FISITEIRPEOIR SINSEARACH/SENIOR PHYSIOTHERAPIST (Centre of Obesity)
Job Specification & Terms and Conditions
Job Title, Grade Code
Senior Physiotherapist/Fisiteirpeoir Sinsearach in the national Centre for Obesity Management
(Grade Code: 3158)
Remuneration
The salary scale for the post is: 01/08/2025
€63,912 €65,275 €66,681 €68,073 €69,467 €70,933 €72,478 €74,018 €75,254
New appointees to any grade start at the minimum point of the scale. Incremental credit will be applied for recognised relevant service in Ireland and abroad (Department of Health Circular 2/ Incremental credit is normally granted on appointment, in respect of previous experience in the Civil Service, Local Authorities, Health Service and other Public Service Bodies and Statutory Agencies.
Campaign Reference
SCH/093/ CV's not accepted please upload the application form
Closing Date
Monday 24th November 2025 @17:00hrs
Proposed Interview Date (s)
Candidates will normally be given at least One weeks' notice of interview. The timescale may be reduced in exceptional circumstances.
Taking up Appointment
A start date will be indicated at job offer stage.
Location of Post
HSE Dublin and South East -, St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, D18 V9K1
FSS Bhaile Átha Cliath agus an Oirdheiscirt - Ospidéal Cholm Cille, Baile Uí Lachnáin, Co. Bhaile Átha Cliath, D18 V9K1
There is currently 1 permanent whole-time vacancy available in St Columcilles Hospital.
A panel may be formed as a result of this campaign for Senior Physiotherapist from which current and future, permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part-time duration in that speciality may be filled.
Informal Enquiries
We welcome enquiries about the role.
Please Contact
Ms. Suzanne Noёl,
Physiotherapy Manager,
St. Columcille's Hospital,
Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin.
Tel:
Email:
Details of Service
HSE Dublin and South East Region provides health and social care services in Carlow,
Kilkenny, South East Dublin, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and East Wicklow.
Community Healthcare Services are the broad range of services in a non-acute hospital
setting, delivered as close as possible to people's homes at the right time, in the right
Place, by the right team.
There are 70 Primary Care Centres in the Region and specialist teams working in Mental
Health, Health and Wellbeing, Social Care and Disability Services. Services are provided in various settings including the service user's own home, day hospitals, community nursing units, hostels, specialist day care centres, training centres, respite care, and residential services. The region is served by 11 hospitals and the services delivered include inpatient scheduled care, unscheduled/emergency care, maternity services, outpatient and diagnostic services.
St. Columcille's Hospital is committed to providing a quality, patient focused service in a way that meets all patient needs in an equitable, efficient and safe manner. We acknowledge the contribution of each member of staff and aim to encourage and support them in their on-going professional development.
The hospital has a total of 113 inpatient beds, along with specialized units, including:
4 beds dedicated to the Centre of Obesity Management programme,
A 7-bed Day Surgical Unit,
A 9-bed Medical Assessment Unit, and
A 6-bed Local Injuries Unit.
Services provided at SCH are:
• MAU/LIU
• Radiology
• General Medicine including Gastroenterology, Gerontology,
Respiratory Medicine, Endocrinology and Cardiology
• General Surgery
• Out-Patient Services
• National Centr for Obesity Management
• Pain Management Services
The Hospital also provides Nutrition and Dietetics, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy,
Speech & Language Therapy, Cardiac Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Services.
The Centre of Obesity Service is a national service, consisting of a combined Level 3 (medical) and Level 4 (surgical) service, which accepts referrals for individuals with complex obesity. A comprehensive programme of care is delivered to approximately 800 patients annually, which includes out-patient based structured behavioural interventions incorporating diet and exercise and medications, supervised in-patient medical rehab and management programmes and bariatric surgery
The service is supported by a wide MDT of registered dietitians, chartered physiotherapists, clinical psychologists, clinical nurse specialists, endocrinologists, bariatric surgeons and administrative staff.
The person appointed to this post will: -
Work as a 1 WTE Senior Physiotherapist in the SCH to: -
· Provide senior level decision making ensuring Best Practice Physiotherapy for the management of clients that attend the National Centre of Obesity .
