Job summary
If you're an experienced physiotherapist looking to develop your career in a supportive, forward-thinking team, this is your next move.
As a First Contact Physiotherapist, you will be fully integrated into the practice, collaborating closely with GPs, nurses, and other MDT colleagues to provide cohesive, tailored patient care.
Main duties of the job
As a First Contact Physiotherapist, you will work onsite in the practice as part of a dynamic multidisciplinary team. You'll assess, diagnose, and manage MSK patients at the first point of contact - with full autonomy and clinical support.
This is not a hybrid or remote position. You'll be embedded in your practice, working closely with GPs, receptionists, nurses, and other MDT colleagues to deliver integrated, personalised patient care.
You will have the opportunity to use or develop advanced skills, including injection therapy and independent prescribing.
About us
Everest House Surgery is a patient-focused GP surgery committed to delivering high-quality primary care to our local community. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including routine consultations, chronic disease management, minor illness care, and support for long-term conditions. Our team of dedicated clinicians and administrative staff work collaboratively to ensure smooth practice operations, excellent patient experience, and the highest standards of clinical care. We are proud of our commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and fostering a supportive, inclusive working environment for all staff.
Details
Date posted
24 January 2026
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
Depending on experience
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time
Reference number
A0591-26-0005
Job locations
Everest Way
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
HP2 4HY
Job description
Job responsibilities
Be the first point of clinical contact for patients presenting with MSK conditions or symptoms, providing the patient with the primary assessment, diagnosis and management options for their condition
Use advanced clinical practice skills and clinical reasoning to provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment support to patients who present with complex musculoskeletal conditions and/or multiple pathologies and/or mental health and/or pain management needs
Be the link between primary, community and acute services, when the patient is managed via primary care ensuring an integrated care pathway for individual patients that meets their needs. This will include provision of triage to other services and/or directly providing management and advice
Lead on and develop effective communication between primary care services/GP practices and other relevant care providers
Initiate, develop, and maintain relationships with MDTs, orthopaedic and physiotherapy consultant teams in the community and acute settings.
Where appropriate, develop relationships with wider health and social care agencies, for example mental health teams, local authorities, third sector providers and patient groups
Provide leadership and support on MSK clinical and service development, alongside learning opportunities for the whole multi-disciplinary team (MDT) within primary care
Provide highly specialist advice on issues ranging from the provision of expert opinion on individual patient treatment options to be a primary contributor to MSK services and related pathway development.
Encourage collaborative working across the health economy and be a key contributor to the primary care networks providing leadership and support on MSK clinical and service development across the network
Work independently, without day-to-day supervision, to assess, diagnose, triage, and manage patients, taking responsibility for prioritising and managing a caseload of the practices registered patients
Work as part of an MDT in a patient facing role, using their expert knowledge of movement and function issues, to create stronger links for wider services through clinical leadership, teaching and evaluation
Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients, providing a range of first line treatment options including self-management, referral to rehabilitation focussed services and social prescribing
Make use of their full scope of practice, developing skills relating to independent prescribing, injection therapy and investigation to make professional judgements and decisions in unpredictable situations, including when provided with incomplete or contradictory information. Take responsibility for making and justifying these decisions
Manage complex interactions, including working with patients with psychosocial and mental health needs, referring onwards as required and including social prescribing when appropriate
Implement all aspects of effective clinical governance for own practice, including undertaking regular audit and evaluation, supervision and training
Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients through:
a. effective shared decision-making with a range of first line management options (appropriate for a patients level of activation)
b. assessing levels of Patient Activation to support a patients own level of knowledge, skills and confidence to self-manage their conditions, ensuring they can evaluate and improve the effectiveness of self-management interventions,particularly for those at low levels of activation
c. agreeing with patients appropriate support forself-management through referral to rehabilitation focussed services and wider social prescribing as appropriate
Clinical
Request and progress investigations (such as x-rays and blood tests) and referrals to facilitate the diagnosis and choice of treatment regime including, considering the limitations of these investigations, interpret and act on results and feedback to aid patients diagnoses and management plans and
Carry own caseload as an autonomous practitioner, providing direct clinical/ physiotherapeutic care for patients with a range of complex musculoskeletal conditions and who may have significant other primary or secondary conditions/multi-pathologies
Be able to decide when appropriate to use advanced clinical practice skills that may include:
a. joint/soft tissue injection therapy, including administration of prescription only medication [POM] to aid treatment.
