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East London NHS Foundation Trust; Stratford; On-site; CAD 122,000 - 169,000; Full time

Job summary

East London NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced MSK Physiotherapist to provide operational and strategic leadership across the MSK Orthopaedic Triage and Physiotherapy services. The role focuses on developing sustainable MSK services, improving patient outcomes and aligning with NHS priorities.

The post holder will lead service performance, workforce development and governance, while supporting organisational transformation and related cost improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Requires strong clinical and leadership skills across MSK services.
• Experience with transformation and standardisation of MSK pathways.
• Ability to lead a multidisciplinary MSK service across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership to the Physiotherapy team and supervise staff.
• Lead service performance, capacity planning and governance frameworks.
• Drive continuous improvement, quality and patient safety initiatives.

Skills

MSK leadership

clinical leadership

line management

governance

project management

Education

Masters/above in physiotherapy

Tools

MSK service redesign tools

Job description

MSK Clinical and Operational Manager | East London NHS Foundation Trust

his is an exciting opportunity for an experienced MSK Physiotherapist to provide clinical leadership within the MSK Orthopaedic Triage and MSK Physiotherapy services. The post holder will play a key role in delivering high-quality, evidence-based care while contributing to the ongoing development, transformation and standardisation of MSK pathways across North East London.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary and integrated MSK service, the post holder will support the delivery of effective clinical pathways, promote collaborative working across primary, community and secondary care, and contribute to the development of a responsive, patient-centred service aligned with current NHS priorities.

The role will provide clinical leadership and professional support to the Physiotherapy team, including clinical supervision, appraisal, mentorship, workforce development and the delivery of in-service education and training. The post holder will be expected to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, shared learning and clinical excellence.

A key element of the role will be supporting service standardisation across North East London,working collaboratively with clinical and operational colleagues to promote consistency in clinical practice, pathways, governance and quality improvement. The post holder will contribute to the development of sustainable MSK services that improve patient outcomes, enhance access and support the delivery of care in the most appropriate setting.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong clinical and leadership skills, a commitment to developing others, and the ability to work effectively across organisational and professional boundaries. They will be confident in supporting service change and will bring a proactive, collaborative and forward-thinking approach to the continued development of the MSK workforce and wider service.

Please note: Previous applicants need not apply.

We are seeking an experienced, dynamic and forward-thinking MSK Physiotherapist to provide operational, professional and strategic leadership across the MSK Orthopaedic Triage and Physiotherapy services. This Band 8a role will work closely with the existing ESP and Physiotherapy teams, clinical and operational colleagues, and wider system partners to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, responsive and sustainable MSK services. The post holder will lead service performance, workforce development, capacity and demand, quality and governance, pathway redesign and continuous improvement, while supporting the delivery of organisational and wider NHS priorities.

The role is predominantly operational, with a limited clinical commitment, and will require an individual who can provide strong visible leadership while maintaining clinical credibility within advanced MSK practice. The successful candidate will be confident in leading change, managing competing priorities, using data and intelligence to drive improvement, and working across professional and organisational boundaries.

Experience of advanced MSK practice, including injection therapy, ultrasound/sonography and independent prescribing, would be desirable, but the primary focus will be on operational leadership, service transformation, workforce development and the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred MSK services in an evolving NHS landscape.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

• Overall operational leadership of the MSK outpatient service across sites/localities
• Ensuring safe, effective, efficient, and high-performing service delivery
• Managing patient flow, access, triage, waiting lists, and capacity
• Delivering KPIs including RTT pathways, productivity, and activity targets
• Coordinating service planning and demand/capacity modelling
• Ensuring robust administrative systems for referrals, appointments, and data capture
• Advising senior leadership on operational pressures and risks
• Line management of senior clinicians, clinical leads, ATPs, psychologists, and wider MDT staff
• Recruitment, retention, workforce planning, and vacancy management
• Managing appraisals, supervision, probation, and performance reviews
• Oversight of sickness absence, disciplinary, grievance, and capability processes
• Developing workforce capability, succession planning, and staff wellbeing
• Supporting role redesign and workforce transformation
• Creating a positive, inclusive, and high-performing culture
• Leading governance, quality, and patient safety frameworks
• Managing incidents, complaints, risks, and learning actions
• Ensuring compliance with:Trust policies
• Infection prevention and safeguarding requirements
• Leading audits, quality improvement, and service evaluation
• Embedding evidence-based practice and outcome measures
• Leading service redesign and transformation programmes
• Developing and implementing MSK service strategies
• Community services
• Leading working groups and policy development
• Supporting prevention of hospital admissions and community-based care pathways
• Identifying service gaps and implementing improvement initiatives
• Managing delegated budgets alongside finance teams
• Monitoring expenditure and contributing to balanced budget delivery
• Supporting Cost Improvement Programmes (CIPs) and recovery plans
• Oversight of equipment purchasing, stock control, and resource allocation
• Assessing financial viability of service developments
• Supporting business cases and capital bids
• Monitoring service performance dashboards and trends
• Producing governance and contract reports
• Escalating risks and implementing recovery actions where needed
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives
• Leading training programmes and CPD across the MSK workforce
• Providing expert specialist advice across teams
• Supporting students, junior staff, assistants, and MDT colleagues
• Ensuring clinical supervision structures are robust
• Promoting advanced practice and evidence-based care
• Influencing professional standards and clinical strategy

This advert closes on Tuesday 29 Sep 2026