First Contact Physiotherapists

Job description

Job responsibilities

To 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.

Independently request diagnostic tests including routine and specialist x-rays, MRI imaging, ultrasound scans and blood and other pathology tests. Interpret the results alongside traditional physiotherapeutic assessment techniques and non-clinical information to aid clinical diagnosis and decisions on potential treatment options/clinical interventions.

Carry own caseload as an autonomous practitioner, providing direct clinical/physiotherapeutic care for patients with a range of complex musculo-skeletal conditions and who may have significant other primary or secondary conditions/multipathologies.

Be able to decide when appropriate to use advanced clinical practice skills that may include:

Joint/soft tissue injection therapy, including administration of prescription only medication [POM] to aid treatment.

Joint aspirations

Non-medical prescribing

Use professional judgement and advanced clinical reasoning skills to make decisions about safe and effective patient care in unpredictable situations, including when there is incomplete/contradictory information.

To be able to work autonomously as a lone practitioner.

Be able to demonstrate understanding of the impact of physiotherapeutic interventions on existing conditions and treatment programmes e.g. podiatric treatment, drug therapies, etc. Ensuring physiotherapy interventions are integrated and supportive of the whole treatment aims promoting a holistic approach to condition management.

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.

Be able to justify clinically referrals to other specialist services. This will include referral to acute and specialist services such as surgical orthopaedics, rheumatology and neurology, other AHP services, nursing services and to the primary care medical teams. This requires advanced knowledge of the role of other specialist health professionals.

An ability to recognise RED flags, serious pathology and potential underlying nonMSK related disease, that may present as MSK symptoms and to refer appropriately. When needed accelerate the patients referral to other health professionals/services.

Work in partnership with the patient at all times to attain maximum participation in treatment programmes. This will include working with patients from diverse social background and cultures and understanding how this will affect treatment proposals and models. Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients:

Use effective shared decision making with a range of first line management options (appropriate for the persons level of activation)

Assess levels of Patient Activation to confirm levels of knowledge, skills and confidence to self-manage

Agree appropriate support for self-management through referral to rehabilitation focussed services and social prescribing provision.

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 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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc degree in Physiotherapy
• registered with the Health and Care Professional Council
• 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

• MSc degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent
• non-medical prescribing qualification or be prepared to undertake this course

Experience

Essential

• Experience in applying the physiotherapy process to include
• MSK assessment, interpretation, individual care planning,
• motivation, monitoring and evaluation of highly specialized
• MSK treatment
• Working knowledge of Microsoft and GPIT systems,

Desirable

• Experience of working in a GP 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).

Employer details

Employer name

The Grange Practice

Address

The Montefoire Medical Centre

Dumpton Park Drive

Ramsgate

Kent

CT11 8AD

Employer's website

https://www.thegrangepracticeramsgate.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)