· Provide physiotherapy assessment, treatment, discharge planning and onward appropriate referrals for clients attending our busy Obesity Physiotherapy Service, both the inpatient service and the outpatient service, to ensure clients are signposted to the right pathways
· Liaise and coordinate with the other national centres, and be a knowledge source to health services in the region
· Supervision of a staff grade working on the wards
Reporting Relationship
The post holder will report to the Physiotherapy Manager at St. Columcille's Hospital. The professional reporting relationship for clinical governance will be through the professional line management structure in the SCH
· Clinical Supervision will be from the 1 of the 2 Clinical specialist Physiotherapists in the service and Supervision/PDP/Clinical Governance from Line Manager – Physiotherapy Manager
· Provide Supervision of a staff grade
Purpose of the Post
· To provide a high-level quality of professional practice, clinical leadership, educational and professional development of Obesity Management Services at St. Columcilles Hospital.
· To work within the Consultant-led MDT and lead on the continuous improvement of agreed aspects of evolving service provision, including change processes within service planning, clinical service delivery, Triage and service audit, all in line with the objectives of the organisation
· To assist the clinical specialists in acting as a resource and providing education and guidance locally and nationally to other health care professionals and services regarding the evidence-based care of people living with obesity (PwO).
· To advocate for clients to promote improvements in patient experience and outcome via involvement with professional organisations and media.
· To assist the Clinical Specialists, participate in research in the area of obesity to promote improved understanding of the clinical management of the disease of obesity.
· To undertake direct work with this client group in line with EBP
· To carry out clinical and educational duties as required ie to carry out clinical supervision of the staff grade physiotherapists who provide cover for the service and education of colleagues in all aspects of weight management.
· We are a tutor site for TCD and UCD students, so the post holder will be responsible (along with the clinical specialists) for the supervision of UCD and TCD Students while on placement here in the Obesity management service in SCH
· To assist the Clinical specialists, analyse and submit accurate metric stats and KPIs and for their research for the Obesity management service
· Please refer to the Details of Service section above
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Professional / Clinical
The Senior Physiotherapist will:
· Communicate and work in co-operation with the SCH staff in providing an integrated quality physiotherapy service, taking a lead role if required
· Be a lead clinician in assigned, allocated clinical areas of responsibility and carry a clinical caseload appropriate to the post
· Assist the clinical specialist and take a lead role when required in service set up and development as relevant to the role
· Be responsible for client assessment, development and implementation of individualised treatment plans that are client centred and in line with best practice
· Be responsible for goal setting in partnership with client, family and other team members as appropriate
· Be required to work as a key worker for particular cases
· Be responsible for standards of professional and clinical practice of self and staff appointed to clinical / designated area(s) in line with the Scope of Practice of Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and national, regional and local Health Service Executive (HSE) guidelines, policies, protocols and legislation
· Be a clinical resource in obesity management for SCH staff
· Assist the clinical specialists to plan and manage resources efficiently in assigned areas of responsibility
· Communicate effectively with and provide instruction, guidance and support to, staff clients, family, carers etc
· Document client records in accordance with professional standards and SCH policies
· Apply health promotion as an ethos across the clinical area to promote health and wellbeing
· Participate and be a lead clinician as appropriate in review meetings, case conferences etc.
· Develop and promote professional standards of practice
· Work within own scope of professional competence in line with principles of best practice, professional conduct and clinical governance
· Seek advice of relevant personnel when appropriate / as required
· Operate within the scope of practice of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists
Education & Training
The Senior Physiotherapist will:
· Participate in mandatory training as per SCH/HSE guidelines
· Take responsibility for, and keep up to date with Physiotherapy practice by participating in continuing professional development such as reflective practice, in service, self-directed learning, research, clinical audit etc.
