Physiotherapist Job Description
Recruit a registered physiotherapist to assess, treat and rehabilitate patients across clinic, community or workplace settings. This template helps you describe clinical duties, essential professional registration, and the practical skills required for safe, effective care.
What does a Physiotherapist professional do?
A HCPC‑registered physiotherapist who assesses movement dysfunction, delivers hands‑on and exercise‑based treatment, and works with multidisciplinary teams to support patient recovery and independence.
Physiotherapist job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Physiotherapist
About the role
We are seeking a HCPC‑registered Physiotherapist to provide high‑quality assessment and rehabilitation for patients with musculoskeletal, neurological or cardiorespiratory conditions. You will deliver individualised treatment plans, maintain accurate records, contribute to multidisciplinary care and support patient education. This role is based in {Location} and offers {Hours} with {Salary/Benefits}.
Key responsibilities
- Carry out comprehensive clinical assessments and formulation of individualised treatment plans.
- Deliver evidence‑based interventions including manual therapy, exercise prescription, electrotherapy and functional retraining.
- Monitor, document and review patient progress; adjust treatment and discharge plans as appropriate.
- Provide clinical reasoning and risk assessment for safe mobilisation, falls prevention and moving & handling.
- Work as part of a multidisciplinary team — attend case conferences and liaise with GPs, nurses, occupational therapists and other stakeholders.
- Provide patient and carer education on condition management, prevention strategies and home exercise programmes.
- Arrange and advise on mobility aids, splints or assistive equipment where clinically appropriate.
- Maintain professional standards and complete mandatory record keeping, audits and incident reports.
Essential skills and experience
- Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- Degree in Physiotherapy (BSc, MSc or equivalent).
- Practical clinical experience assessing and treating adults or children relevant to the advertised caseload.
- Sound clinical reasoning and ability to produce safe, evidence‑based treatment plans.
- Good written and verbal communication skills for record keeping and multidisciplinary working.
- Right to work in the UK and ability to travel between sites if role requires.
Desirable
- Postgraduate training or specialism in areas such as musculoskeletal, neurology, respiratory or paediatrics.
- Experience working in NHS/community/primary care or private practice depending on the service model.
- Experience supervising physiotherapy assistants or mentoring students.
- Additional certifications (e.g. acupuncture, dry needling, vestibular rehab) relevant to the caseload.
- Experience with outcome measures and clinical audit.
What we offer
- Pension scheme (employer contribution) — placeholder for employer details.
- Annual leave entitlement — placeholder for employer details.
- Dedicated CPD budget and paid study leave — placeholder for employer details.
- Support for HCPC registration fees and revalidation — placeholder for employer details.
- Occupational health and employee assistance programme — placeholder for employer details.
- Travel allowance or mileage reimbursement for multi‑site or community visits — placeholder for employer details.
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Physiotherapist role?
Physiotherapists assess and treat people whose movement and function are affected by injury, illness or ageing. They use clinical assessment, manual techniques, therapeutic exercise and education to restore mobility, reduce pain and improve independence. Physiotherapists work across settings — hospitals, community clinics, primary care and occupational health — and collaborate with other professionals to plan and evaluate care.
Typical settings
Hospital wards, outpatient clinics, community health centres, GP practices, sports and occupational settings.
Patient groups
Adults and/or children with musculoskeletal injuries, neurological conditions, respiratory problems or post‑operative rehabilitation.
Career progression
Progression can include senior clinician, specialist MSK/neuro roles, advanced practice, prescribing, or leadership and research posts.
Typical Physiotherapist responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Carry out comprehensive clinical assessments
Carry out comprehensive clinical assessments and formulation of individualised treatment plans.
Deliver evidence‑based interventions including manual
Deliver evidence‑based interventions including manual therapy, exercise prescription, electrotherapy and functional retraining.
Monitor
Monitor, document and review patient progress; adjust treatment and discharge plans as appropriate.
Provide clinical reasoning
Provide clinical reasoning and risk assessment for safe mobilisation, falls prevention and moving & handling.
Work as part of a
Work as part of a multidisciplinary team — attend case conferences and liaise with GPs, nurses, occupational therapists and other stakeholders.
Provide patient
Provide patient and carer education on condition management, prevention strategies and home exercise programmes.
