Physiotherapy firm launches recruitment drive
Independent physiotherapy and mental wellbeing provider Ascenti is launching a major recruitment drive.
The Bristol firm is looking to increase the size of its physio workforce by almost 40 per cent over the next five months in response to surging demand for its services, with year-on-year revenues up by a quarter.
The company, which is already the largest private employer of physios in the UK, is launching a major drive to recruit 100 experienced physios to its existing 300-strong team of practitioners by the end of the year.
Ascenti is also looking to hire a further 30 people to join its business and customer support teams based in Bristol and Fareham (Hampshire) respectively.
The move comes as the company, which operates as a partner to 14 NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and more than 400 private businesses across the UK, continues to see growing demand for its physiotherapy-led services – with over 20m people in the UK currently suffering from musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as arthritis or back pain.
Over the last 12 months (Aug 22 – July 23), Ascenti has seen demand for its private medical insurance (PMI) offering grow by 47 per cent, while requirements for its virtual physio services have risen by 30 per cent.
The company’s growing employed team of highly trained physiotherapists is on track to deliver more than 500,000 in-person and virtual appointments this year. In FY 21-22 (Dec 1st – Nov 30th), the company recorded a 25 per cent increase in year-on-year revenues, and it expects FY 22-23 to be its strongest yet.
Demand for physiotherapy services is set to increase further, due in part to an ageing population that’s working for longer, as well as persisting NHS waiting lists.
The company is therefore on the hunt for more physios, who have been qualified for at least two years, to boost its capacity to deliver close to 750,000 appointments each year. Roles are available across Ascenti’s nationwide portfolio of clinics, with a significant proportion of opportunities in London to meet the increasing demand from PMI customers.
As Ascenti has grown, so has the breadth of opportunities that it can offer to ambitious physios. Ascenti recently launched a new progression pathway, becoming the first employer in the UK to offer physiotherapists the funded training, support and nationwide opportunities needed to move through a complete career journey, from graduate to Advanced Physiotherapist Practitioner (APP) or First Contact Practitioner (FCP). It represents a significant investment by the business in the qualifications, credentials, and continued development of its physiotherapists, and builds on the myriad of career opportunities and roles it already offers, from digital to in-clinic and specialist to hybrid.
Driven by its ambition to support more people to elevate their health, earlier this month Ascenti also announced the acquisition of mental health technology platform, My Online Therapy, which follows the strategic acquisition of London-based physiotherapy company, Six Physio, last year.
Stephanie Dobrikova, chief executive of Ascenti, said: “Over the course of the last two years we’ve experienced incredible growth, fuelled by a 25 per cent increase in the size of our talented team – which is now 800-strong – the acquisitions of Six Physio and My Online Therapy, and significant investment in new services and products, including a first-of-its-kind physio self-management app.
“With demand for our services growing rapidly over the first half of this financial year, and Ascenti securing new contracts with the likes of Bupa and Simplyhealth, we’re now in the exciting position where we need to significantly expand our physio and support teams in order to boost our capacity to help more people than ever before.
“As a clinically-led business, we know that our people make the difference and we’re committed to being the best place to work in MSK physio. As well as offering a growing range of development pathways that enable far faster career progression than is available elsewhere, our physios are supported through an award-winning Learning and Development programme and a comprehensive benefits package.”
Ascenti’s industry-leading commitment to education, learning and development was most recently recognised last week, when it became one of seven UK healthcare employers to receive a prestigious 2023 Princess Royal Training Award for its outstanding education programme for physiotherapists.
The company’s recently revamped benefits package offering includes flexible working options, wellbeing support programmes, extended parental leave and paid leave to support charitable causes.
