First Contact Physiotherapist (Primary Care)

Job responsibilities

Main duties of the job

The post holder is expected to be able to work at an advanced clinical level as an autonomous practitioner to triage patients presenting with FCP presentations. You will be expected to be able to accurately diagnose FCP/MSK issues as well as screen for sinister pathologies. Patient management includes promotion of self-management or referral to secondary care services for ongoing investigations or management. You will be supported by a well-established team including an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner and designated GP.

Qualifications

Essential

• Person Specification
• Qualifications
• Essential
• Completion of an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy, and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
• Able to demonstrate in practice portfolio experience in core physiotherapy and MSK physiotherapy
• Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
• Desirable
• May hold or be working towards a prescribing qualification, joint injections.
• May hold or be working towards a postgraduate physiotherapy qualification
• Experience
• Essential
• Demonstrates general physiotherapy skills and knowledge in core areas
• Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general physiotherapy care programmes for patients in core areas, including disease states / long term conditions identified by local Needs Assessment.
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision.
• Exercise a critical understanding of personal scope of practice and to identify when a patient needs referring on and where there are opportunities for developing the scope and competence of the wider MDT to meet patient care needs.
• Integrates a broad range of interventions into practice, including injection therapy and independent prescribing, while also promoting non-pharmacological solutions to patient care.
• Through patient assessment and working in partnership with patients and their carers, make decisions about the best pathway of care, informed by the urgency and severity of patient need, patient acuity and dependency, and the most appropriate deployment of resources
• Manage risk in unpredictable, uncertain situations to uphold patient safety, including by referring on to other primary care team members and to specialist services, as needed.
• Able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct.
• Involves patients in decision making and supporting adherence as per NICE guidance.
• Working relationships and training
• Essential
• Operate as a full member of the primary care team, including contributing to leadership, service evaluation/improvement and research activity.
• Manage and co-ordinate the care that individual patients receive, including through liaising with other members of the MDT and with patients' carers.
• Lead primary care activity, with a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention, including through the delivery of public health advice (e.g. relating to physical activity, weight management and smoking cessation) .
• Contribute to the use of healthcare technologies to optimise the integration of service delivery (across teams, sectors and settings) and patients access and continuity of care.
• Contribute to the development of primary care teams, including through contributing to others' learning.
• Demonstrates understanding of the physiotherapy role in governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace.
• Demonstrates understanding of, and contributes to, the workplace vision.
• Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation.
• Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service
• Reviews last years progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others. Demonstrates ability to motivate self to achieve goals.
• Demonstrates understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice.
• Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol.
• Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management.
• Represents the physiotherapy service on relevant committees and meetings, as a lead physiotherapy clinician, provide input in relation to specialist issues and clinical matters as required.
• Assists Team Leaders in the efficient day to day management of the musculoskeletal service.
• Demonstrates understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and /or service.
• Understands and demonstrates the characteristics of a role model to members in the team and/or service.
• Demonstrates understanding of the mentorship process.
• Demonstrates self-development through continuous professional development activity.
• Participates in the delivery of formal education programmes.
• Demonstrates an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice.

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).