Specialist Senior Physiotherapist

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a highly motivated Physiotherapist to join our innovative Senior Adult Oncology Service (SAOS). Launched in 2022 as a successful pilot program, SAOS aligns with the Trust's strategic focus on supporting the growing aging population with complex needs within our cancer services. The SAOS is dedicated out-patient service delivering tailored care to older patients, aged 70 and above, who require specialised support throughout their cancer journey. The SAOS has two aims: to support complex older patients with frailty during cancer treatments; and to enable complex treatment decision making alongside parent oncology teams in this population.
This exciting role offers you the chance to:
+ Play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional care to older patients with frailty and complex cancer diagnoses.
+ Utilise your specialist physiotherapy skills to contribute to comprehensive geriatric assessments and personalised treatment plans.
+ Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
+ Be part of an innovative service that is transforming cancer care for older adults through quality-focused initiatives and research.
Relevant clinical experience in Oncology, Rehabilitation, or Frailty Management is essential. We are also open to candidates with transferable skills and are committed to providing support and development opportunities to help you acquire the necessary expertise., The Physiotherapist will collaborate with the multidisciplinary Senior Adult Oncology team to optimise the health, well-being, and clinical outcomes of older people living with cancer and frailty.
The Physiotherapist will be responsible for a clinical caseload, delivering highly specialised assessments and treatments to older people living with cancer and frailty. This will involve providing specialised interventions and pre- and post-rehabilitation services to complex older patients undergoing anti-cancer treatments, as well as contributing to cancer treatment decision-making for these patients.
As a team member, the Physiotherapist will primarily provide outpatient specialist care mainly at the Withington site, and occasional input at the satellite sites as services needs require., 1. Provide and coordinate comprehensive physiotherapy management and clinical pathways for older patients with frailty undergoing anti-cancer treatment, ensuring safe, effective, and cost-efficient care.
2. Collaborate with the Senior Adult Oncology multidisciplinary team, offering early and proactive
3. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessments (CGAs) to selected cancer patients with frailty.
4. Serve as a subject matter expert on physiotherapy for older adults with frailty undergoing cancer treatments.
5. Communicate, collaborate, and advise the Senior Adult Oncology team and all healthcare professionals on evidence-based physiotherapy care plans.
6. Develop and implement individualised care programs to address frailty syndromes, such as fatigue, weakness, and reduced physical activity, enhancing patient independence, quality of life, and clinical outcomes. Leverage comprehensive frailty and geriatric assessments to provide personalised, holistic care within the context of the multidisciplinary team's interventions.
7. Deliver specialised physiotherapy for patient rehabilitation, ensuring safe and competent use of all physiotherapy equipment.
8. Employ advanced communication skills to provide expert advice to patients, relatives, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, promoting understanding of care plan goals and ensuring a consistent approach.
9. Collaborate with teams within the Supportive Oncology Directorate and specialised oncology teams at The Christie.
10. Liaise with specialist and local community health and social care teams to ensure necessary collaboration and efficient transfer of care across organisational boundaries.
11. Contribute to the multi-professional team primarily through outpatient clinics and MDTs, but also by supporting selected inpatients.
12. Actively shape the Senior Adult Oncology model of care and proactively develop the physiotherapy expert pathway.
13. To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own clinical caseload and to manage the clinical risk within own caseload.
14. To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive and timely patient treatment records in accordance with Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and local service standards of practice.
15. To assess and evaluate the clinical competency of more junior staff and students within the clinical section.
16. To work within Trust, CSP and HCPC clinical guidelines and have a proficient working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor quality of practice of self and others.
17. To ensure the clinical documentation of staff within the clinical team meets CSP, HCPC and local service standards.
18. To comply with professional, national, and local standards on patient consent, assess patient understanding of treatment proposals and obtain valid consent, including for patients who may lack capacity.
19. To complete equipment competency training and ensure safe and competent use of all equipment, patient appliances, and aids during therapeutic episodes. Supervise patients, staff, and students to ensure their safe and competent use of equipment.
20. To supervise student physiotherapists.
21. To assist in the supervision of junior staff and assistants working in the same area.
PROFESSIONAL
1. To demonstrate a robust understanding of clinical governance, clinical risk, and to be able to apply this understanding to clinical practice.
2. To ensure ongoing professional development and competency, maintain a portfolio of CPD activities and adhere to HCPC & CSP registration requirements.
