| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Allied Health |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Rehabilitation Manager |
| Direct reports | Physiotherapist |
| Experience | 5 to 8 years as a physiotherapist, including ICU and post-operative work |
Senior Physiotherapist job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Senior Physiotherapist
Department: Allied Health
Reports to: Rehabilitation Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Senior Physiotherapist treats the complex cases in a hospital or clinic and guides the junior physiotherapists. Typical work includes chest physiotherapy and early mobilization in the ICU, rehab after joint replacement and spine surgery, neuro rehab after stroke, and sports injuries. They set treatment plans with consultants, review juniors' cases and often run a specialty clinic of their own.
Key responsibilities
- Assess and treat complex inpatients, including ventilated ICU patients, cases after cardiac surgery and acute stroke.
- Plan rehab for joint replacement, ligament reconstruction and spine surgery patients with the operating surgeon, following agreed protocols.
- Supervise junior physiotherapists' caseloads, review their assessments and notes, and step in on cases that are not improving.
- Run a specialty clinic such as sports injury, back pain or neuro rehab, and take referrals from consultants.
- Give pre-operative education and discharge exercise programs to surgical patients and their families.
- Measure outcomes with standard scales and keep records that stand up to NABH audits and insurance queries.
- Teach interns and new joiners through case discussions, demonstrations and supervised sessions.
- Advise on equipment purchases and confirm that electrotherapy units are calibrated and safe to use.
- Handle difficult conversations with patients about slow recovery or unrealistic expectations after surgery.
- Contribute to hospital programs such as falls prevention and early ICU mobilization.
Requirements
- MPT (Master of Physiotherapy) in orthopaedics, neurology, cardiopulmonary or sports
- BPT with long specialist experience is considered
- Certification in manual therapy, dry needling or sports physiotherapy is an advantage
- 5 to 8 years as a physiotherapist, including ICU and post-operative work
KRAs and KPIs for a Senior Physiotherapist
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Complex case outcomes | Target functional outcome reached at discharge for 80 percent of joint replacement patients |
| ICU mobilization | Eligible ICU patients out of bed within the protocol timeline in 85 percent of cases |
| Junior supervision | Case reviews held for each junior physiotherapist at least twice a month |
| Specialty clinic | Clinic sessions at or above the monthly target |
| Clinical documentation | Assessment and discharge notes complete for every patient in file audits |
| Teaching | At least two teaching sessions a month for interns and juniors |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: IFT, TENS and ultrasound therapy units, CPM machine, Incentive spirometer and chest physio aids, Goniometer and dynamometer, Gym and balance equipment, Hospital information system (HIS).
Reporting line and career path
Interview questions for a Senior Physiotherapist
- A day-one knee replacement patient reports pain of 8 out of 10 and refuses to stand. What do you do?
- How do you decide a ventilated patient is ready to sit out of bed?
- Take me through your assessment of a patient with low back pain and leg numbness.
- A junior's patient has not improved in three weeks. How would you review the case?
- Which outcome measures do you use for stroke rehab?
- How do you handle a surgeon who wants a more aggressive protocol than you think is safe?
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What does a senior physiotherapist do?
A senior physiotherapist treats the complex patients, such as ICU, post-surgical and neuro cases, supervises junior physiotherapists, runs a specialty clinic, teaches interns and helps write the department's protocols. They are the clinical lead for physiotherapy under the rehabilitation manager.
Is MPT necessary to become a senior physiotherapist?
Most hospitals prefer an MPT in a specialty such as orthopaedics, neurology or cardiopulmonary physiotherapy for senior posts. A BPT with long specialist experience and recognized certifications can also reach the senior grade, especially in clinics and smaller hospitals.
What is the difference between a physiotherapist and a senior physiotherapist?
A physiotherapist treats an assigned caseload using established plans. A senior physiotherapist takes the complex cases, decides treatment approaches with consultants, reviews juniors' work, runs a specialty clinic and teaches, so the role carries clinical leadership as well as treatment.