Merchiston Surgery

First Contact Physiotherapist

The closing date is 24 May 2025

Job summary

Hawthorn and Merchiston PCN are seeking an enthusiastic, highly specialised practitioner to join our growing and developing team in the support of the two GP Practices. As a 'newer' PCN we are reviewing services and continually seek improved ways of working to meet the needs of our patients. We are looking to employ a skilled physiotherapist that is passionate about giving the best care possible and therefore open to change and challenging current practice. If you think you are this person then please apply!

Main duties of the job

To work autonomously as a highly specialised practitioner working within our GP Practice, undertake clinical assessment and formulate pathways of care, acting in place of a medical GP.

Undertake advanced assessment of musculoskeletal patients as a first point of contact; diagnosing, giving advice on management and referring onto other services as appropriate. Including liaising with GP's regarding patients presenting with red flags or non-musculoskeletal conditions.

Arrange clinical investigations, including X-Rays, pathology tests, and others as indicated to ensure accurate diagnosis and safe and effective condition management.

About us

Hawthorn & Merchiston PCN covers two GP practices: Merchiston Surgery and Hawthorn Medical Centre. Combined, the two practices have a high patient number covering a significant catchment area throughout Swindon and towards the Oxfordshire border. This equates to a hugely diverse population group with a wide variety of medical conditions and needs. Meeting those needs requires a robust, dynamic and enthusiastic workforce.

Hawthorn Medical Centre has 13000 patients in Swindon and was this year rated "Good" by CQC. We are a successful training practice with previous trainees staying with us.

Merchiston Surgery is the larger Practice with a raw patient list of 13,500.We are a teaching practice with 2 Education Supervisors, 1 Clinical Supervisor, supporting 3 Trainee GPs. Rated excellent by the Swindon GP QA Panel for our trainee placement.

Across both surgeries we are friendly, supportive and hardworking; reflected by our shared values of caring for each other and our patients. We are committed to providing the highest quality of care for our patients and ensuring that our staff feel valued and motivated. There is a strong team ethos across the practices and have a friendly and relaxed working environment.

The Practices are currently supported by several ARRS roles employed by Hawthorn & Merchiston PCN:

Clinical Pharmacists

Pharmacy Technicians

First Contact Physiotherapists

Repeat Prescription Administrators

Details

Date posted

16 May 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£25 to £28 an hour

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A5777-25-0010

Job locations

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Hawthorn Medical Centre

May Close

Swindon

SN2 1UU


Job description

Job responsibilities

Job responsibilities

To work as a highly experienced, autonomous practitioner, to perform an advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse and complex presentations and where appropriate against a competency level to work in an extended role.

To use advanced clinical reasoning to provide a diagnosis and develop, deliver and adapt individualised treatment programmes which may include, for example, requesting, interpreting and acting upon radiology and pathology tests and listing and consenting for surgery and referral on to others.

To be responsible for organising and planning own and other physiotherapy staff caseloads to meet service and patient priorities, readjusting plans as situations or changes arise and to provide specialist physiotherapy reports as requested.

To lead, develop and implement monitoring and evaluation of treatment in order to measure progress and outcomes to ensure effectiveness of interventions and service delivery at a highly specialised level.

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and hold responsibility for own caseload for a highly specialist area of the service.

To develop and lead robust effective communication with all general practice and Joint Therapies staff and other relevant agencies i.e. GPs and other medical staff, nursing staff, social care staff, carers and service users etc. and support other physiotherapy staff to

Communicate effectively and efficiently to ensure optimised patient care.

To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with the Practices Professional Standards and to ensure that all relevant clinical information is communicated securely and efficiently to the relevant GP practice to provide seamless patient care.

To be responsible for and lead others in maintaining stock of equipment and materials and advising on resources to carry out the job and to use correct procedures relating to the safe and competent use, issue and retrieval of equipment, including the prescription of equipment and aids as required.

To critically evaluate current research and apply to practice and demonstrate an understanding and application of national and local guidelines, evidence based practice, and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on service provision.

To initiate coordinate and undertake physiotherapy audit and disseminate at local/regional/national level and identify and perform clinical governance activities and participate in the quality agenda and continuous service improvement as required. To actively pursue development opportunities for practice and service delivery, policy implementation and lead specific projects within specific area of practice

To maintain a professional portfolio for CPD recording learning outcomes through participation in internal and external development opportunities and to demonstrate acquired highly specialist skills and knowledge of professional practice in order to maintain fitness to practice as an advanced physiotherapist and to work within department and trust policies and relevant professional body codes of conduct and policy.

