First Contact Physio (FCP)

Job description

Job responsibilities

a. work independently, without day to day supervision, to assess, diagnose, triage, and manage patients, taking responsibility for prioritising and managing a caseload of the PCNs Registered Patients;

b. receive patients who self-refer (where systems permit) or from a clinical professional within the PCN, and where required refer to other health professionals within the PCN;

c. work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient facing role, using yourexpert knowledge of movement and function issues, to create stronger links for wider services through clinical leadership, teaching and evaluation;

d. develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients, providing a range of first line treatment options including self-management, referral to rehabilitation focused services and social prescribing;

e. make use of your 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.

f. communicate effectively with patients, and their carers where applicable, complex and sensitive information regarding diagnoses, pathology, prognosis and treatment choices supporting personalised care;

g. implement all aspects of effective clinical governance for own practice, including undertaking regular audit and evaluation, supervision and training;

h. develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients through:effective shared decision-making with a range of first line management options (appropriate for a patients level of activation); assessing levels of patient activation to support a patients own level of knowledge, skills and confidence to self-manage their conditions, ensuring they are able to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of self-management interventions, particularly for those at low levels of activation; agreeing with patients appropriate support for self-management through referral to rehabilitation focussed services and wider social prescribing as appropriate; and designing and implementing plans that facilitate behavioural change, optimise patients physical activity and mobility, support fulfilment of personal goals and independence, and reduce the need for pharmacological interventions;

i. 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

j. be accountable for decisions and actions via Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration, supported by a professional Network contract DES: Contract specification 2025/26 culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence-based practice.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree/Diploma in Physiotherapy
• HCPC Registration
• FCP Roadmap
• Evidence of CPD including specialism specific postgraduate courses
• a Masters Level qualification or the equivalent specialist knowledge,
• skills and experience

Desirable

• Independent prescribing qualification
• Injection therapy qualification

Skills and Ability

Essential

• Able to carry out manual therapy interventions and administer MSK practice interventions
• Able to undertake therapeutic handling of patients, including those who are heavily dependent physically
• Physically fit and able to comply with Practice Manual Handling Guidelines
• Skills in shared decision making
• Able to work autonomously
• Advanced communication and interpersonal skills
• Remain calm, exercising good judgement whilst under pressure

Desirable

• Experience of working in General Practice
• Experience of clinical IT systems (EMIS)

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrates current advanced postgraduate knowledge, evidence based practice and experience within the Physiotherapy Services MSK Specialism
• Understanding of professional ethics and their application in practice
• Knowledge of current NHS and professional issues and their relevance to the service and adult and child safeguarding
• High level assessment skills, clinical reasoning and management planning for patients with complex needs
• Ability to see both Peripheral and Spinal MSK patients
• Ability to implement outcome measures and incorporate current validated EBP within professional practice

Desirable

• Knowledge of pathology and blood tests used in MSK
• An understanding of the patients perspective of NHS healthcare

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

Northgate Practice

Address

Anchor Meadow Health Centre

Westfield Drive

Aldridge Walsall

West Midlands

WS9 8AJ

Employer's website

https://www.northgatepractice.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)