Lead Therapist for MSK Joint Therapy Services | Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust

Posting date:	11 March 2026
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	Dependant on experience
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	10 April 2026
Location:	Chester, CH2 1UL
Company:	Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7667001/373-NBH0858

Summary

The postholder will beresponsible for the operational management and clinical leadership of MSK rehabilitation servicesacross the collaboration between Cheshire and Wirral Partnership and the Countess of Chester Hospital (COCH) with bases at Ellesmere Port Hospital (EPH), COCH and a range of community bases across the West Cheshire patch.

The successful candidate will manage a team of therapists and support staff, ensuring all governance and performance targets are met within the allotted resources and ensure strategic development of the service in line with regional and national initiatives, keeping abreast of expansion in the roles of AHPs, whilst working with acute and primary care to fully exploit the service opportunities.

The MSK Lead will carry a clinical caseload to maintain skills and retain authenticity. The ability to communicate across a range of formats is essential, along with highly evolved interpersonal and diplomatic skills.

This is a rare opportunity to work in a forward looking and dynamic environment working alongside the MSK Lead Therapist in Advanced Practice and Primary Care. The role is challenging but enormously satisfying, providing the chance to shape an outstanding MSK service to the benefit of Western Cheshire patients, families and health care colleagues.

This post is part time 30 hours per week.

Shortlisting for this vacancy is due to commence on 24/03/2026 and the proposed interview date is week commencing 13/04/2026.



The postholderwill beresponsible for the operational management and clinical leadership of MSK rehabilitation servicesacross the collaboration between Cheshire and Wirral Partnership and the Countess of Chester Hospital, with bases at both Ellesmere Port Hospital, the Countess of Chester Hospital and a range of communitybases across the West Cheshire patch.

The successful candidate will manage a large team of therapists and support staff, ensuring all governance and performance targets are met within the allotted resources. A key aspect of the role is to ensure strategic development of the service in line with regional and national initiatives, keeping abreast of expansion in the roles of AHPs, whilst working with acute and primary care to fully exploit the service opportunities.

It will be expected that the MSK Lead Therapist will carry a clinical caseload to maintain skills and retain authenticity. The ability to communicate across a range of formats is essential, along with highly evolved interpersonal and diplomatic skills.

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.

We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport.

Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.

All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.

Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you’ll find something to suit you at CWP.

Please download a copy of the job description (see ‘documents to download’ section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.

At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.

CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust’s Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.

Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust’s Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trust’s Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.

An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: cwp.recruitment@nhs.net or by calling 01244 393100.

If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’

Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.

The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!


This advert closes on Monday 23 Mar 2026

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.