MSK First Contact Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Provide clinical expertise, acting as a first contact physiotherapist and making decisions about the best course of action for patients' care (including in relation to undifferentiated conditions). This will involve seeing patients, without prior contact with their GP, in order to establish a rapid and accurate diagnosis and management plan.

Progress and request investigations to facilitate diagnosis and choice of treatment regime, understanding the information limitations derived from these and the relative sensitivity and specificity of particular tests diagnostic services such as x-rays and blood test, and interpret and act on results to aid diagnosis and the management plans of patients.

Deliver programmes of supported patient self-management, in ways that facilitate behavioural change, optimise individuals' physical activity, mobility, fulfilment of personal goals and independence, and that minimise the need for pharmacological interventions.

Key tasks

1. Takes professional responsibility as a first contact physiotherapist, with high-level decision-making and clinical-reasoning skills to assess, diagnose and triage of patients.

2. Works with the team and contributes to service delivery.

3. Accountable for decisions and actions via HCPC registration, supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence-based practice.

4. Streamlines pathway of care by providing a responsive service so that patients receive timely access to care.

5. Ensures care is proactive, preventive in focus and population based, with an emphasis on early intervention.

6. Provides care which is tailored to the individual needs. This would include, appraising the impact of individuals' clinical status on their general health, well-being, employment status (including in relation to function, physical activity, mobility and independence).

7. Supports patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management.

8. Communicates effectively and appropriately with patients and carers complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology and prognosis.

9. Uses a range of clinical skills which may include a) non-medical independent prescribing b) joint / soft tissue injections c) joint aspirations.

10. Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care.

11. Works with MDT to develop more effective and streamlined clinical pathways and services.

12. Exercises professional judgement, making, justifying and taking responsibility for decisions in unpredictable situations, including in the context of incomplete/contradictory information.

13. Manages interactions in complex situations, including with individuals with particular psychosocial and mental health needs and with colleagues across the primary care team, sectors and settings.

General tasks

Expert Professional Practice

1. 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.

2. Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision.

3. 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.

4. Integrates a broad range of interventions into practice, including injection therapy and independent prescribing, while also promoting non-pharmacological solutions to patient care.

5. 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.

6. Involves patients in decision making and supporting adherence as per NICE guidance.

7. 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.

8. Able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct.

Collaborative Working Relationships

1. Operate as a full member of the primary care team, including contributing to leadership, service evaluation/improvement and research activity.

2. Manage and co-ordinate the care that individual patients receive, including through liaising with other members of the MDT and with patients' carers.

3. 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.

4. Contribute to the development of primary care teams.

5. Demonstrates understanding of the physiotherapy role in governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace.

6. Demonstrates understanding of, and contributes to, the workplace vision.

7. Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service.

8. Reviews last years progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others.

9. Demonstrates ability to motivate self to achieve goals.

10. Demonstrates understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service.

11. Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation.

12. Demonstrates understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice.

13. Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol.

14. Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management.

15. Assists Team Leaders in the efficient day to day management of the musculoskeletal service.

Education, Learning and Development

1. Understands and demonstrates the characteristics of a role model to members in the team and/or service.

2. Demonstrates understanding of the mentorship process.

3. Demonstrates ability to conduct teaching and assessment effectively according to a learning plan with supervision from a more experienced colleague.

4. Demonstrates self-development through continuous professional development activity.

5. Participates in the delivery of formal education programmes.

6. Demonstrates an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice.

7. Designs, develops and delivers programmes of specialised learning in line with evidence-based practice to peers and junior staff.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of sound post-registration professional practice
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to the clinical area at a specialist level of care
• Experience of multi-agency/professional working
• Experience of complex case load management within specialist service area
• Evidence of promoting/supporting active patient/relative involvement/participation
• 2 years post grad experience working in MSK

Qualifications

Essential

• Current HCPC professional registration
• Post Graduate Diploma in relevant specialist area or Professional qualification to Degree level supplemented by specialist accredited training and experience in specialist field(s) equivalent to post graduate diploma level

Desirable

• Leadership qualification/equivalent experience if required
• Teaching qualification or equivalent presentation skills/training experience

Knowledge

Essential

• Full understanding of relevant policy, legislation and guidance relevant to clinical and service area
• Full understanding/application of relevant clinical practice/standards/audit within identified clinical area
• Specialist understanding of relevant clinical practice, standards and protocols within identified clinical area.
• Evidence of undertaking audits/surveys
• Good IT skills

Desirable

• Member of specialist interest group/network, locally or regionally
• Develop to advanced/expert understanding of relevant clinical practice, standards and protocols within identified clinical area
• Experience of working clinically with SystmOne & EMIS Web

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Effective inter-personal skills and experience in supervising and mentoring
• Possess effective leadership skills
• Able to demonstrate effective communication skills and work flexibly within the team/service
• Good time management and organisational skills
• Work within the culture of improving working lives and working time directive
• Ability to demonstrate ethical values and attitudes within a culture of equality and diversity
• Ability to motivate staff to embrace change

Effort and Environment

Essential

• Ability to effectively commute between the networks various sites
• Occasional to moderate sitting in a restricted position, manoeuvring therapy equipment and or patients, active physical movement
• Requirement for frequent concentration e.g. assessments, group/individual therapy sessions, where work is predictable
• Occasional to frequent exposure to emotional or distressing circumstances
• Occasional to frequent exposure to hazards e.g. verbal aggression, bodily fluids

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).