Please only apply for this role if you can travel to our clinic in Reading at least 2 days a week, you have relevant oncology experience (not spa only) and full right to work in the UK. All other applications will not be reviewed.
Job title Senior Integrative Therapist
Company Synthesis Clinic
Location Ruscombe, Reading RG10 9XQ (on site)
Job type Permanent, part time
Schedule 2 days per week (0.4 FTE), Monday and Tuesday preferred (up to 3 days a week may be possible in due course)
Salary£50,000 a year pro rata (£20,000 actual at 0.4 FTE)
About us
Synthesis Clinic is a CQC-regulated private integrative medicine practice providing whole-person, community-based care focusing on cancer support. The clinic operates across three departments: Integrative Cancer Care, Integrative Cancer Pain Care, and Survivorship and Carer Support.
The patient population is predominantly adults living with, undergoing treatment for, or recovering from cancer, together with their carers. A high proportion of our patients are on active systemic anti-cancer therapy, have had recent surgery or radiotherapy, or carry indwelling devices. This population profile shapes every element of this role.
About the post
The Senior Integrative Therapist delivers hands-on manual and aromatic therapies to patients living with and beyond cancer, and to their carers, as a fully integrated component of the clinic's multidisciplinary model of care.
The post-holder will help establish the manual therapy part of the service alongside a clinical caseload. The role carries responsibility for building the protocols, consent processes, evidence base, outcome measures and educational content that underpin safe delivery of these therapies in an oncology population. The role is expected to develop into a Lead Integrative Therapist post carrying supervisory responsibility for junior therapists as the service grows.
This is a senior appointment. The salary is benchmarked at NHS Agenda for Change Band 7 equivalent, reflecting the autonomy, service-development responsibility and specialist oncology expertise required.
Essential
- Degree-level qualification in complementary therapies, health sciences or a closely related field, or an equivalent portfolio of recognised professional diplomas
- A recognised professional diploma in each modality you intend to practise, meeting CNHC entry standards
- Post-qualification training in complementary therapies for cancer and supportive or palliative care, from a recognised cancer centre or equivalent
- Current CNHC registration in Massage Therapy, Aromatherapy and Reflexology, or clear eligibility to register before your first patient
- At least five years post-qualification clinical practice
- Substantial recent experience delivering hands-on therapies to adults with cancer in a healthcare setting such as an acute oncology service, cancer centre or hospice
- Detailed working knowledge of contraindications, cautions and treatment modification in this population, including bone metastases, haematological parameters, thromboembolic risk, radiotherapy skin reactions, indwelling devices, surgical wounds and neuropathy
- Understanding of lymphoedema and the boundary between therapy support and specialist lymphoedema management
- Essential oil safety, dilution, storage and COSHH
- Professional indemnity insurance valid for this caseload and setting
- Eligible for an enhanced DBS check including the adults' barred list
Desirable
- Manual Lymphatic Drainage qualification (Vodder, Földi, Leduc or Casley-Smith) with current MLD UK registration
- Oncology-specific scar therapy certification
- Experience of establishing or substantially developing a therapy service
- Experience of writing clinical protocols or standard operating procedures
- Experience of supervising or training therapists or volunteers
- Experience of audit, service evaluation or research
- Recognised teaching qualification
- Experience of working in a CQC-regulated service
Pay: £45,000.00-£55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Reading RG10 9XQ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- Please outline your exact scope of practice in terms of therapies and experience with oncology patients.
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