Arrange
Arrange and advise on mobility aids, splints or assistive equipment where clinically appropriate.
Maintain professional standards
Maintain professional standards and complete mandatory record keeping, audits and incident reports.
Physiotherapist skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- Degree in Physiotherapy (BSc, MSc or equivalent).
- Practical clinical experience assessing and treating adults or children relevant to the advertised caseload.
- Sound clinical reasoning and ability to produce safe, evidence‑based treatment plans.
- Good written and verbal communication skills for record keeping and multidisciplinary working.
- Right to work in the UK and ability to travel between sites if role requires.
Useful where relevant
- Postgraduate training or specialism in areas such as musculoskeletal, neurology, respiratory or paediatrics.
- Experience working in NHS/community/primary care or private practice depending on the service model.
- Experience supervising physiotherapy assistants or mentoring students.
- Additional certifications (e.g. acupuncture, dry needling, vestibular rehab) relevant to the caseload.
- Experience with outcome measures and clinical audit.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Physiotherapist job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Be specific about caseload
State whether the role focuses on musculoskeletal, neurological, respiratory, paediatrics or mixed caseload so candidates can self‑select appropriately.
Clarify clinical autonomy and supervision
Explain expected decision‑making level, access to clinical supervision and whether the post includes student or assistant supervision.
List core competencies, not every desirable skill
Keep essential requirements to those legally/professionally necessary (HCPC, degree) and make specialist skills desirable so you don’t unnecessarily limit applications.
Mention working pattern and travel
State whether the role involves home visits, multi‑site travel, on‑call duties or weekend clinics — these practical details influence candidates’ availability.
Physiotherapist salary considerations
Physiotherapist pay in the UK varies by setting, experience and employer. Rather than quoting a single figure, consider the factors below when setting a salary for this role.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Physiotherapist candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
Is HCPC registration required?
Yes — practising physiotherapists in the UK must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. State whether evidence of registration is required at application.
What types of patients will I see?
Detail the primary caseload (e.g. MSK outpatients, neurological rehab, paediatrics) and typical patient complexity to help candidates assess fit.
What hours and shift patterns are expected?
Clarify core hours, part‑time options, weekend or evening clinics and expected travel between sites or home visits.
What CPD and development support is provided?
Candidates want to know if there is a CPD budget, study leave, supervision for professional development and support for advanced practice training.
What level of clinical supervision is available?
Outline access to senior clinicians, formal supervision frequency and opportunities for peer review or case discussions.
Are travel or driving requirements part of the role?
If home visits or multi‑site working are required, specify mileage policy, travel time expectations and whether a vehicle is needed.
Where to post a Physiotherapist job
This role reaches best results through a mix of general and specialist channels. Use national job boards and LinkedIn for broad reach, allied‑health and physiotherapy‑specific job sites to target experienced clinicians, and local NHS trust or community health vacancy pages for NHS or integrated care posts. Also consider university careers services and professional networks for newly qualified applicants and specialist association mailing lists for advanced practice roles.
Related healthcare job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Physiotherapist job description FAQs
Do physiotherapists need HCPC registration to work in the UK?
Yes. To practise as a physiotherapist in the UK you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Confirm registration at shortlisting and keep records for audit.
What qualifications should I list as essential?
List a recognised physiotherapy degree (BSc or MSc) and HCPC registration as essential. Keep specialist post‑graduate training as desirable unless the role legally requires it.
Should I require a DBS check?
A DBS check may be required depending on patient groups (vulnerable adults or children) and employer policy. State whether a standard or enhanced check is necessary or will be requested at offer stage.
How can I assess clinical competence during recruitment?
Use a combination of CV screening for relevant caseload experience, scenario‑based interview questions, a clinical presentation or practical assessment and references from recent clinical supervisors.
What working patterns are common for physiotherapy roles?
Physiotherapy roles can be full‑time, part‑time, bank or sessional. Many involve clinic hours, with some posts requiring home visits, weekend clinics or on‑call responsibilities — specify these clearly in the advert.
Ready to hire a physiotherapist?
Use this template to build an advert that sets clear clinical expectations, highlights registration requirements and attracts clinicians whose skills match your service. Post across broad and specialist channels to reach both experienced and newly qualified candidates.