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.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job responsibilities

To work as a highly experienced, autonomous practitioner, to perform an advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse and complex presentations and where appropriate against a competency level to work in an extended role.

To use advanced clinical reasoning to provide a diagnosis and develop, deliver and adapt individualised treatment programmes which may include, for example, requesting, interpreting and acting upon radiology and pathology tests and listing and consenting for surgery and referral on to others.

To be responsible for organising and planning own and other physiotherapy staff caseloads to meet service and patient priorities, readjusting plans as situations or changes arise and to provide specialist physiotherapy reports as requested.

To lead, develop and implement monitoring and evaluation of treatment in order to measure progress and outcomes to ensure effectiveness of interventions and service delivery at a highly specialised level.

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and hold responsibility for own caseload for a highly specialist area of the service.

To develop and lead robust effective communication with all general practice and Joint Therapies staff and other relevant agencies i.e. GPs and other medical staff, nursing staff, social care staff, carers and service users etc. and support other physiotherapy staff to

Communicate effectively and efficiently to ensure optimised patient care.

To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with the Practices Professional Standards and to ensure that all relevant clinical information is communicated securely and efficiently to the relevant GP practice to provide seamless patient care.

To be responsible for and lead others in maintaining stock of equipment and materials and advising on resources to carry out the job and to use correct procedures relating to the safe and competent use, issue and retrieval of equipment, including the prescription of equipment and aids as required.

To critically evaluate current research and apply to practice and demonstrate an understanding and application of national and local guidelines, evidence based practice, and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on service provision.

To initiate coordinate and undertake physiotherapy audit and disseminate at local/regional/national level and identify and perform clinical governance activities and participate in the quality agenda and continuous service improvement as required. To actively pursue development opportunities for practice and service delivery, policy implementation and lead specific projects within specific area of practice

To maintain a professional portfolio for CPD recording learning outcomes through participation in internal and external development opportunities and to demonstrate acquired highly specialist skills and knowledge of professional practice in order to maintain fitness to practice as an advanced physiotherapist and to work within department and trust policies and relevant professional body codes of conduct and policy.

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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Essential
  • Degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent
  • HCPC Registration
  • Post-graduate training to Masters level or equivalent.

Desirable

  • Completion of FCP portfolio or taught Road Map programme
  • Hold current IRMER training and competency for requesting X-ray investigations.
  • Membership of professional body and specialist interest group.

Experience

Essential

  • Essential
  • Minimum 5 years post graduate experience with at least 2 years at specialist MSK level.
  • Sound evidence of CPD and reflective practice.
  • Audit and/or research skills.
  • Excellent group working and team working skills.
  • Sound knowledge of current best practice in specialist physiotherapy area.
  • Knowledge of professional ethics and their application in practice.
  • Knowledge and application of the principles of clinical governance.
  • Sound knowledge and understanding of health, safety and risk management.
  • Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance and that of others.
  • Good interpersonal and organisational skills.
  • Developed analytical and problem solving skills.

Desirable

  • Desirable
  • Supervisory skills and/or first line management experience.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Essential
  • Degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent
  • HCPC Registration
  • Post-graduate training to Masters level or equivalent.

Desirable

  • Completion of FCP portfolio or taught Road Map programme
  • Hold current IRMER training and competency for requesting X-ray investigations.
  • Membership of professional body and specialist interest group.

Experience

Essential

  • Essential
  • Minimum 5 years post graduate experience with at least 2 years at specialist MSK level.
  • Sound evidence of CPD and reflective practice.
  • Audit and/or research skills.
  • Excellent group working and team working skills.
  • Sound knowledge of current best practice in specialist physiotherapy area.
  • Knowledge of professional ethics and their application in practice.
  • Knowledge and application of the principles of clinical governance.
  • Sound knowledge and understanding of health, safety and risk management.
  • Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance and that of others.
  • Good interpersonal and organisational skills.
  • Developed analytical and problem solving skills.

Desirable

  • Desirable
  • Supervisory skills and/or first line management experience.

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

Merchiston Surgery

Address

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Merchiston Surgery

Address

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

PCN Manager

Kerry Beckhelling

kerry.beckhelling1@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

16 May 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£25 to £28 an hour

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A5777-25-0010

Job locations

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Hawthorn Medical Centre

May Close

Swindon

SN2 1UU


Privacy notice

Merchiston Surgery's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)