Advanced Practice Physiotherapist

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Ealing; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider offers an exciting opportunity for an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist specializing in musculoskeletal care. Based in Ealing, the role involves assessing and managing referrals while providing clinical support within an integrated team. Ideal candidates will possess a degree in physiotherapy and relevant experience in musculoskeletal care, with a strong commitment to quality patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• HCPC Registration required.
• Experience in musculoskeletal out-patients is essential.
• Teaching qualification or experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Conduct assessments and manage musculoskeletal referrals from GPs.
• Provide clinical leadership and support to the physiotherapy team.
• Request investigations to facilitate patient diagnosis.

Skills

Assessment

Clinical expertise

Triaging

Evidence-based practice

Education

BSc Physiotherapy

Graduate Diploma Physiotherapy

Tools

SystmOne

Job description

Job Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an advanced practice physiotherapist (APP) in musculoskeletal care to join our team of APPs within the Community Musculoskeletal (MSK) team in Ealing. The service is led by a Consultant Physiotherapist and is supported by a Consultant Neurosurgeon, as well as an administrative and secretarial team. The team is integrated with the physiotherapy team and the in-house first contact practitioner service. The successful applicant will have extensive neuro-musculoskeletal experience in addition to experience of orthopaedics and rheumatology or pain management (previous experience as an APP is an advantage but is not essential). The MSK service in Ealing is well established and provides a high level of training, clinical supervision and support.

The post will be based within the community sites primarily at Clayponds Hospital.

If you would like to talk to someone about this vacancy please contact:

Dr Stephanie Griffiths

Consultant Physiotherapist and MSK Lead

Ealing MSK Service, Ealing Community Partners

email [e-mail]

Main duties of the job

The Advanced Practitioner (AP) is responsible for assessment, treatment and when clinically appropriate the onward referral of patients referred to primary care interface clinics.

As a senior member of the musculoskeletal team, you will provide support to the Consultant Physiotherapist/MSk Lead and the Physiotherapy Team Lead in the day-to-day running of services and in the evolution of musculoskeletal services within the Trust

To provide clinical expertise acting as an advanced physiotherapy practitioner and making decisions about the best course of action for patients' care in the area of musculoskeletal, rheumatological and pain management. This will include screening patients with undifferentiated conditions to determine they meet the service criteria and rerouting those with medical needs to the appropriate clinician.

To request investigations to facilitate diagnosis and choice of treatment regime, understanding the information and limitations derived from these and the relative sensitivity and specificity of particular tests diagnostic services such as x-rays and blood test, and interpret and act on results to aid diagnosis and the management plans of patients.

Working for our organisation

OUR VALUES

Compassion: Our staff will be led by compassion and embody the values of care outlined in our Staff Charter.

Respect: We will respect and value the diversity of our patients, service users and staff, to create a respectful and inclusive environment, which recognises the uniqueness of each individual.

Empowerment: We will involve, inform and empower our patients, service users, carers and their families to take an active role in the management of their illness and adopt recovery principles. We will ensure our staff receive appropriate direction and support, to enable them to develop and grow.

Partnership: We will work closely with our many partners to ensure that our combined efforts are focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for the people we serve.

Ourvision and values are underpinned by our strategic objectives: High quality care and best outcomes for patients: Provide high quality care to people who use our services, and to their careers. These services to be safe, caring, effective, responsive and well-led when benchmarked nationally.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

The successful candidate will work as an autonomous practitioner, to assess and manage musculoskeletal referrals from GP’s; and to triage GP and orthopaedic referrals which would traditionally have been seen by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, to exclude serious pathology and need for immediate surgery. To form a diagnosis and treatment plan, and offer clinical advice and guidance to the patient/carer. This may include receiving and providing highly complex and sensitive information to patients who may have barriers to understanding. This will include referral for advanced diagnostics such as blood tests, ultrasound scans (US), X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

To be responsible for the onward referral of patients referred to the community musculoskeletal clinics to other primary care musculoskeletal services, the acute sector and other partner organisations as is clinically appropriate

To use highly developed clinical reasoning and evidence based knowledge to draw up an appropriate management plan, from a range of options, in conjunction with the patient and implement any appropriate specialist physiotherapy treatment, either as a follow-up with self or referral on to the physiotherapy, orthopaedic and /or rheumatology services as required.

To participate in the assessment, treatment and management of patients referred to the Community Specialist Musculoskeletal and Physiotherapy services.

To provide clinical leadership and a source of clinical expertise. To be available for professional advice as required at outpatient clinics.

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Graduate Diploma Physiotherapy/BSc Physiotherapy + HCPC Registration
• Relevant post-graduate courses completed or commenced relevant to this post
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Teaching qualification or experience
• May hold or be working towards a prescribing qualification
  
  

Knowledge And Experience

Essential criteria

• Specialist experience in musculoskeletal out- patients
• Experience of telephone triage or face to face triage
• Have been involved in service training evaluation/initiated service change
• Participation in research, outcomes, clinical governance and audit
• Knowledge of orthopaedic, rheumatology and pain conditions and their management
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of CBT or pain management approaches
• Previous experience within a community setting or GP practice
• Experience of SystmOne
  
  

Specific Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

• Demonstrate ability to design, develop and deliver programmes of specialised learning in line with evidence based practice to peers and junior staff
• Demonstrates ability to apply the research evidence base into working practice
• Demonstrates understanding of the principles of research governance
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Demonstrates ability to work as a member of the research team
• Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service
  
  

TEACHING, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Essential criteria

• Demonstrates ability to apply the research evidence base into working practice
• Demonstrates understanding of the principles of research governance
• Demonstrates ability to work as a member of the research team
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Teaching qualification or experience
• Research qualification
  
  

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Essential criteria

• Demonstrate understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service
• Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation
• Demonstrates understanding of, and conform to, relevant standards of practice
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Leadership qualification / change management experience