Job summary
We at Connect
Health are delighted to be growing our team of talented clinicians and are
excited to be able to offer a clinical academic opportunity. This is a
full-time role that combines clinical practice in a Tier 2 MSK Interface
clinic, with protected time to complete funded-PhD studies as a part-time
student with the University of Essex to complete a PhD Musculoskeletal
Practice.
This post can be based in any of our listed locations, including
Hammersmith and Fulham, North Kirklees, Nottingham, South West Essex, Manchester and
Wakefield. The clinical practice element of the role is face to face and the
study element is remote with occasional reimbursed travel.
Working within a Tier 2
MSK Interface clinic requires the candidate to be able to demonstrate
capability across the four pillars of Advanced Practice. You will be expected
to contribute to educational activity within our Clinical Academy and provide
leadership within the service, supporting the Team Leads and Clinical Lead.
Clinical activity includes triage of referrals into the service, assessment,
and management planning of complex MSK cases, particularly those that have
persisted despite treatment, as well as referring on appropriately into
secondary-based specialities e.g. Orthopaedics.
We are dedicated to delivering the highest level of patient care, in the most efficient and cost-effective way, with re-investment to ensure services are sustainable.
Main duties of the job
Join our motivated, ambitious, and fast-growing team. We focus on competency, developing talent and offer great flexibility. Youll be registered with the HCPC or equivalent regulator (as professional background dictates) and be qualified as a clinician that works within MSK practice. Whilst undertaking
comprehensive assessment and diagnosis of patients with a wide variety of
physical and emotional needs, you must formulate, deliver, review and progress
individual treatment programmes and ensure effective treatment.
We are committed to a multi-professional workforce based on competency and welcome applications from Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Sports Therapists and Rehab Therapists. If youre able to manage a varied caseload of MSK patients, committed to CPD and have the desire to develop yourself and the service, with a keen eye on improving patient care, then wed like to hear from you.The successful candidate will work with a group of international tendon experts to explore education and Achilles tendinopathy as part of a PhD programme. You will develop research skills to help further knowledge in this area, including literature review skills and both qualitative and quantitative methods.
The PhD supervisory team will consist of:
Dr Adrian Mallows, University of Essex
Professor Jo Jackson, University of Essex
Andrew Cuff, Connect Health
As part of your application upload, please include a statement of no more than 500 words why you wish to undertake PhD study in this field.
About us
Connect Health is a leading community services healthcare provider encompassing mental health, IAPT, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, tier-2 MSK (musculoskeletal), chronic pain, functional disorder/long Covid, First Contract Practitioners (FCP), rheumatology and occupational health services, serving over 375k NHS patients pa across 55+ NHS partners and 100+ occupational health wellbeing services.
As by far the largest independent MSK and Pain services provider, Connect Health supports the NHS to effectively and efficiently deliver care in more appropriate community settings, transforming services around specific quality and financial objectives, reducing waiting times and improving outcomes for patients.
Connect Health was established over 30 years ago and has built an enviable level of specialist expertise in delivering sustained transformation through its dedication to patient care, sophisticated infrastructure, digital tools, highly advanced clinical and operational insight and change methodology.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a full-time clinical and academic split role that incorporates a
Tier 2 MSK (Advanced Practice) caseload with an embedded PhD programme provided
by the University of Essex.
Clinically, you will be expected to utilise Advanced Practitioner
expertise to function as a musculoskeletal specialist, managing a varied and
complex clinical caseload within the community service contract. Specifically,
when operating as an Advanced Practitioner this will include:
- Triage of
referrals from GPs directing the patient into the appropriate primary,
secondary or tertiary care service according to clinical presentation.
- The management
of patients that would have traditionally been referred into secondary
care orthopaedic services with spinal and peripheral problems and involves
the use of advanced decision-making and clinical reasoning skills to
perform clinical interventions that may fall outside the traditional scope
of physiotherapy practice.
- The practice of
medical diagnosis within the orthopaedic speciality, specialist
investigation and complex MSK case management.
- Independent
decision making regarding the clinical diagnosis and future clinical
management of presenting patients through the assimilation of clinical
assessment and the appropriate requesting of specific medical
investigations such as X-rays, MRI, USS and pathology tests
- To conduct all
clinical interventions and related actions in line with relevant
professional standards to your professional background, such as CSP and
HCPC, as well as Connect standards and policies and where applicable,
contract parameters and KPIs.
- To be
professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of
clinical and professional activities.
- To demonstrate a
commitment to ongoing professional development and to maintain a
contemporary record of such activity, in line with recommendations from
professional bodies and regulators e.g. HCPC
- To contribute as
required to internal and external educational initiatives.
