Advanced Musculoskeletal First Contact Practitioner

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

The post holder will demonstrate expert clinical skills in the assessment, diagnosis and initial treatment of musculoskeletal conditions including patients with long-term conditions, comorbidities and multi-factorial needs.

Duties of the post holder:

To work at expert level in the assessment of spinal pain and musculoskeletal conditions with a high level of autonomy with the ability to differentiate presentations that may masquerade as musculoskeletal.

To be responsible for triage, of all orthopaedic, rheumatology, neurosurgical and pain referrals from primary care, ensuring rapid prioritisation and provision of appointments and to take responsibility for appropriate routing and discharging patients from care.

Based on comprehensive assessment, to make high level clinical decisions on the most appropriate care pathway for patients referred to the service through use of expert knowledge and liaison with other key professionals. This will be informed by the urgency and severity of patient need, patient acuity and dependency, and the most appropriate deployment of resources.

To take professional responsibility as a first contact physiotherapist, with high level decision making and clinical reasoning skills to assess, diagnose and triage a range of, including highly complex conditions.

To streamline pathways of care by providing a responsive service so that patients receive timely access to care.

To involve patients in decision making and to support patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management.

To provide care that 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).

To demonstrate highly developed, specialist understanding of the biopsychosocial model of patient care and implement this model in the early intervention phase for patients.

To work as a lone practitioner as required and be highly confident in clinical skills and knowledge.

To ensure care is proactive, preventative in focus and population based, with an emphasis on early intervention.

To communicate effectively and appropriately with patients highly complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology and prognosis; there may be significant barriers to acceptance.

To prescribe diagnostic tests including radiology and pathology following period of training.

To use a range of clinical skills which may include:Non-medical Independent prescribingJoint/soft tissue injectionsnon-pharmacological solutions

To interpret clinical diagnosis and prognosis for patients with highly complex problems which may include the appropriate recommendation of intervention outside the scope of physiotherapy

To develop a support system with other professionals in similar fields.

To use outcome measures as part of their clinical approach.

To provide learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care and act as an expert available to other professions seeking guidance on the management of musculoskeletal conditions.

To exercise professional judgement and manage risk, making, justifying and taking responsibility for decisions in unpredictable situations, including in the context of incomplete or contradictory information.

To manage 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.

To maintain accurate records.

To communicate effectively highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, using a variety of methods, with all service users, members of the team and those outside the service.

To communicate investigation results to patients which may include breaking bad news regarding diagnoses and be distressing for the patient and staff.

MANAGERIAL

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

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

To lead primary care activity, with a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention, including through the delivery of public health advice (e.g. relating to physical activity, weight management and smoking cessation).

To 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.

To act as a source of expertise on the management of patients withneuro-musculoskeletal conditions to primary health care practitioners, consultants and senior physiotherapists.

To provide specialist musculoskeletal advice to all physiotherapy staff, GPs, Consultants and other health professionals involved in patient care.

To contribute to the development of primary care teams, including through contributing to others' learning.

To lead, manage and contribute to service delivery.

To develop and streamline clinical pathways of care within the specialist field of MSK.

To provide a highly responsive service so that patients receive timely access to care.

To represent the physiotherapy service on relevant committees and meetings, as a lead physiotherapy clinician, provide input in relation to specialist issues and clinical matters as required.

To support the team manager, operational manager and head of service in interpreting complex clinical issues and advising regarding the clinical aspect of complex complaint responses.

To understand and contribute to the workplace vision and improve quality within limitations of the service.

To review last years progress and develop clear plans and goals to achieve results within priorities set by others.

To assist in the development and implementation of innovative practices that are evidence based, influencing national and local standards of care.

To manage and oversee the workload of less experienced qualified and unqualified staff.

Qualifications

Essential

• Completion of an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy, and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
• Able to demonstrate in practice portfolio experience in core physiotherapy and MSK physiotherapy
• Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
• MSc or equivalent education

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Specialist knowledge in a broad range of MSK conditions
• Post qualification experience in a range of settings including musculoskeletal out -patient setting.
• Experience of teaching and presenting.
• Previous experience in a musculoskeletal triage role
• Able to apply a high level of knowledge and skills in a clinical setting
• Evidence of knowledge of audit and research
• Evidence of supervision and clinical education of students or less experienced staff
• To demonstrate understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service
• To demonstrate full understanding of the biopsychosocial model and its implementation
• To fully understand the role of diagnostics
• To demonstrate understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation
• To demonstrate understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice
• To demonstrates the ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol
• To follow professional and organisational policies/ procedures relating to performance management

Values

Essential

• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability
• Respectfulness
• Enthusiasm
• Support
• High professional standards
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Strong customer service belief
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented

Skills

Essential

• Able to present information written and orally in a clear and logical manner
• To use a range of clinical skills which may include Non-Medical independent prescribing, joint / soft tissue injections, joint aspirations
• Demonstrates ability to identify where there is a gap in the evidence base to support practice
• Presentation skills at local level
• Demonstrates involvement in research and or the ability to apply the research evidence base into working practice
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills
• Leadership skills
• Basic IT skills
• Operate as a full member of the primary care team, including contributing to leadership, service evaluation/improvement and research activity
• Able to manage and co-ordinate the care that individual patients receive, including through liaising with other members of the MDT and with patients' carers
• Lead primary care activity, with a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention, including through the delivery of public health advice (e.g. relating to physical activity, weight management and smoking cessation)
• 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
• Contribute to the development of primary care teams, including through contributing to others' learning

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).