Job summary
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Physiotherapist to join Royal Papworth Hospital as Critical Care Physiotherapy Team Lead on a 10-month fixed-term contract. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop physiotherapy services within our highly specialised cardiothoracic critical care environment, supporting the delivery of outstanding patient care for individuals undergoing cardiac and thoracic surgery, transplantation, heart failure management, and advanced mechanical or extracorporeal support.

You will join a skilled, supportive and innovative Physiotherapy team that works closely with multidisciplinary colleagues to deliver exceptional patient outcomes. Royal Papworth Hospital is recognised internationally for excellence in cardiothoracic care, providing a collaborative environment where continuous learning, service improvement and professional development are actively encouraged.

You will receive a comprehensive induction, structured support from senior colleagues, regular supervision and appraisal, and access to a wide range of learning and development opportunities. This includes leadership development, specialist clinical training, involvement in education, research and quality improvement activities, and support to maintain and enhance your professional skills.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

Main duties of the job
Flexible working options will be considered where service needs allow, and we welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We provide mentoring and wellbeing support to help all colleagues succeed and reach their full potential.

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of the Critical Care Physiotherapy service.
• Undertake advanced assessment and treatment of patients with complex cardiothoracic and critical care conditions.
• Provide specialist clinical advice and support to physiotherapy staff and the wider multidisciplinary team.
• Coordinate physiotherapy input across critical care (including cardiology, heart failure, transplantation and surgical pathways).
• Represent physiotherapy at multidisciplinary clinical and non clinical meetings.
• Supervise, support and appraise physiotherapy staff, students and support workers.
• Contribute to recruitment, workforce planning and staff development activities.
• Lead and participate in service improvement, audit, quality improvement and research projects.
• Develop and implement clinical guidelines, policies and standards of practice.
• Deliver education, training and competency assessment for physiotherapy staff and the wider workforce.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and ensure compliance with Trust policies, professional standards and governance requirements.
• Participate in the enhanced seven-day service, including on-call and late-shift working.

About us
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK's leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state-of-the-art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.

Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission - a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day-to-day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.

The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.

Date posted: 22 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 10 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 175-2627-PS1907
Job locations: Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Road, Cambridge Bio Medical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AY, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
On this page you will find a Role Profile which provides information about the hospital and full details about the role. We recommend that you review this and refer to it as you complete your application. Please include how you will meet the Trust Values Compassion, Excellence and Collaboration. If you would like more information about the role or working at Royal Papworth Hospital, please get in touch with the contact for this role.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• BSc/ Pre- Reg MSc/ Grad. Dip. in Physiotherapy with HCPC registration
• HCPC registration.
• Active participation and engagement within specialist interest group.

Desirable

• Post-Graduate MSc / MSc level education relevant to role
• CSP member.

Experience
Essential

• Clinical pillar: Specialist Band 6 physiotherapy knowledge and experience within a cardiothoracic setting to include working in critical care, cardiothoracic surgery and rehabilitation and evidence of significant experience in physiotherapeutic management of cardiorespiratory conditions.
• Ability to work independently and prioritise own and teams workload and delegate effectively to others.
• Leadership Pillar: Experience of leading/supervising a team. Experience of mentoring and clinical supervision of junior staff and students, and developing others.
• Ability to lead the team with whilst being a team player
• Evidence of excellent communication skills, including verbal, non verbal and written, in difficult and challenging situations
• Ability to work under pressure whilst leading the team, with an awareness of the wider services in a calm and professional manner.
• Ability to problem solve and make complex clinical and non-clinical decisions and support the team to also do so
• Ability to lead, support and provide service wide management in service leads absence.
• Education pillar: Engagement in post-graduate education; including attending, presenting and organising relevant courses, study days and conferences.
• Experience in practical and theoretical student training
• Experience in education and advocacy of physiotherapy across the multi-professional team
• Research Pillar: Experience in team and department audit / service improvement/ research projects
• Utilisation of current evidence base to influence own and others clinical practice.
• Working knowledge of NHS and AHP priorities and initiatives

Desirable

• Clinical pillar: Experience of working with patients on ECMO and mechanical support devices
• Leadership pillar: Advanced management and leadership training, including dealing with performance, capability and sickness issues.

Additional Criteria
Essential

• Evidence ability to uphold the Trust's values Compassion Excellence Collaboration.
• Role model and support others in demonstrating professionalism, resilience and reflexivity
• Ability to undertake manual handling tasks.
• Ability to work flexibly in an enhanced seven day service including on-call, and late shifts.

Employer details
Employer name: Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Road, Cambridge Bio Medical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AY, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/working-here (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Hiring Manager
Amanda Saunders
amanda.saunders12@nhs.net
07990853286

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.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).