- To work with the
Clinical Lead, AP Team Lead and participate in clinical audit.
- As part of the
wider Connect team, provide leadership and act as a source of expertise in
the management of musculoskeletal conditions to teach, mentor, educate and
inform Allied Health Professionals, other health and care professionals,
students, patients, and carers.
- There may be a
requirement, on occasion, to provide support and or cover for Connect
contracts in other areas of the country, usually remotely but occasionally
in person as required.
Academically, your key tasks will include:
Undertaking
training and completing the required activities for the fulfilment of part time
PhD studies
Completing
and implementing a study plan
Actively
contributing to the research elements of the PhD topic
Presenting
literary reviews and research findings.
Why work for Connect Health?
We are dedicated to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and
rewarding our colleagues. We continue to reward our staff with competitive
salaries and a great range of employee benefits. These include:
A minimum of
5% of your hours is bespoke personal development time
A proven
roadmap to Consultant-level practice for those that wish to develop this level
of capability.
Access to an
internal network of Consultant clinicians (medical and AHPs) that provide
leadership, educational, research and clinical support.
Access to the
full content (live and recorded sessions) of the Connect Clinical Education
Academy
Access to
support and engagement with our entire MDT clinical workforce via
o
Emergency
clinical on call rota
o
Clinical
supervision
o
Coaching and mentoring
o
Online
clinical resource and chat network
o
Internal
conferences and study days
o
Clinical
support tools/pathways
Up to 30 days holiday
(plus public holidays)
option to buy
additional annual leave
an additional
day off for your birthday
online discounts
portal
employer
pension contributions
salary
sacrifice schemes
an employee
assistance programme
performance
related pay rewards
team
building/away days
reimbursement
of professional body membership fees for clinicians
These benefits are our way
of saying thank you to our colleagues.
The best thing about Connect
Health? For me its the opportunity to develop and be part of an organisation
that arent afraid to innovate whilst keeping the patient at the centre of
everything we do. Connect Health MSK Clinician
About the University of Essex
As a research student within the
University of Essex, youll work at the heart of our internationally
acknowledged and well-connected research community. Our School of Sport,
Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences offers an environment with an excellent
reputation for research and teaching. A unique feature is that many of our
staff work with local National Health Service (NHS) Trusts and Providers as
well as other local health agencies, which enhances our grasp of the contemporary
links between academic research, the major issues of the day and practice.
The School is housed within the Essex
Sport Arena. This state-of-the-art, £12 million development brings together
education, rehabilitation, exercise, and research, with facilities including a
sports hall the size of three basketball courts, two labs for sports therapy
training, a sports therapy clinic, and dedicated physiotherapy labs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a full-time clinical and academic split role that incorporates a
Tier 2 MSK (Advanced Practice) caseload with an embedded PhD programme provided
by the University of Essex.
Clinically, you will be expected to utilise Advanced Practitioner
expertise to function as a musculoskeletal specialist, managing a varied and
complex clinical caseload within the community service contract. Specifically,
when operating as an Advanced Practitioner this will include:
- Triage of
referrals from GPs directing the patient into the appropriate primary,
secondary or tertiary care service according to clinical presentation.
- The management
of patients that would have traditionally been referred into secondary
care orthopaedic services with spinal and peripheral problems and involves
the use of advanced decision-making and clinical reasoning skills to
perform clinical interventions that may fall outside the traditional scope
of physiotherapy practice.
- The practice of
medical diagnosis within the orthopaedic speciality, specialist
investigation and complex MSK case management.
- Independent
decision making regarding the clinical diagnosis and future clinical
management of presenting patients through the assimilation of clinical
assessment and the appropriate requesting of specific medical
investigations such as X-rays, MRI, USS and pathology tests
- To conduct all
clinical interventions and related actions in line with relevant
professional standards to your professional background, such as CSP and
HCPC, as well as Connect standards and policies and where applicable,
contract parameters and KPIs.
- To be
professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of
clinical and professional activities.
- To demonstrate a
commitment to ongoing professional development and to maintain a
contemporary record of such activity, in line with recommendations from
professional bodies and regulators e.g. HCPC
- To contribute as
required to internal and external educational initiatives.
- To work with the
Clinical Lead, AP Team Lead and participate in clinical audit.
- As part of the
wider Connect team, provide leadership and act as a source of expertise in
the management of musculoskeletal conditions to teach, mentor, educate and
inform Allied Health Professionals, other health and care professionals,
students, patients, and carers.
- There may be a
requirement, on occasion, to provide support and or cover for Connect
contracts in other areas of the country, usually remotely but occasionally
in person as required.
