About this role
Job summary
Oxford University Hospitals NHS FT are looking for an Advanced Practice Spinal Physiotherapist to join their team. The Advanced Practice Physiotherapist (APP) will work as an autonomous practitioner within neurosurgery outpatient clinics, providing expert assessment, diagnosis, and management of patients presenting with complex spinal and neurosurgical conditions.
The post holder will act as a key member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), triaging referrals, identifying patients requiring surgical opinion, and independently managing those appropriate for conservative care.The role includes advanced clinical decision-making, requesting and interpreting diagnostic investigations, and contributing to service development to enhance patient pathways and outcomes.
The successful candidate will work flexibly across the Spinal Services at the West Wing and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre.
Main duties of the job
Provide expert musculoskeletal assessment, triage, diagnosis, and management of complex spinal patients, including identifying serious pathology, referring for diagnostics, injections, or surgery, and delivering evidence-based treatment through face-to-face or remote consultations. Maintain accurate clinical records, ensure compliance with Trust policies, support service organisation, and contribute to audits and reporting. Supervise and train staff, lead service development, present cases at MDTs, and handle complaints. Communicate complex clinical information clearly, support shared decision-making, and maintain confidentiality. Engage in ongoing professional development, research, audit, teaching, and dissemination of findings. Deliver safe manual handling, manage challenging behaviours, and explain sensitive results compassionately.
About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.
In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles
Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.
If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.
Job description Job responsibilities
To put quality and service user experience at the heart of clinical care To employ and apply expert musculoskeletal knowledge related to screening, triage,assessment, investigation, and treatment aligned with service pathways, locally commissioned pathways and national and international guidelines. To undertake comprehensive assessments of highly complex patients who may present with multiple pathologies, using expert biopsychosocial clinical reasoning skills, expert knowledge of evidence based practice, and advanced rehabilitation expertise, to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts, which may include very personal, emotive or contentious information to unravel the complexity of the impact of pain. To undertake video-conference/ telephone consultations for new and follow-up patients if clinically appropriate. Employ the principle of shared decision making aligned with local/national/international guidelines to inform patients of the benefits and risks of appropriate treatment options. To work independently performing expert musculoskeletal assessment of patients. To use expert clinical assessment and reasoning skills to identify patients who may have serious spinal pathologies, including neoplasm, intradural tumours, myelopathies, cauda equina syndrome. To independently refer patients to the on-call service. To communicate the suspected diagnosis, in a timely way to relevant clinicians (GP, Spinal Consultants, Spinal Unit Physiotherapists).
Person Specification
Education & Qulaifications Essential
BSc or recognised postgraduate MSc in Physiotherapy HCPC registered physiotherapist MSc in advanced physiotherapy practice or equivalent
Desirable
Member of CSP IRMER training (Radiology)
Experience Essential
Experience in delivering care aligned with national spinal pathways and guidelines Advanced knowledge and experience of a wide range of approaches in the assessment, management/ treatment of complex and chronic spinal conditions Significant experience of working as a band 7 or above physiotherapist in MSK outpatients. Experience of supervising and developing other staff and students
Desirable
Experience of triaging NHS e-referrals Research experience including publication in a recognised journal Experience of presenting at local and national
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 Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address Neuroscience Department, Level 3, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital,
Headley Way
Headington
OX3 9DU
Employer's website https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)