Identify and address own training and personal development needs, demonstrating a commitment to continuous professional development (CPD) and maintaining competency to ensure best practice.
To ensure that personal clinical practice and the practice of staff and students under professional supervision adhere to the highest professional standards of physiotherapy.
3. To utilise specialist, clinical expertise to train, educate, guide, and support registered and non- registered staff
4. Attend professional meetings within the Trust to maintain professional knowledge, AHP peer support, and a specialist level of professional expertise within the service.
5. To work within the guidelines of the policies, procedures, and standards of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
6. To disseminate knowledge of physiotherapy in an oncology setting for older patients by organising and presenting at courses, study days, and conferences locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
7. To undertake annual performance development reviews with staff.
8. To deliver sensitive clinical and non-clinical information to staff members. This includes providing constructive feedback on performance and navigating situations with conflicting clinical advice or opinions.
9. To provide line management to qualified and non-qualified staff within the team.
10. To participate in research into specific areas of clinical practice for the benefit of the service
11. To contribute physiotherapy expertise to multidisciplinary service delivery and policy projects within the trust, such as the implementation of NICE guidance documents.
12. To act as a role model and ensure compliance with The Christie's values and behaviours.
13. Maintain or develop strong relationships with the SAOS to ensure professional links are established or retained.
14. To advocate for the role of physiotherapy in supporting older adults with cancer and frailty.
Service Development
1. Monitor physiotherapy care and intervention impact, identifying opportunities for improvement within the Senior Adult Oncology team and the wider Trust.
2. Participate in all aspects of clinical governance, including the development of SOPs, protocols, policies, and standards to ensure alignment with evidence-based practice.
3. To regularly initiate, direct and participate in working parties developing policy changes in respect to Physiotherapy practice which may impact on other services and users across the Trust.
4. To utilise clinical expertise for ensuring that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually improved within the clinical section.
5. To ensure that all staff within the clinical team implement policy and service developmental changes.
6. Attend and participate in team and departmental meetings as required.
Planning and Organisation
1. To ensure the daily operational management of physiotherapy service provision by effectively organising and planning clinical caseloads and staffing resources to meet competing service and patient priorities. Adapt plans as needed to address changing situations and balance other patient-related and professional activities in accordance with professional and service standards.
2. To liaise across multi professional groups to ensure that the clinical service delivery is coordinated with others who may be involved in patient care.
3. To ensure a safe, efficient, and effective physiotherapy service for patients within the clinical area, provide responsible and appropriate management, coordination, and supervision of staff on a daily basis.
4. To ensure that, the post holder maintains timely and effective communication with the SAOS Team Lead and other MDT members e.g. concerning changes to the service and to ensure the quality and effectiveness of care for their patients.
5. To work flexibly as required
Education, Training, Research & Audit
1. To engage in continuous quality improvement by critically evaluating personal work and current practices through evidence-based practice projects, research audits, and outcome measures, collaborating with or independently with professional colleagues.
2. Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date clinical and operational data documentation, in line with national standards and trust policies, providing necessary KPIs and outcomes data.
3. Contribute to service evaluation and regular auditing processes, promoting evidence-based strategies and clinical excellence.
4. Actively contribute to research in this field, providing evidence regarding the impact of physiotherapy and CGAs on patient and clinical outcomes.
5. To be aware of developments in physiotherapy practice, both generally and within my area of specialisation, and apply relevant knowledge to my practice.
6. To influence critical appraisal discussions at team level.
7. To provide training and mentorship to staff within the team and deliver presentations to larger groups of staff and other healthcare professionals.
8. Participate in the education of student placements and identify training needs within this field, providing training and education to other healthcare professionals.
9. To competently educate undergraduates having completed appropriate clinical educator training at local HEIs.
10. Adhere to quality improvement and research methodologies for the development and implementation of the Senior Adult Oncology model of care.
11. Collaborate with the SAOS and other professional colleagues, or independently, to prepare and submit papers and abstracts to relevant professional journals.
The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.
We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.
We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy
All positions within the Christie are subject to the receipt of satisfactory written references, medical clearance and evidence of your Right to Work in the UK. Some roles will require a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. Please note if you are successfully appointed to a post with this Trust, you will be required to pay for your own DBS Disclosure.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.
The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.
Overseas candidates wishing to apply for this position and who would require immigration sponsorship, may wish to self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for the post on the UKVI website.
You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.
We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.