Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Specialist Physiotherapist - NICU
The closing date is 24 November 2026

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and enthusiastic Physiotherapist to join the Neonatal Therapy Team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The team provides specialist neonatal therapy services across a Level 1 and Level 3 Neonatal Unit over two hospital sites and a neonatal follow-up clinic. Luton Hospital's purpose-built neonatal unit offers modern facilities and equipment, providing an excellent environment for babies, families and staff.

Working alongside two neonatal physiotherapists and a neonatal occupational therapist, you will provide specialist assessment, intervention and developmental support for high-risk infants and their families. This includes early intervention, developmental and family-centred care, as well as support for respiratory and orthopaedic needs where required.

Working with the multidisciplinary team, you will support service development, teaching, clinical supervision and neurodevelopmental follow-up care for infants and families from discharge to two years of age.

We are looking for a Physiotherapist with:

• Significant post-registration paediatric experience (essential)
• Experience in acute paediatric and neonatal settings
• Excellent communication and MDT working skills
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Neonatal physiotherapy experience (desirable)

A development post may be considered for candidates who demonstrate the potential and commitment to develop into the role.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of specialist neonatal physiotherapy support within the model of Family Integrated Care to infants and families on the neonatal units at Bedfordshire Hospitals Neonatal Services on both Luton and Bedford site.

The role will use highly specialist skills to manage their own complex caseload, working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team. They will be responsible for providing advanced neonatal physiotherapy assessment, advice and interventions with babies who are most at risk of developmental issues in the future and to support the neonatal unit with promoting and delivering family integrated developmental care.

The post holder will work as an integral member of the neonatal multidisciplinary team, working closely alongside families, Neonatal Consultants and Nursing Teams, Infant Feeding team, AHP and Psychology Team (local and ODN) to provide evidence based care.

The post holder will manage a full caseload within NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and neonatal follow up until 2 years old, ensuring each child receives the highest standard of care possible within resource limitations.

About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Details
Date posted: 10 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pa pro-rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 418-DTO0340-KA-B
Job locations: Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities

• To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills. To interpret clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate diagnosis and prognosis in a wide range of highly complex conditions. These include children with neurological, orthopaedic and respiratory problems.
• To have highly developed skills in the observation, handling and assessment skills for an extremely fragile patient population and to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts, including perinatal and maternal history to assist in the formulation of accurate diagnoses and prognoses in a wide range of highly complex conditions.
• To formulate individualised management and treatment plans recommending the best course of intervention. To formulate a specialised programme of care using clinical reasoning and to utilise a wide range of treatment skills. This usually involves liaison with a wide range of professionals across the health and social services. Due to the complexity and nature of the patients conditions, care management is often longer term and thus requires frequent re-assessment.
• To assist with reviewing, organising and participate in the neurodevelopmental follow up clinic with Neonatal consultants to assess children at 9 months and 2 years.
• To assist with reviewing, organising and participate in the physiotherapy follow up outpatient clinics.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Essential: Diploma/Degree in Physiotherapy; HCPC registration; Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent postgraduate courses/in-service trainings relevant to the clinical field; Post graduate qualifications/evidence of post graduate learning relevant to the clinical field
• Desirable: APCP membership; Bayley scales of infant and toddler development assessment; Neonatal Assessment course eg Prechtl assessment of general movements, Lacey assessment of preterm infant (LAPI); Clinical educators training

Communication Skills

• Essential: Relevant IT skills; Good interpersonal skills; Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication; Ability to disseminate complex information to others; Ability to pass on skills/knowledge to others within formal and informal environments; Be able to communicate where there may be barriers to understanding
• Desirable: Experience of video assessments and Microsoft teams meetings

Experience

• Essential: Substantive post graduate experience including work at Specialist level and paediatrics; Experience of multidisciplinary working; Experience of follow up of preterm and high risk babies and/or working on a neonatal unit; Experience working within NHS; Experience at Band 6 level within an acute trust; Demonstrable ability to manage highly complex patients independently; Experience of performance management and staff appraisal; Experience of clinical audit and service evaluation; Experience of initiating, managing and evaluating change
• Desirable: Experience at Band 7 level; Development of protocols and guidelines; Experience of neonatal assessment tools

Knowledge

• Essential: Specialist knowledge of physiotherapy related to working within the neonatal intensive care environment and neonatal neurodevelopmental follow up; Ability to relate theory to practice; Ability to pass on skills/knowledge to others within formal and informal environments; Specialist knowledge of broad range of illnesses, injuries and conditions relevant to the speciality; Specialist knowledge of a broad range of physiotherapy assessment and treatment techniques relating to the speciality; Up to date knowledge of relevant national clinical guidelines, recommendations, protocols or publications relevant to the speciality
• Desirable: Awareness of the wider local and national agenda around neonatal physiotherapy and NHS developments; Knowledge of service improvement techniques e.g. Lean techniques, change management

Skills

• Essential: Highly specialised observation and treatment skills relevant to the assessment of neonates and infants developmental needs; Excellent time management, delegation and prioritisation skills; Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure; Ability to adapt to change; Ability to travel across site; Ability to work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team; Committed to personal and team development; Ability to demonstrate personal and professional integrity and present a professional image of the team/profession
• Desirable: Data collection & analysis skills; Service improvement skills

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: B8a Paediatric Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Nicola Shaw, nicola.shaw@ldh.nhs.uk, 01582718266

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