First Contact Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

Clinical

- 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 advance clinical practice skills and clinical reasoning to provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment support 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.

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 managed as part of own caseload 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 potential underlying non-MSK related disease and conditions that 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 focused 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. Service/Professional Leadership/Consultancy

- Plan and organise the FCP service efficiently, ensuring delivery in-line with service expectations.

- Integrate the FCP role into the wider primary care team, proactively working with the primary care team to build robust relationships and integrate working practices. Attending primary care strategic and practice level meetings to represent FCP/physiotherapy when appropriate.

- Contribute to the development of referral guidelines for MSK and MSK related conditions from primary care to other NHS services that will direct referrals to other primary care services, community, secondary and tertiary [specialist] services.

- Work with other specialists to support the development of MSK pathways across the primary care network. This may include contributing to pathways that are not primary MSK pathways, but which have MSK interventions along the pathway.

- Work with the primary care team to support preventative strategies for local populations, patient groups and individuals.

- Participate in peer networking and support underpinned by active engagement in peer review and embracing evidence-based practice.

- Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of wider health, healthcare and social care agencies related to MSK conditions and physiotherapy.

- Contribute to organisational and service policies that support the maintenance of good clinical governance, manage risk and ensure patient safety is paramount. Be responsible for identifying and reporting any risk/clinical governance issues in the FCP service.

- Contribute to monitoring and review of service standards for MSK primary care services. Including established clinical, professional and service standards.

- Be aware of and able to demonstrate how the FCP role contributes to the achievement of key performance indicators [KPIs] for MSK primary care services. Identifying where own FCP role is supporting delivery of KPIs.

- Work within the FCP service, contributing to the development of musculoskeletal physiotherapy and related services across the healthcare economy.

- Participate in/support investigations into complaints and clinical errors/incidents when appropriate.

Education/Workforce Development

- Be responsible for leading and developing education and training of specialist physiotherapists up-to post graduate level to support the development of advanced clinical practice skills and knowledge within the wider physiotherapy workforce.

- Provide training and supervision, some of which maybe to postgraduate level, for specialist primary care professionals, including GPs in order for them to develop specialist MSK patient referral and management skills.

- Provide and receive clinical supervision and be an active provider of mentoring and coaching of specialist clinicians from a range of disciplines.

- Maintain a professional portfolio of advanced clinical practice knowledge and skills through participation in internal and external development opportunities.

Research and Evaluation

- To initiate, design and evaluate an audit strategy and tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the FCP MSK services in collaboration with the primary care MDT.

- Promote and lead the integration of evidence-based practice and national guidelines into own and local FCP MSK service practice. Use expert knowledge of evidence- based guidelines and national frameworks to influence the development of FCP services within the primary care team

- Lead or participate in research and MDT research projects as appropriate. This may include participation in cross organisational research and audit programmes.

- Present and disseminate research and clinical audit findings to the primary care team. Providing analysis of local and national data sets to illustrate service improvements and to promote service change.

- To maintain and up-date audit and data derived from a range of data sets in order provide statistical reports on outcome measures and achievement of KPIs for a range of audiences.

- Use audit and research to develop and improve service guidelines, care protocols, delivery of triage services and referral pathways. Communication/Building Networks

- Promote and explain the FCP role and what it can deliver to a range of audiences including patient groups, individual patients and other primary care team members, including GPs.

- Communicate effectively and appropriately with patients and their carers. This will include explaining the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment choices available to manage multi-pathology and complex conditions. It will also involve communicating limitations on treatment outcomes and managing expectations of patients with chronic or life limiting conditions.

Qualifications

Essential

• - BSc degree in Physiotherapy
• - Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
• - 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
• - Completed or working towards a Supplementary Prescribing qualification
• - Non-medical prescribing qualification

Experience

Essential

• Knowledge
• - 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, alongside prescribing data monitoring systems
• - Experience of contributing to and service delivery/evolving evidence led practice and delivery in a changing environment
• - Ability to demonstrate leadership when introducing change.
• Analytical skills
• - Able to understand and analyse complex issues and balance competing priorities in order to make difficult clinical decisions.
• - Support individual patient care by an ability to analyse and interpret complex clinical/ often incomplete information, pre-empt and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues

Desirable

• Knowledge
• - Working towards advanced clinical practitioner status
• - Previous supervisory experience
• - Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders
• - Cognitive behavioural and motivational interviewing approaches / skills
• Analytical skills
• - Experience of working within a primary care setting
• - Evidence of working across organisational boundaries within health and social care
• - Independent thinker with demonstrated good judgement, problem-solving and analytical skills

Skills

Essential

• Communication skills
• - Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills
• - Ability to evidence a sound understanding of the NHS principles and values
• - Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to influence and persuade others articulating a balanced view and able to constructively question information
• Personal attributes & abilities
• - Ability to co-ordinate and prioritise workloads able to multi-task as well as be self-disciplined and highly motivated
• - Demonstrates a flexible approach in order to ensure patient care is delivered

Desirable

• Communication skills
• - Evidence of inspiring and motivating teams with the ability to communicate passionately, effectively.
• - Ability to negotiate effectively within the MDT or across a range of services/providers.
• Personal attributes & abilities
• - High degree of personal credibility, emotional intelligence, patience and flexibility
• - Ability to cope with unpredictable situations
• - Confident in facilitating and challenging others

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).