Respiratory Physiotherapist

Location: Ayr Central

Are you a specialist physiotherapist with a passion for respiratory care and complex clinical needs? Join Jacobs Neurological Centre as a Respiratory Physiotherapist to deliver expert, evidence-based care within a specialist nursing home environment. This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference to adults with tracheostomies, long-term ventilation needs, and complex respiratory conditions, supporting improved health outcomes and quality of life.

In this role, you will provide advanced respiratory physiotherapy interventions, focusing on optimising respiratory function, preventing avoidable deterioration, and promoting person-centred care. You will ensure all interventions meet the highest safety standards, including infection control, equipment checks, and emergency preparedness, while adhering to HCPC and CSP guidelines. A key part of your role will involve monitoring and evaluating clinical outcomes such as secretion management, ventilator use, chest infections, and hospital admissions, using this insight to inform and enhance care delivery.

As the respiratory clinical lead within the service, you will provide leadership and guidance to the wider team, supporting best practice and contributing to governance processes. You will work collaboratively with multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure consistent, high-quality care, while identifying and managing risks associated with airway management, ventilation, and respiratory decline. Clear and effective communication will be essential in ensuring continuity of care across the service.

You will also play an important role in staff development, delivering training and support to colleagues to maintain high standards of respiratory care. Ensuring compliance with CQC requirements, national tracheostomy safety standards, and local policies will be central to your work, alongside a commitment to dignity, comfort, and autonomy for every resident.

Key Responsibilities:

Conduct comprehensive assessments including chest auscultation, secretion load evaluation, cough effectiveness, ventilator dependency, and airway patency. Provide advanced tracheostomy care including weaning readiness assessment, cuff management, decannulation planning, and emergency response with external support from the Royal Brompton respiratory outreach services. Optimise ventilator settings in collaboration with the Royal Brompton and other specialist respiratory centres, monitor tolerance, and support weaning where appropriate.

Deliver interventions such as manual techniques, suctioning, ACBT, MHI, cough assist, and positioning strategies. Develop personalised respiratory care plans for residents with acquired brain injuries, neuromuscular disease, spinal injury, chronic lung disease, or other chronic conditions Work closely with nursing, medical, speech therapy, and care teams to ensure coordinated, holistic care. Provide clear, compassionate education to residents and families about respiratory conditions, equipment, and care plans.

Maintain accurate, timely clinical records, risk assessments, and incident reports in line with regulatory standards. Lead or contribute to audits, service development, and implementation of best practice guidelines. Develop an open, coaching culture and model professional behaviours. Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement through peer support, appraisals, and shared learning. To be successful in this role, you will need:
Demonstrable experience in managing tracheostomies, including suctioning, cuff management, emergency response, and decannulation pathways. Experience supporting patients on invasive and/or non - invasive ventilation, including ventilator troubleshooting and weaning. Competent in respiratory management including manual techniques, suctioning, MHI, cough assist, and positioning for secretion management. Ability to recognise and respond rapidly to respiratory emergencies. Strong ability to assess breath sounds, secretion load, ventilator dependency, and airway patency.

Advanced decision - making skills in complex and high - risk respiratory cases. Able to communicate clearly with residents, families, and multidisciplinary teams. Registered Physiotherapist with the Health and Care Professions Council BSc (Hons) Physiotherapist or equivalent recognised qualification Experience/ exposure to tracheostomy and ventilation support Minimum of 1 years' experience as a Physiotherapist What You'll Get At Elysium Healthcare, we believe in…