Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist In Paediatric Orthopaedics / MSK

Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in Paediatric Orthopaedics / MSK

Purpose of the Role:

· The post holder will be expected to live CHI values and be child-centered, compassionate & progressive and will act with respect, excellence and integrity.

· Overarching responsibility for and leadership of Physiotherapy hip pathways, both complex and non-complex, throughout the lifespan, including but not limited to DDH.

· Collaborative responsibility and leadership of Physiotherapy management of other Paediatric Orthopaedic congenital conditions as required.

· To assess and treat patients referred for physiotherapy in a way that demonstrates advanced clinical reasoning and knowledge

· To demonstrate evidence based practice through the process of clinical reasoning and decision making and applying it to complex cases

· To participate in the wider Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic Service, including development of care pathways for other pathologies and particular groups of patients in collaboration with the other MSK Clinical Specialists.

· To represent the MSK team within the Physiotherapy Department in collaboration with the other MSK Physiotherapy service leads

· Clinical caseload- capacity & complexity appropriate to grade of Clinical Specialist - in MSK Orthopaedics.

· Responsible for the effective management of physiotherapy MSK Orthopaedic waiting lists in collaboration with the other MSK Physiotherapy service leads in line with agreed targets

· Provision of clinical support, advice, teaching and training for the physiotherapy department to promote clinically effective MSK orthopaedic physiotherapy intervention including the weekend in-patient MSK services

· Undertake clinical supervision and contribute to competency evaluation of Senior and Staff Grade physiotherapists, delivering MSK Orthopaedic services in CHI

· Engage in performance appraisal and PDP with the Physiotherapy Manager.

· Engage in and seek clinical supervision arrangements suitable to underpin own clinical specialist grade clinical practice – peer, mentorship etc.

· Participate in the education and supervision of physiotherapy assistants, students and other professional and ancillary staff as required

· The development, management and evaluation (annually) of the musculoskeletal service provided in accordance with professional standards and in consultation and by agreement with the manager or his/her deputy

· Conduct, lead and influence single discipline and multidisciplinary research and audit projects

· To advise and support changes in work practices and procedures in keeping with best practice developments in musculoskeletal orthopaedic physiotherapy

· To participate in senior and staff grade mentoring and development and to be a resource for senior and staff grade physiotherapists in the areas of planning, service development and service evaluation

· Lead collaborative planning and continued development of integrated cross-site musculoskeletal services across all Children’s Health Ireland locations

· Planning of integrated cross site MSK / Orthopaedic Services as part of CHI.

· To engage with national initiatives and as a tertiary hospital Paediatric Clinical Specialist lead on engagement and clinical guidance for colleagues nationally

· Carry out the appropriate physiotherapy treatment of each patient under his/her care with due regard for the CORU Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Physiotherapists.

· Maintain own CORU required professional development and competency.

· Participate in mandatory and in-service training programmes and share specialised knowledge with colleagues.

· Ensure a safe working environment for patients and staff at all times and report any accident either to staff or patient as per hospital policies.

· Read and act upon all issued hospital and departmental staff policies.

· Participate in the hospital “out-of-hours” physiotherapy service.

· Undertake such other duties as may be assigned by the Physiotherapy Manager or his/her Deputy

Essential Criteria:

· Hold current CORU registration (physiotherapy qualification recognized by the Physiotherapists Registration Board at CORU) – candidates must state CORU registration number on application. and

· All candidates must have five years full time (or equivalent) years post-qualification clinical experience of which three years are in the area of Paediatric Musculoskeletal / Orthopaedic Physiotherapy

· Demonstrate evidence of recent formal continuing professional development relevant to the required area of specialism, in the form of post-graduate qualifications or relevant courses

How to Apply and Informal Enquiries:

Applications for this post must be accompanied by a cover letter, setting out relevant experience that illustrates how the essential criteria listed above is met.

The criterion for short listing is based on the requirements of the post, as outlined in the eligibility criteria.

* Please note that you must submit a cover letter with your CV, this forms part of your application and CV’s will not be accepted without a detailed cover letter.

The closing date for submissions of CV’s and cover letter is Monday 29thSeptember 2025 at 11.45pm. Applications must be completed through the advertised post on CHI.jobs by clicking ‘Apply for Job’.

Applications will not be accepted through direct email or any other method.

For informal enquiries for this specialty/department, please contact Cliona Blake, Physiotherapy Manager on 018784561 or cliona.blake@childrenshealthireland.ie

For other queries relating to this recruitment process, please contact Talent Acquisition Rachel.sheridan@childrenshealthireland.ie

PLEASE NOTE:

CHI has transitioned to a process of a one commencement day per month for all new employees, CHI internal transfers and Secondments. This update to our Onboarding process is aligned to changes in our monthly/fortnightly payroll and with the launch of our new corporate induction program. This process enhancement ensures that we can thoroughly prepare for your arrival and facilitate a smooth transition in your onboarding journey.

It is important for you to note that if you do not have your pre-employments and mandatory training completed in time, your commencement date will be deferred to the next available date.

Below, you’ll find the list of commencement dates for 2025 and 2026 for your information.

• November 10th 2025
• December 15th 2025
• January 7th 2026
• January 12th 2026 ( NCHD rotation only)
• February 9th 2026
• March 9th 2026