· Take part in teaching / training of SCH staff as necessary
· Engage in personal development planning and performance review for self and others as required
· The person can avail of support from the 2 clinical Specialists
Quality Safety & Risk
The Senior Physiotherapist will:
· Be responsible for assisting the clinical specialists in the set-up, co-ordination and delivery of a quality service in line with best practice and professional standards
· Help develop and monitor implementation of agreed policies, procedures and safe professional practice by adhering to relevant legislation, regulations and standards
· Ensure the safety of self and others, and the maintenance of safe environments and equipment used in Physiotherapy in accordance with legislation
· Assess and manage risk in their assigned area(s) of responsibility
· Take the appropriate timely action to manage any incidents or near misses within their assigned area(s)
· Report any deficiency/danger in any aspect of the service to the team or line Manager as appropriate
· Be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment, aids and appliances both by clients and staff under their supervision
· Develop and promote quality standards of work and co-operate with quality assurance programmes
· Oversee, monitor and uphold the standards of professional practice within the weight management service Physiotherapy team
Administrative
The Senior Physiotherapist will:
· Contribute to the service planning process
· Assist SCH and relevant others in service development encompassing policy development and implementation
· Assist the clinical Specialists in the Set up, and then Review and evaluation of the Physiotherapy service regularly, identifying changing needs and opportunities to improve services
· Collect and evaluate data about the service area as identified in service plans and demonstrate the achievement of the objectives of the service
· Ensure accurate records are kept in line with best practice
· Collate and maintain accurate statistics and render reports as required
· Represent the team at meetings and conferences as appropriate
· Inform the line manager of staff issues (needs, interests, views) as appropriate
· Promote a culture that values diversity and respect in the workplace
· Participate in the control and ordering of Physiotherapy stock and equipment in conjunction with the Physiotherapy/SCH staff
· Assist with the accountability for the budget, where relevant
· Keep up to date with organisational developments within all relevant related services
· Engage in IT developments as they apply to clients and service administration
· Perform such other duties appropriate to the role
The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualifications and/ or experience
Candidates for appointment must:-
(i) Hold a Physiotherapy qualification recognised by the Physiotherapists Registration Board at CORU. Please see list of acceptable Physiotherapy qualifications:-
AND
(ii) Be registered on the Physiotherapist Register maintained by the Physiotherapists Registration Board at CORU
AND
(iii) Candidates must have three years fulltime (or an aggregate of three years fulltime) post qualification clinical experience
AND
(iv) Have the requisite knowledge and ability in the area of older persons (including a high standard of suitability and professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office
2. Annual Registration
On appointment, practitioners must maintain annual registration on Physiotherapists Register maintained by the Physiotherapists Register maintained by the Physiotherapists Registration Board at CORU
3. Practitioners must confirm annual registration with CORU to the HSE by way of the annual Patient Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC)
Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character
Age
Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act, A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age.
Post Specific Requirements
The candidate must have evidence of training/experience in the following:-
· Demonstrate sufficient recent clinical experience in the physiotherapy management of patients with obesity as relevant to the role.
· Demonstrate evidence of sufficient experience in the treating PwO and CPD in the area of physiotherapy management of patients with obesity including motivational interviewing / behavioural change
· have sufficient respiratory skills to partake in the weekend respiratory/on-call Service
Skills, competencies and/or knowledge
· Demonstrate a high level of clinical knowledge and evidence-based practice to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role
· Demonstrate an ability to apply knowledge to best practice
· Demonstrate the ability to effectively evaluate information and make appropriate decisions
· Demonstrate the ability to plan and deliver care in an effective and resourceful manner within a model of person-centred care
· Demonstrate an ability to manage and develop self and others in a busy working environment
· Demonstrate a commitment to assuring high standards and strive for a user centred service in line with best practice and professional standards
· Display effective communication and strong interpersonal skills including the ability to build and maintain relationships and be an effective and leading multi-disciplinary team member
· Demonstrate the ability to lead and manage a team effectively
· Display awareness and appreciation of the service users and the ability to empathise with and treat others with dignity and respect
· Demonstrate initiative, flexibility and openness to change
· Demonstrate ability to utilise supervision effectively
· Demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development
· Demonstrate sufficient command of the English language (verbal and written) to effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role
Demonstrate a willingness to develop IT skills relevant to the role
Campaign Specific Selection Process
Ranking/Shortlisting / Interview
A ranking and or shortlisting exercise may be carried out on the basis of information supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and or shortlisting are based on the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore, it is very important that you think about your experience in light of those requirements.
Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not progressing to the next stage of the selection process.
Those successful at the ranking stage of this process, where applied, will be placed on an order of merit and will be called to interview in 'bands' depending on the service needs of the organisation.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
The HSE is an equal opportunities employer.
Employees of the HSE bring a range of skills, talents, diverse thinking and experience to the organisation. The HSE believes passionately that employing a diverse workforce is central to its success – we aim to develop the workforce of the HSE so that it reflects the diversity of HSE service users and to strengthen it through accommodating and valuing different perspectives. Ultimately this will result in improved service user and employee experience.