b. joint aspirations
c. non-medical prescribing
Be able to clinically justify referral onto appropriate MSK pathways within the community or wider healthcare services. Including referral to the appropriate stage of the pathway and the use of social prescribing
For patients that remain the responsibility of primary care services, take the lead for the management of the patients journey on their care pathway, acting as the link for the patient between primary care and other services/ professionals
Recognise RED flags, serious pathology and potential underlying non-MSK related disease, that may present as MSK symptoms and to refer appropriately. When needed accelerate the patients referral to other health professionals/services
Provide expert advice and act as source of expertise in the management of musculoskeletal conditions and provide a specialist advisory service to patients, specialist physiotherapists other specialist healthcare professionals and members of the primary care team, including advising GPs on management of MSK conditions
Provide clear advice, instruction and teaching on aspects of management of a condition to patients, relatives, carers and other health professionals
Continually review and develop specialist clinical and diagnostic skills in response to service need
Be accountable for own decisions and actions via HCPC registration and professional standards
Service/Professional Leadership/Consultancy
Integrate the FCP role into the wider primary care team, proactively working with the primary care team to build robust relationships and integrate working practices.
Attending primary care strategic and practice level meetings to represent FCP/physiotherapy when appropriate.
Work collaboratively with the primary care team and also in partnership with business managers, professional managers and lead clinicians of secondary, community and other care providers to improve service delivery and meet the identified needs of the local patient population
Work with the primary care team, public health professionals and other agencies to introduce a strand of service provision that highlights preventative strategies for local populations, patient groups and individuals
Participate and lead in ensuring a professional culture of peer networking and support underpinned by active engagement in peer review and embracing evidence-based practice
Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of wider health, healthcare and social care agencies related to MSK conditions and physiotherapy
Review and develop organisational and service policies that support the maintenance of good clinical governance, manage risk and ensure patient safety is paramount
Take responsibility for the introduction, monitoring and review of service standards for MSK primary care services, including clinical, professional and service standards
Take forward operational change within primary care MSK services to deliver improvements in service standards.
When introducing change, be aware of and responsible for identifying and managing alternative/contradictory views expressed by services and specialist clinicians. For example, when negotiating and explaining proposals to change to service design, organisation and skill mix in primary care and related MSK services
Participate in or lead investigation into complaints and clinical errors/incidents when appropriate.
Education/Workforce Development
Provide and receive clinical supervision and be an active provider of mentoring and coaching of specialist clinicians from a range of disciplines
Provide and receive clinical supervision and be an active provider of mentoring and coaching of specialist clinicians from a range of disciplines
Maintain a professional portfolio of knowledge and skills, at advanced clinical practice level, through participation in internal and external development opportunities
Research and Evaluation
Promote the integration of evidence-based practice and national guidelines into own and local FCP MSK service practice. Use expert knowledge of evidence-based guidelines and national frameworks to influence the development of FCP services across the practice
Lead or participate in research and MDT research projects as appropriate.This may include participation in cross organisational research and audit programmes
Present and disseminate research and clinical audit findings across the practice and wider service providers as required.
Maintain and up-date audit and data derived from a range of data sets in order provide statistical reports on outcome measures and achievement of KPIs for a range of audiences
Use audit and research to develop and improve service guidelines, care protocols, delivery of triage services and referral pathways
Communication/Building Networks
Take the lead in communicating and influencing across the practice the benefits of the FCP role in primary care
Communicate effectively and appropriately with patients and carers, including:
a. explaining the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment choices available to manage multi-pathology and complex conditions
b. communicating limitations on treatment outcomes and managing expectations of patients with chronic or life limiting conditions
Job description
Job responsibilities
Be the first point of clinical contact for patients presenting with MSK conditions or symptoms, providing the patient with the primary assessment, diagnosis and management options for their condition
Use advanced clinical practice skills and clinical reasoning to provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment support to patients who present with complex musculoskeletal conditions and/or multiple pathologies and/or mental health and/or pain management needs
Be the link between primary, community and acute services, when the patient is managed via primary care ensuring an integrated care pathway for individual patients that meets their needs. This will include provision of triage to other services and/or directly providing management and advice
Lead on and develop effective communication between primary care services/GP practices and other relevant care providers
Initiate, develop, and maintain relationships with MDTs, orthopaedic and physiotherapy consultant teams in the community and acute settings.
Where appropriate, develop relationships with wider health and social care agencies, for example mental health teams, local authorities, third sector providers and patient groups
Provide leadership and support on MSK clinical and service development, alongside learning opportunities for the whole multi-disciplinary team (MDT) within primary care
Provide highly specialist advice on issues ranging from the provision of expert opinion on individual patient treatment options to be a primary contributor to MSK services and related pathway development.
