What is a locum physiotherapist and how do you become one in the UK?

Whether a patient is recovering from a recent injury or wants to improve the functionality of their body in general, physiotherapy is likely what they need. Physiotherapists are experts in musculoskeletal systems, and they use this knowledge to help control pain and rehabilitate injuries.

If you are looking to get into this line of work, you can do so on a flexible schedule as a locum physiotherapist. But precisely what is a locum physiotherapist, and how do you become one in the UK? Read on to find out.

What is a locum physiotherapist?

A locum physiotherapist is a healthcare professional who temporarily fills in for other physical therapists when they take leave or when a hospital or private practice is understaffed. Locums have the same qualifications and do the same work as the physiotherapists they are filling in for, but they don't necessarily work contracted hours like permanent staff members. They can substitute for other physiotherapists for a few weeks, months, or even a year.

What do locum physiotherapists do?

Like the regular practitioners they substitute for, locum physiotherapists assess, diagnose and treat a range of conditions affecting the muscles, joints, and skeletal system. They work with people afflicted by conditions that cause pain or limit their ability to move freely. They can help patients recover from injury, manage long-term conditions such as arthritis, or relearn the skills they lost when a condition like a stroke affected a part of their brain.

Physiotherapy aims to provide relief from pain and disability and help patients recover as fully as possible to continue doing the things they used to do before injury or disease. To achieve these goals, physiotherapists use hands-on techniques, such as massage and joint manipulation. They also provide advice and guidance on exercises patients can use to speed up recovery.

As a physiotherapist, you will:

• Assess patients' needs and problems, often through a detailed history of their symptoms.
• Devise treatment plans for your patients.
• Use hands-on techniques such as massage and exercise to help patients recover from injuries or health problems.
• Advise them on changes they can make towards a healthier lifestyle.
• Monitor patients' progress towards recovery and discuss any issues with GPs or other healthcare professionals.
• Liaise with other health professionals to help create care plans tailored to each patient's needs and lifestyle.

Where do locum physiotherapists work?

Locum physiotherapists work in private practices, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation centres, and special-needs schools. They treat people with a variety of problems caused by injury, illness, ageing or disability. These problems include degeneration of bones and joints, sports injuries (like sprains, strains, and torn ligaments), and neurological conditions such as stroke, cerebral palsy and neuropathy.

Physiotherapists who hold specialist qualifications may find career opportunities working within sports teams, advising athletes on injury prevention and ways to improve performance.

What qualifications does a locum physiotherapist need?

Physiotherapy is a highly regulated profession with strict rules governing education and registration. To get locum physio jobs in the UK, you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Registration with the HCPC requires that you successfully complete a degree-level course in physiotherapy.

The course can be part-time or full-time, as long as it is approved by the council. Part-time degrees can take anything from four to six years, but full-time degrees typically take three years. A two-year MSc degree can also get you on the fast track to becoming a physiotherapist if you have a BSc degree in a relevant field.

What other skills are desirable?

In addition to being a registered practitioner, anyone looking for locum physiotherapy jobs needs to have the following skills:

• A good understanding of the human body and its workings – anatomy is an essential part of your training.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – you'll be working with people who are often in pain or recovering from injury or illness, so they'll need someone they feel they can trust.
• Compassion – you might have to tell someone their condition won't improve or that surgery won't do much for them.
• Demonstrated aptitude for caring for others.
• Strong communication, organisational, and time management skills.
• Commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion.

How much does a locum physiotherapist earn?

Locum physiotherapy jobs in the UK typically pay £25-30 per hour. This rate is about twice as much as a band 5 physiotherapy worker with a permanent role in the NHS can expect to get.

In addition to earning above-average wages, locum physiotherapists can also enjoy better work-life balance because they choose the location, type of assignment, and (based on the available contract) hours they work. Since they rotate through different work environments, locums also gain experience in an array of fields. For workers at the beginning of their careers, locum work is a great way to get a feel of different forms of practice and decide which one to branch into.

Locum physio jobs are equally a good fit for workers who are nearing retirement and want to keep working without the stressful demands of regular practice.

How to become a locum physiotherapist in the UK

If you are looking for UK physio jobs and are not a British citizen, you will need to apply for a Health and Care Worker visa before you can work in the country. To qualify, you must be a qualified physiotherapist, have a confirmed job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office, and have a certificate of sponsorship from the employer confirming details of the role you have been offered, or have a relevant visa. The position must pay the minimum salary of a physiotherapist, which as of 2021 was £24,214.

To apply, you will need the employer's certificate of sponsorship, a valid passport, proof of English proficiency, evidence of personal savings, and a criminal record certificate. You will also need to pay £232 for a work visa of up to three years and £464 for a visa of more than three years. There are also specialist visas available for Healthcare workers and 18 to 30s looking for working holidays in the UK.

Get the latest locum physiotherapist jobs

If you are qualified to work in the UK, the easiest way to find work is to sign up with a recruitment agency. Globe Locums is an approved physio locum agency registered on the NHS Revised Code of Practice. We recruit for healthcare providers in the UK and beyond.

Discover more about life as a physio in the UK in our blog. We cover topics such as how much money you can make as a physio in the UK and the top places for physiotherapists to work in the UK.