Isle of Wight - South of England

Enjoy some time on this beautiful island just off the south coast of England while you gain important practical physiotherapy experience as part of our local NHS MSK service. 

You will work with a team of three Ascenti physiotherapists who will act as your supervisors and support you in gaining experience as a physiotherapy student. 

These experienced Band B, C and above Ascenti clinicians (equivalent of NHS Band 6/7 and above) will work with you to manage patients referred to us for musculoskeletal physiotherapy treatment by the NHS in single occupancy clinic rooms. 

You will see a variety of conditions with new and follow up appointments throughout the day in 30 minute slots. You will type up notes, use our digital work-flow system to manage patient appointments and prescribe self-management advice using our industry-leading patient rehabilitation app. You will have extra time after appointments to complete these tasks with your supervisor if needed. 

We also have access to a number of group classes for the Isle of Wight community that you could help to run or observe. These include back and lower limb exercise classes.

Your level of involvement will be managed by your supervisor depending on your study level, knowledge and competencies. 

Typical caseload 

You will be primarily working with referrals for MSK physiotherapy from NHS Primary Care services such as GP surgeries and may also manage referrals from post-operative orthopaedics. 

The Isle of Wight has an older population and whilst we treat people of all ages the average patient is 50+, so you will see a high volume of spinal, shoulder and knee problems. This service also treats teenagers at certain clinic locations. 

You will mainly treat patients with a self-management approach, neurophysiological education and goal-related activity planning, with the support of our patient rehabilitation app. Chronic pain strategies, activity rehabilitation, exercise therapy and manual therapy may also be included (McKenzie, Maitland & Society of Orthopaedic Medicine approaches).

Clinic locations 

You will work from three different clinic locations across the Isle of Wight with your supervisors and these locations are likely to be:

  • Freshwater 
  • Godshill 
  • The Heights (Sandown) Leisure Centre

Because this placement will involve working from different clinic locations, you will need to be willing to travel and organise your own transport on the island.  

Working hours 

We can offer a full 5 or 4 day working week, from Monday to Friday. Your working hours would be 8.30am – 3pm and 8.30am – 5pm on some days, depending on the hours worked by your supervisor. 

You will have a half hour lunch break from around 1pm. 
The specific hours you work can be negotiated and confirmed once you have been accepted onto the placement. 

Additional opportunities

Depending on the availability of our service partners and contract restrictions, we may also have the opportunity for students on this placement to shadow other service areas, including:

  • Community rehabilitation NHS
  • Advanced Practice (GP surgeries) and orthopaedic triage (hospital) NHS
  • MSK Podiatry NHS
  • Aquatherapist-led hydrotherapy sessions non-NHS
     

About Ascenti student placements

At Ascenti we are offering musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy placements as part of NHS services we deliver across four different regions in the UK. 

Learn more about our physiotherapy student placements and the opportunities available.