The HSE is committed to creating a positive working environment whereby all employees inclusive of age, civil status, disability, ethnicity and race, family status, gender, membership of the Traveller community, religion and sexual orientation are respected, valued and can reach their full potential. The HSE aims to achieve this through development of an organisational culture where injustice, bias and discrimination are not tolerated.
The HSE welcomes people with diverse backgrounds and offers a range of supports and resources to staff, such as those who require a reasonable accommodation at work because of a disability or long-term health condition.
Read more about the HSE's commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
Code of Practice
The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of Practice prepared by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA).
The CPSA is responsible for establishing the principles to be followed when making an appointment. These are set out in the CPSA Code of Practice. The Code outlines the standards to be adhered to at each stage of the selection process and sets out the review and appeal mechanisms open to candidates should they be unhappy with a selection process.
Read the CPSA Code of Practice.
The reform programme outlined for the health services may impact on this role, and as structures change the Job Specification may be reviewed.
This Job Specification is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.
SENIOR PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Terms and Conditions of Employment
Tenure
The current vacancy available is permanent and whole time.
The post is pensionable. A panel may be created from which permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part time duration may be filled. The tenure of these posts will be indicated at "expression of interest" stage.
Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by the Health Act 2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 and Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Amendment Act 2013.
Working Week
The standard weekly working hours of attendance for your grade are 35 hours per week. Your normal weekly working hours are 35 hours. Contracted hours that are less than the standard weekly working hours for your grade will be paid pro rata to the full time equivalent.
Annual Leave
The annual leave associated with the post will be confirmed at Contracting stage.
Superannuation
This is a pensionable position with the HSE. The successful candidate will upon appointment become a member of the appropriate pension scheme. Pension scheme membership will be notified within the contract of employment. Members of pre-existing pension schemes who transferred to the HSE on the 01st January 2005 pursuant to Section 60 of the Health Act 2004 are entitled to superannuation benefit terms under the HSE Scheme which are no less favourable to those which they were entitled to at 31st December 2004
Age
The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act, 2018* set 70 years as the compulsory retirement age for public servants.
* Public Servants not affected by this legislation:
Public servants joining the public service or re-joining the public service with a 26 week break in service, between 1 April 2004 and 31 December 2012 (new entrants) have no compulsory retirement age.
Public servants, joining the public service or re-joining the public service after a 26 week break, after 1 January 2013 are members of the Single Pension Scheme and have a compulsory retirement age of 70.
Probation
Every appointment of a person who is not already a permanent officer of the Health Service Executive or of a Local Authority shall be subject to a probationary period of 12 months as stipulated in the Department of Health Circular No.10/71.
Protection of Children Guidance and Legislation
The welfare and protection of children is the responsibility of all HSE staff. You must be aware of and understand your specific responsibilities under the Children First Act 2015, the Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 in accordance with Section 2, Children First National Guidance and other relevant child safeguarding legislation and policies.
Some staff have additional responsibilities such as Line Managers, Designated Officers and Mandated Persons. You should check if you are a Designated Officer and / or a Mandated Person and be familiar with the related roles and legal responsibilities.
Visit HSE Children First for further information, guidance and resources.
Infection Control
Have a working knowledge of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
Health & Safety
It is the responsibility of line managers to ensure that the management of safety, health and welfare is successfully integrated into all activities undertaken within their area of responsibility, so far as is reasonably practicable. Line managers are named and roles and responsibilities detailed in the relevant Site Specific Safety Statement (SSSS).
Key responsibilities include:
• Developing a SSSS for the department/service, as applicable, based on the identification of hazards and the assessment of risks, and reviewing/updating same on a regular basis (at least annually) and in the event of any significant change in the work activity or place of work.
• Ensuring that Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is integrated into day-to-day business, providing Systems Of Work (SOW) that are planned, organised, performed, maintained, and revised as appropriate, and ensuring that all safety related records are maintained and available for inspection.
• Consulting and communicating with staff and safety representatives on OSH matters.
• Ensuring a training needs assessment (TNA) is undertaken for employees, facilitating their attendance at statutory OSH training, and ensuring records are maintained for each employee.
• Ensuring that all incidents occurring within the relevant department/service are appropriately managed and investigated in accordance with HSE procedures.
• Seeking advice from health and safety professionals through the National Health and Safety Function Helpdesk as appropriate.
• Reviewing the health and safety performance of the ward/department/service and staff through, respectively, local audit and performance achievement meetings for example.
Note: Detailed roles and responsibilities of Line Managers are outlined in local SSSS.