Band 5 physiotherapist: NHS supporting information with a worked example

Updated · By the Tick the Spec team

Band 5 physiotherapy posts in the NHS are often rotational, moving you between areas such as respiratory, musculoskeletal (MSK), neurology, orthopaedics and older people's care, and are a common first post for new graduates. The person specification almost always requires HCPC registration as a physiotherapist (or eligibility to register), evidence of clinical placement or post-registration experience, sound clinical reasoning, communication, team working and a commitment to CPD. Your supporting information should show each with a specific, anonymised clinical example and link your practice to the HCPC standards.

What the person specification usually asks for

  • Qualifications: a degree or approved qualification in physiotherapy; HCPC registration (or applied for); membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) is often desirable.
  • Experience: clinical placements across core areas for new graduates; for experienced applicants, post-registration rotations.
  • Knowledge: assessment and treatment in core areas, outcome measures, safeguarding, infection prevention, the HCPC standards.
  • Skills: clinical reasoning, managing a caseload, documentation, communication with patients and the multidisciplinary team (MDT), teaching patients exercises and self-management.
  • Qualities: commitment to CPD and reflection, flexibility for rotations and weekend or on-call working where required.

Step by step

  1. State your registration status clearly: registered, or applied and expected by a given month.
  2. Pick two or three strong placement examples that show assessment, clinical reasoning and outcome. Use different areas to show breadth.
  3. Show clinical reasoning, not just tasks: why you chose an approach, how you adapted it, and how you measured progress.
  4. Show MDT working: handovers, discharge planning, referrals to OT or social care.
  5. Show safe practice: recognising red flags, escalating concerns, working within your scope.
  6. Show CPD: courses, in-service training, reflective practice, and what you want from preceptorship.

Worked example (fictional)

This is invented. The graduate, placements and patients are fictional, and no real clinical details are used.

Applicant: Sam, a final-year physiotherapy student, applying for a Band 5 rotational post in an acute trust.

Registration. I complete my BSc Physiotherapy in July and will apply for HCPC registration as soon as I am eligible.

Assessment and clinical reasoning (respiratory). On my respiratory placement I assessed a patient on a medical ward who was struggling to clear secretions after a chest infection. Using auscultation, observations and the patient's own account, I identified sputum retention and, with my educator, chose the active cycle of breathing techniques and positioning rather than more invasive options because he was alert and able to cooperate. I taught him the technique, checked his understanding the next day, and his oxygen requirement reduced over three days. I documented each session and handed over to the weekend team.

Rehabilitation and goal setting (orthopaedics). On an orthopaedic ward I worked with a patient after a hip replacement who was anxious about walking. I agreed small daily goals with her, from sitting out to walking to the bathroom with a frame, and worked with the OT to check her home set-up before discharge. She went home on the planned day.

MDT working and safety. I attended daily board rounds and gave concise updates on mobility and discharge readiness. When a patient I was mobilising became dizzy and pale, I sat him down safely, took his observations, and escalated to the nurse in charge, following the ward's escalation process.

CPD. I keep a reflective log against the HCPC standards of proficiency, and I would value a structured preceptorship to build confidence in on-call respiratory work.

If you are already qualified

Show range and responsibility: rotations completed, caseload size, supervising students or assistants, audits, and any specialist interest. Keep examples recent and show how you have developed since qualifying.

Common mistakes

  • Listing placements without examples of what you did on them.
  • Describing treatment without reasoning. Panels want the "why".
  • Identifiable patient details: keep examples general.
  • Ignoring the rotation areas named in the advert.
  • Not mentioning HCPC status or the standards.

Pay

In England, from 1 April 2026, Agenda for Change Band 5 is £32,073 to £39,043 a year for full-time staff, before any high cost area supplement. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own scales.

Tick the Spec's free shortlisting sheet maps your CV and placement experience to each criterion in the job pack, so you can see where you need a stronger example. See also our Band 5 occupational therapist guide and Band 6 specialist roles.

Sources

All guides