FCP & Clinical Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

ROLE SUMMARY

Operational

1. Takes professional responsibility as a First Contact Practitioner and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, with high-level decision-making and clinical-reasoning skills to assess, diagnose and triage of patients.
2. Manages a complex caseload (including patients with long-term conditions, co-morbidities and multi-factorial needs).
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. Ensures care is proactive, preventive in focus and population based, with an emphasis on early intervention.
5. 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 and employment status.
6. Communicates effectively and appropriately with patients and carers complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology and prognosis.
7. Uses a range of clinical skills which may include:-
8. non-medical independent prescribing
9. joint / soft tissue injections
10. Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi-disciplinary team (MDT) within primary care.
11. To use specialist knowledge to refer to other clinicians as appropriate e.g. orthopaedics, podiatrists, rheumatologists, and neurologist.
12. 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.
13. Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation.
14. Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve and escalate risk and issues according to IMSKS and or Trust policy/protocol.
15. To ensure delivery of IMSKS FCP KPIs and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Service KPIs, inclusive of PROMS for monthly reporting.

Professional

1. Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of patients in your care .To work within Professional and Clinical codes of contact.
2. Undertake evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidence based practice, audit and outcome measures.
3. To keep up to date with clinical developments, analysing current research and discussing and implementing changes in clinical practice accordingly.
4. Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general MSK care programmes for patients in core areas, including disease states / long term conditions identified by local Needs Assessment.
5. Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. To 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.
9. Involves patients in decision making and supporting adherence in line with current guidance.

Communication Skills/ working Relationships

1. Is able to communicate sensitive and complex information to patient, carer and other professionals in order to gain cooperation for the best possible treatment programme for patients presenting with complex and/or multi-pathological issues.
2. Uses highly developed engagement, motivation and reassurance skills to maximize the cooperation of the individual in order to ensure the successful outcome of each selected treatment management programme.
3. To ensure dissemination of current research developments, evidence based practice and best practice guidelines.
4. To provide appropriate assessment, diagnostic and treatment management plan to patient and/or carer, discharge information to GPs and referral information to secondary care as required, be accurate, efficient and succinct.
5. To develop and maintain close working relationships and communication with the multidisciplinary team and other referral sources in order to maximise the effectiveness of the FCP/ Physiotherapy role and ensure highest levels of patient care.
6. Operate as a full member of the primary care team and IMSKS, including contributing to, service evaluation/improvement and research and audit activity.
7. Contribute to the development of primary care teams.
8. Act as a source of MSK clinical expertise to the physiotherapy team, GP and Primary Care team.

Education & Research

1. To maintain and further develop own expert knowledge of current practice and evidence based practice developments within the field of musculoskeletal physiotherapy, with a view to incorporating them into practice.
2. To be committed to continuous professional development, providing evidence of this and reflective practice/ learning in the form of a portfolio/diary.
3. To deliver training, as required, to other staff groups on the management of common musculoskeletal disorders either in a group or on an individual basis.
4. As clinical supervisor and educator, designs, develops and delivers programmes of specialised learning in line with evidence based practice. to peers and junior staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide clinical expertise; as First Contact Practitioner (FCP) and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist for patients presenting in primary care with a MSK condition and for patients' care, including contact with their GP, in order to establish a rapid and accurate diagnosis and management plan. Involving highly specialised triage skills and advanced assessment skills.
2. As an First Contact Practitioner (FCP) progress and request investigations to facilitate diagnosis and most appropriate treatment/intervention employing the principles of shared decision making understanding the information limitations derived from these and the relative sensitivity and specificity of particular diagnostic tests including X-rays ,MRI, USS, EMG and blood tests, and interpret and act on results to aid diagnosis and the management plans of patients.
3. 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.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES

In addition to the above duties you will also be expected to perform the below key activities in line with your job role;

- Complete mandatory training in line with Trust policy and procedures

- To participate in the staff appraisal process and to undertake for any staff you manage

- To keep yourself updated on all matters relating to Trust policy

- To provide management supervision where appropriate

Person Specification

Essential and Desirable

Essential

• HCPC Registration

Desirable

• NHS Experience > 3 years Band 6 Physiotherapist (NB this is only a guide)
• Previous experience working as a First Contact Practitioner

Essential and Desirable

Essential

• Evidence of assessing and treating MSK patients

Desirable

• Evidence of attending recent MSK courses
• Experience of ordering imaging and investigations

Essential and Desirable

Essential

• Experience of supervising Band 5/6 staff

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Margaret's Hospital

The Plain

Epping

CM16 6TN

Employer's website

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