Encourage collaborative working across the health economy and be a key contributor to the primary care networks providing leadership and support on MSK clinical and service development across the network
Work independently, without day-to-day supervision, to assess, diagnose, triage, and manage patients, taking responsibility for prioritising and managing a caseload of the practices registered patients
Work as part of an MDT in a patient facing role, using their expert knowledge of movement and function issues, to create stronger links for wider services through clinical leadership, teaching and evaluation
Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients, providing a range of first line treatment options including self-management, referral to rehabilitation focussed services and social prescribing
Make use of their full scope of practice, developing skills relating to independent prescribing, injection therapy and investigation to make professional judgements and decisions in unpredictable situations, including when provided with incomplete or contradictory information. Take responsibility for making and justifying these decisions
Manage complex interactions, including working with patients with psychosocial and mental health needs, referring onwards as required and including social prescribing when appropriate
Implement all aspects of effective clinical governance for own practice, including undertaking regular audit and evaluation, supervision and training
Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients through:
a. effective shared decision-making with a range of first line management options (appropriate for a patients level of activation)
b. assessing levels of Patient Activation to support a patients own level of knowledge, skills and confidence to self-manage their conditions, ensuring they can evaluate and improve the effectiveness of self-management interventions,particularly for those at low levels of activation
c. agreeing with patients appropriate support forself-management through referral to rehabilitation focussed services and wider social prescribing as appropriate
Clinical
Request and progress investigations (such as x-rays and blood tests) and referrals to facilitate the diagnosis and choice of treatment regime including, considering the limitations of these investigations, interpret and act on results and feedback to aid patients diagnoses and management plans and
Carry own caseload as an autonomous practitioner, providing direct clinical/ physiotherapeutic care for patients with a range of complex musculoskeletal conditions and who may have significant other primary or secondary conditions/multi-pathologies
Be able to decide when appropriate to use advanced clinical practice skills that may include:
a. joint/soft tissue injection therapy, including administration of prescription only medication [POM] to aid treatment.
b. joint aspirations
c. non-medical prescribing
Be able to clinically justify referral onto appropriate MSK pathways within the community or wider healthcare services. Including referral to the appropriate stage of the pathway and the use of social prescribing
For patients that remain the responsibility of primary care services, take the lead for the management of the patients journey on their care pathway, acting as the link for the patient between primary care and other services/ professionals
Recognise RED flags, serious pathology and potential underlying non-MSK related disease, that may present as MSK symptoms and to refer appropriately. When needed accelerate the patients referral to other health professionals/services
Provide expert advice and act as source of expertise in the management of musculoskeletal conditions and provide a specialist advisory service to patients, specialist physiotherapists other specialist healthcare professionals and members of the primary care team, including advising GPs on management of MSK conditions
Provide clear advice, instruction and teaching on aspects of management of a condition to patients, relatives, carers and other health professionals
Continually review and develop specialist clinical and diagnostic skills in response to service need
Be accountable for own decisions and actions via HCPC registration and professional standards
Service/Professional Leadership/Consultancy
Integrate the FCP role into the wider primary care team, proactively working with the primary care team to build robust relationships and integrate working practices.
Attending primary care strategic and practice level meetings to represent FCP/physiotherapy when appropriate.
Work collaboratively with the primary care team and also in partnership with business managers, professional managers and lead clinicians of secondary, community and other care providers to improve service delivery and meet the identified needs of the local patient population
Work with the primary care team, public health professionals and other agencies to introduce a strand of service provision that highlights preventative strategies for local populations, patient groups and individuals
Participate and lead in ensuring a professional culture of peer networking and support underpinned by active engagement in peer review and embracing evidence-based practice
Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of wider health, healthcare and social care agencies related to MSK conditions and physiotherapy
Review and develop organisational and service policies that support the maintenance of good clinical governance, manage risk and ensure patient safety is paramount
Take responsibility for the introduction, monitoring and review of service standards for MSK primary care services, including clinical, professional and service standards
Take forward operational change within primary care MSK services to deliver improvements in service standards.
When introducing change, be aware of and responsible for identifying and managing alternative/contradictory views expressed by services and specialist clinicians. For example, when negotiating and explaining proposals to change to service design, organisation and skill mix in primary care and related MSK services
Participate in or lead investigation into complaints and clinical errors/incidents when appropriate.
