Welcome to Hunter Gatherer AHP – specialist physiotherapy recruitment across the UK.
We place physiotherapists into NHS hospitals, community rehabilitation services, mental health trusts, PCNs and private providers on both a locum and permanent basis. Whether you’re a service with a gap to fill or a physiotherapist looking for your next role, we offer fast, compliant and properly matched recruitment from a team that takes physio seriously.
What is Physiotherapy?
`Physiotherapy is a regulated healthcare profession focused on restoring and maintaining movement, function and quality of life for patients affected by injury, illness or disability. Physiotherapists assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions – from acute musculoskeletal injuries and post-surgical rehabilitation to complex neurological conditions, respiratory disease and frailty.
HCPC-registered physiotherapists work across a diverse range of clinical settings, from acute hospital wards to community therapy teams, primary care, mental health services and private clinics. Demand for experienced physiotherapists across the NHS and private sector remains consistently high, particularly in MSK, neurological and community settings.
Why Services Choose Hunter Gatherer for Physio Recruitment:
- Specialism-matched, not just available MSK, neuro, respiratory, paediatrics, community, acute – we understand the differences and match physiotherapists on specialism, band and clinical background. You won’t receive a Band 7 respiratory candidate for an MSK outpatient role.
- HCPC-verified and fully compliant Every physiotherapist we place is verified for HCPC registration, DBS, CSP membership (where relevant), clinical references and relevant experience before placement.
- NHS, community and private placements We work with NHS acute trusts, community health services, ICBs, PCNs, mental health trusts and private healthcare providers. Whatever your sector, we can help.
- Locum and permanent solutions Urgent cover or a long-term hire – we support both, with the same standard of compliance and clinical matching.
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Physiotherapy Specialisms We Cover:
Our physiotherapy network covers the full range of clinical specialisms across NHS and private settings:
- Musculoskeletal (MSK) – outpatient MSK clinics, sports injury, manual therapy, injection therapy
- First Contact Practitioners (FCP) – MSK physiotherapists working autonomously in GP surgeries and PCNs
- Advanced Practice / Extended Scope (ESP/APP) – injection therapy, imaging reporting, independent prescribing
- Acute Inpatient – medical, surgical and orthopaedic wards, early supported discharge
- Neurological Rehabilitation – stroke, acquired brain injury, MS, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injury
- Respiratory & Cardiovascular – critical care, ICU, cardiac rehabilitation, COVID rehab, COPD
- Community Rehabilitation – reablement, discharge to assess, virtual wards, community therapy teams
- Paediatrics – children’s physiotherapy, developmental assessment, neonatal, school-based
- Elderly Care & Frailty – falls services, frailty MDTs, care home physio, intermediate care
- Women’s Health & Pelvic Health – pelvic floor rehabilitation, continence, postnatal care
- Learning Disabilities – specialist LD inpatient and community physiotherapy
- Mental Health – physiotherapy within mental health trusts and CAMHS settings
- Sports & Exercise – sports injury clinics, occupational health, sports team physiotherapy
- Hand Therapy – post-surgical hand rehabilitation, specialist upper limb therapy
Roles and Responsibilities:
Physiotherapists across NHS and private settings are responsible for:
- Comprehensive assessment, diagnosis and clinical reasoning across a wide range of presentations
- Developing and delivering individualised treatment plans – manual therapy, exercise prescription, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy
- Rehabilitation programme delivery – group and individual
- Working within multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), contributing to ward rounds, case conferences and discharge planning
- Running autonomous outpatient and community clinics
- Prescribing and fitting orthoses, aids and adaptive equipment
- Clinical education and supervision of Band 5 physiotherapists, assistants and students
- Contributing to service development, audit and quality improvement
Qualifications We Look For:
Every physiotherapist we place holds:
- Active HCPC registration with no restrictions
- BSc or MSc in Physiotherapy (CSP-accredited)
- Relevant post-qualification experience appropriate to band and specialism
- Valid DBS and current mandatory training
- Specialist competencies for Band 6, 7 and 8 roles
CSP membership is not a legal requirement to practise but is strongly recommended, particularly for indemnity purposes in private and locum settings. We advise on this during registration.
Locum Physiotherapy Opportunities:
Locum physiotherapy work offers genuine clinical variety, competitive rates and the chance to build breadth of experience across different settings and patient populations. Whether you want to explore a new specialism, top up income alongside a permanent role, or build a full-time locum career, we’ll find the right opportunities for you.
We have active physiotherapy requirements across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Newcastle and beyond.
Lets start the search for your next role in Physiotherapy
Physiotherapist Pay Rates (2025/26):
Locum Physiotherapist Rates (Umbrella):
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Band 5£22-£28 per hour
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Band 6£25 – £36 per hour
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Band 7£32 – £48 per hour
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Band 8a (Advanced/FCP)£40 – £58 per hour
Rates vary significantly by specialism, location and setting. Respiratory, neurological rehabilitation and FCP primary care roles typically attract higher rates. London and the South East generally sit at the upper end of these ranges. Specialist roles – injection therapy, pelvic health, paediatrics – also tend to command a premium.
Permanent Physiotherapist Salaries:
NHS physiotherapy roles follow Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. Band 5 runs from £31,049 to £37,796 (2025/26); Band 6 from £38,682 to £46,580; Band 7 from £47,810 to £54,710. Band 8a advanced practice roles start at £55,690.
Private sector physiotherapy salaries vary by employer and clinic model, typically ranging from £30,000 for newly qualified to £60,000+ for senior specialists or clinic managers. Independent practice can exceed these figures for established practitioners.
Our consultants can advise on current going rates for your specific specialism and region.
Career Progression in Physiotherapy:
Physiotherapy offers a well-defined career pathway with genuine specialist and leadership options:
- Band 5 – newly qualified physiotherapist, developing clinical competencies across rotational or fixed-specialism placements
- Band 6 – specialist physiotherapist with defined caseload and increasing clinical autonomy
- Band 7 – highly specialist or senior physiotherapist, team leadership, service development and clinical supervision
- Band 8a – advanced practitioner, extended scope physiotherapist, FCP, clinical lead or service manager
- Band 8b+ – consultant physiotherapist, head of physiotherapy, ICS or strategic leadership
Many physiotherapists use locum work to explore different specialisms before committing to a permanent pathway – or to maintain variety and flexibility throughout a longer career. Whatever your goal, we’ll help you find roles that match where you are and where you want to go.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Do you place physiotherapists in primary care (FCP) roles? Yes – though FCP placements in GP surgeries and PCNs are handled by our dedicated Primary Care team at Hunter Gatherer Primary Care. See our First Contact Practitioners page for more detail on primary care physio roles. This page covers wider NHS and private sector physiotherapy placements.
- Do you place Band 5 newly qualified physiotherapists? Yes. We work with physiotherapists at every career stage, from Band 5 newly qualified through to Band 8a advanced practitioners. We’ll match you to roles appropriate for your experience and specialism.
- Can you provide short-notice locum cover? Yes. Once a physiotherapist is registered and compliant with us, we can respond quickly to urgent requirements. Contact us directly for short-notice needs and we’ll aim to respond same day.
- Do you place physiotherapists in the private sector as well as NHS? Yes. We work with NHS trusts, community health services, mental health providers and private healthcare organisations – including private hospitals, specialist clinics, occupational health providers and sports medicine settings.
- What areas do you cover? We place physiotherapists across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield, Newcastle and beyond.
Your future starts here!
Discover our latest opportunities or register with us today to unlock your potential!
Testimonials:
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