Academically, your key tasks will include:
Undertaking
training and completing the required activities for the fulfilment of part time
PhD studies
Completing
and implementing a study plan
Actively
contributing to the research elements of the PhD topic
Presenting
literary reviews and research findings.
Why work for Connect Health?
We are dedicated to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and
rewarding our colleagues. We continue to reward our staff with competitive
salaries and a great range of employee benefits. These include:
A minimum of
5% of your hours is bespoke personal development time
A proven
roadmap to Consultant-level practice for those that wish to develop this level
of capability.
Access to an
internal network of Consultant clinicians (medical and AHPs) that provide
leadership, educational, research and clinical support.
Access to the
full content (live and recorded sessions) of the Connect Clinical Education
Academy
Access to
support and engagement with our entire MDT clinical workforce via
o
Emergency
clinical on call rota
o
Clinical
supervision
o
Coaching and mentoring
o
Online
clinical resource and chat network
o
Internal
conferences and study days
o
Clinical
support tools/pathways
Up to 30 days holiday
(plus public holidays)
option to buy
additional annual leave
an additional
day off for your birthday
online discounts
portal
employer
pension contributions
salary
sacrifice schemes
an employee
assistance programme
performance
related pay rewards
team
building/away days
reimbursement
of professional body membership fees for clinicians
These benefits are our way
of saying thank you to our colleagues.
The best thing about Connect
Health? For me its the opportunity to develop and be part of an organisation
that arent afraid to innovate whilst keeping the patient at the centre of
everything we do. Connect Health MSK Clinician
About the University of Essex
As a research student within the
University of Essex, youll work at the heart of our internationally
acknowledged and well-connected research community. Our School of Sport,
Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences offers an environment with an excellent
reputation for research and teaching. A unique feature is that many of our
staff work with local National Health Service (NHS) Trusts and Providers as
well as other local health agencies, which enhances our grasp of the contemporary
links between academic research, the major issues of the day and practice.
The School is housed within the Essex
Sport Arena. This state-of-the-art, £12 million development brings together
education, rehabilitation, exercise, and research, with facilities including a
sports hall the size of three basketball courts, two labs for sports therapy
training, a sports therapy clinic, and dedicated physiotherapy labs.
Person Specification
The ideal applicant will have
Essential
- Educated to masters level or equivalent in relevant subject
- Previous experience in delivering musculoskeletal services with tangible results and commitment to providing excellent, personalised care.
- Able to demonstrate Level 7 capability across the four pillars of Advance Practice.
- A deep understanding of the impact of Musculoskeletal pain in the wider community and how collaborative working across the local system enables prevention and addresses health inequalities.
- Current valid registration with your relevant professional body or equivalent regulator (HCPC, GOsC, SST or BASraT)
- Outstanding values that underpin clinical expertise and people management
- Proven track record of influencing patients, people, commissioners, and pathways
- Understand, influence and drive quality of audits and the integration of EBP.
- Educational acuity in developing and providing specialist teaching in Musculoskeletal practice.
- Strong desire and drive to deliver innovation and lead on change
Desirable
- Well-developed presentation skills, including public speaking and experience of doing this in a variety of forums.
- Previous research or publications in the field of Musculoskeletal practice
- Previous research or publications in the field of tendons
- Experience of working as an AP in Musculoskeletal practice, ideally within an NHS setting.
- A demonstrable interest or experience in delivering, developing, or evaluating educational materials for patients.
Person Specification
The ideal applicant will have
Essential
- Educated to masters level or equivalent in relevant subject
- Previous experience in delivering musculoskeletal services with tangible results and commitment to providing excellent, personalised care.
- Able to demonstrate Level 7 capability across the four pillars of Advance Practice.
- A deep understanding of the impact of Musculoskeletal pain in the wider community and how collaborative working across the local system enables prevention and addresses health inequalities.
- Current valid registration with your relevant professional body or equivalent regulator (HCPC, GOsC, SST or BASraT)
- Outstanding values that underpin clinical expertise and people management
- Proven track record of influencing patients, people, commissioners, and pathways
- Understand, influence and drive quality of audits and the integration of EBP.
- Educational acuity in developing and providing specialist teaching in Musculoskeletal practice.
- Strong desire and drive to deliver innovation and lead on change
Desirable
- Well-developed presentation skills, including public speaking and experience of doing this in a variety of forums.
- Previous research or publications in the field of Musculoskeletal practice
- Previous research or publications in the field of tendons
- Experience of working as an AP in Musculoskeletal practice, ideally within an NHS setting.
- A demonstrable interest or experience in delivering, developing, or evaluating educational materials for patients.
Additional information
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).