Education/Workforce Development
Provide and receive clinical supervision and be an active provider of mentoring and coaching of specialist clinicians from a range of disciplines
Provide and receive clinical supervision and be an active provider of mentoring and coaching of specialist clinicians from a range of disciplines
Maintain a professional portfolio of knowledge and skills, at advanced clinical practice level, through participation in internal and external development opportunities
Research and Evaluation
Promote the integration of evidence-based practice and national guidelines into own and local FCP MSK service practice. Use expert knowledge of evidence-based guidelines and national frameworks to influence the development of FCP services across the practice
Lead or participate in research and MDT research projects as appropriate.This may include participation in cross organisational research and audit programmes
Present and disseminate research and clinical audit findings across the practice and wider service providers as required.
Maintain and up-date audit and data derived from a range of data sets in order provide statistical reports on outcome measures and achievement of KPIs for a range of audiences
Use audit and research to develop and improve service guidelines, care protocols, delivery of triage services and referral pathways
Communication/Building Networks
Take the lead in communicating and influencing across the practice the benefits of the FCP role in primary care
Communicate effectively and appropriately with patients and carers, including:
a. explaining the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment choices available to manage multi-pathology and complex conditions
b. communicating limitations on treatment outcomes and managing expectations of patients with chronic or life limiting conditions
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- - BSc degree in Physiotherapy
- - Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
- - Can demonstrate working at Level 7 (within the ACP framework) capability in MSK related areas of practice or equivalent (such as advanced assessment diagnosis and treatment)
Desirable
- - Pre-reg MSc degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent
- - Completed or working towards a Supplementary Prescribing qualification
- - Non-medical prescribing qualification
Experience
Essential
- - significant leadership and experience in applying the physiotherapy process to include MSK assessment, interpretation, individual care planning, motivation, monitoring and evaluation of highly specialised MSK treatment
- - strong knowledge of Microsoft and GPIT systems, alongside prescribing data monitoring systems
- - experience of senior level decision making and delivery in a changing environment
- - experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders/providing leadership within the MSK pathway
- - ability to lead and manage change across own service and wider MDT team/services.
- - ability to integrate latest evidence-based practice into services and ability to use to lead change across a pathway/range of providers
- - able to understand and analyse complex issues and balance competing priorities to make difficult decisions
- - ability to analyse and interpret complex/ often incomplete information, pre-empt and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues
Desirable
- - working towards advanced clinical practitioner status
- - experience of supervision/ line management
- - experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders
- - strong knowledge of cognitive behavioural and motivational interviewing approaches / skills
- - experience of working within a primary care setting
- - evidence of working across organisational boundaries within health and social care
- - independent thinker with demonstrated good judgement, problem-solving and analytical skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- - BSc degree in Physiotherapy
- - Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
- - Can demonstrate working at Level 7 (within the ACP framework) capability in MSK related areas of practice or equivalent (such as advanced assessment diagnosis and treatment)
Desirable
- - Pre-reg MSc degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent
- - Completed or working towards a Supplementary Prescribing qualification
- - Non-medical prescribing qualification
Experience
Essential
- - significant leadership and experience in applying the physiotherapy process to include MSK assessment, interpretation, individual care planning, motivation, monitoring and evaluation of highly specialised MSK treatment
- - strong knowledge of Microsoft and GPIT systems, alongside prescribing data monitoring systems
- - experience of senior level decision making and delivery in a changing environment
- - experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders/providing leadership within the MSK pathway
- - ability to lead and manage change across own service and wider MDT team/services.
- - ability to integrate latest evidence-based practice into services and ability to use to lead change across a pathway/range of providers
- - able to understand and analyse complex issues and balance competing priorities to make difficult decisions
- - ability to analyse and interpret complex/ often incomplete information, pre-empt and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues
Desirable
- - working towards advanced clinical practitioner status
- - experience of supervision/ line management
- - experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders
- - strong knowledge of cognitive behavioural and motivational interviewing approaches / skills
- - experience of working within a primary care setting
- - evidence of working across organisational boundaries within health and social care
- - independent thinker with demonstrated good judgement, problem-solving and analytical skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Everest House Surgery
Address
Everest Way
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
HP2 4HY
Employer's website
Employer details
Employer name
Everest House Surgery
Address
Everest Way
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
HP2 4HY
Employer's website
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Details
Date posted
24 January 2026
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
Depending on experience
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time
Reference number
A0591-26-0005
Job locations
Everest Way
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
HP2 4HY