, to assist patients regain and optimise their independence whilst in hospital and facilitate discharge from hospital. The post holder will be an important member of the multidisciplinary team providing assistance in the assessment, treatment and discharge of acutely unwell patients that have been admitted to hospital. We treat patients with a wide variety of conditions including but not limited to, orthopaedic, frailty, cognitive, respiratory and neurological presentations. We have one permanent, part time (30 hours per week) post available, covering Monday - Friday. Established experience working at Band 3 level is an essential prerequisite to applying for the role.
Main duties of the job
The role requires the successful candidate to work as part of the multidisciplinary team to manage a designated caseload of patients, that have been admitted to the acute medical & urology wards. The post holder will need to work autonomously to assess, treat and discharge patients without the need to be seen by a registered physiotherapist (within scope of practice). You will work with physiotherapists, support staff and other healthcare professionals to aid mobility and independence in functional task to facilitate timely discharge from hospital. The post holder will be required to evaluate patients progress and use own judgement to make amendments to the treatment programme within their scope of practice, maintain appropriate records, and accept accountability and responsibility for their own actions. There will be opportunities to engage in service development and training. The post holder will assist with supporting the development of physiotherapy staff including assistants, apprentices and students. To undertake administrative and some housekeeping duties to support the therapy service.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex (UHSx), diversity is our strength, & we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness & experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, & can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) & a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients & staff with the same compassion & empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above & beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our candidate information pack & wellbeing programme, for staff which is extensive & designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching & training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us & throughout your career we will help you to grow & develop. We hope that in choosing UHSx you are choosing a long & happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make & feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application & the start of your journey with UHSx.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Duties will include assessing non-complex new patients admitted to the acute wards, mobilising patients, practice of activities of daily living and personal care, safety on stairs, teaching of exercises and the issuing of equipment in order to facilitate a safe discharge from hospital Make appropriate discharge plans in conjunction with the patient, relatives, and the multidisciplinary team and make relevant onward referrals. Assist physiotherapists and other multidisciplinary team members with management of complex acute patients on the ward. Other non-clinical tasks as deemed necessary by clinical lead physiotherapist. The post would include participation in an Orthopaedic or Medical Weekend Rota following completion of appropriate training. Please refer to attached Job Specification for full role responsibilities and ensure you meet the criteria on the person specification before applying for this role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Appropriate Qualifications outlined in JD
Experience
Essential criteria
2. Previous Experience working in physiotherapy
Desirable criteria
3. Previous experience working in inpatient physiotherapy
4. Previous experience working with medically unwell and planning discharges
Communication
Essential criteria
5. Able to communicate effectively with patients with barriers e.g. dementia, hearing impairment
Desirable criteria
6. Experience of giving advice to patients, carers and relatives
7. Experience of attending patient related meetings
Skills
Essential criteria
8. Experience of working as part of a team
9. Ability to work using own initiative as well as effectively within a team
10. Physically able to engage in the manual handling of patients
Desirable criteria
11. Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
12. Experience of prioritising own caseloads
13. Experience in using clinical management software
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Essential criteria
14. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
15. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications