About this role
Job summary
Are you a passionate and forward-thinking physiotherapist looking to make a real difference in children's lives while advancing your own professional development? Join our supportive and innovative Paediatric Physiotherapy Team, where you'll benefit from structured supervision, ongoing training opportunities, and exposure to a diverse and rewarding caseload. This is an excellent opportunity to build specialist skills within a collaborative environment that truly values learning, career progression, and high-quality, child-centred care.
We are seeking a proactive and motivated Physiotherapist with relevant postgraduate experience to join our friendly and dynamic Paediatric Physiotherapy Team.
This part-time permanent Band 6 post offers an excellent opportunity to further develop your clinical skills within a specialised, integrated therapy service, delivering both inpatient and outpatient care.
Interview date: 5th November 2026
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will work with children and young people aged 0-16 years who present with a wide range of conditions, including medical, musculoskeletal, neurodevelopmental, orthopaedic, and other complex needs. You will provide high-quality assessment and intervention across Poole, Bournemouth, and East Dorset.
The role is based primarily within the acute paediatric physiotherapy team. In addition, the successful candidate will participate in a rota providing weekend, on-call, and twilight cover to the paediatric wards.
Services are delivered in a variety of settings, including paediatric wards, and outpatient clinics across University Hospitals Dorset Trust sites, offering a diverse and rewarding caseload.
You will work closely with a multidisciplinary paediatric team and collaborate with colleagues across health, education, and social care. We are committed to delivering high-quality, child-centred care in partnership with children, young people, and their families.
A full driving licence and access to a car are essential, as the role involves travel across multiple sites.
About us
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active staff network groups including Women's, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We are proud to be part of the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We understand some candidates may use AI tools to prepare applications. While not discouraged, we ask that applications remain an honest reflection of your own skills and experience. Integrity is an important part of our recruitment process.
Job description Job responsibilities
To be part of a team of therapists providing a highly specialised Physiotherapy (PT) assessment, treatment and advice service to children, 0-16 years and their parents/carers referred to the service, covering Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset.
To work as a member of the MDTs providing in-patient and out-patient physiotherapy services to children with orthopaedic, musculoskeletal, respiratory, medical and neuro-developmental conditions or others which affect their physical performance.
To be responsible for the clinical supervision and development of other members of the Paediatric Therapy Team and to be a clinical educator for undergraduate students.
To provide advice and liaise with other professionals (e.g. consultants, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, orthotists) and disciplines (e.g. the community nursing team, Learning Disability Team, Occupational Therapists working in Social Care and Health, Education Staff etc.), as well as networking with therapists in other departments and NHS Trusts.
To participate in continued professional development to support the development of the Paediatric Therapy service.
To provide training to colleagues, multi-disciplinary team and staff working in educational settings.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Physiotherapy Degree HCPC registered
Desirable
Post graduate training in paediatrics
Experience Essential
post graduate work experience Experience in core elements: musculoskeletal, respiratory, orthopaedics, neurology Experience working in NHS
Desirable
Working with children e.g. during a placement, volunteering, or work capacity
Skills Essential
Assessment and provision of equipment to promote independence, participation and mobility e.g. walking aids, standing frames and orthotics
Desirable
Communicating with children of all abilities
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Address University Hospitals Dorset (Poole base)
Longfleet Road
Poole
BH15 2JB
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)