Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist/FCP MSK

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Lancashire seeks a qualified Band 7 Physiotherapist to provide clinical leadership and a high standard physiotherapy service within the MSK pathway. The role offers the opportunity for developing skills in both Primary Care and the MSK Service. Candidates should possess a relevant degree, registration, and recent post-registration experience. Comprehensive training will be provided.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Recent post-registration experience.
• Relevant experience at Band 6 level.
• Experience of MDT working.

Responsibilities

• Provide a high standard physiotherapy service.
• Independently manage clinical caseload.
• Provide clinical leadership for staff.

Skills

Physiotherapy

Clinical leadership

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Diploma/Degree in Physiotherapy

Health and Care Professionals Council Registration

Job description

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

Job overview

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is looking to appoint a suitably qualified Band 7 Physiotherapists to work across the MSK pathway as a clinical specialist. The role will be split between Primary Care working as a First Contact Practitioner and within the MSK Service as a clinical specialist.

This is a permanent post

The role would suit individuals already working in an FCP role in Primary Care and who would also like to work in an MSK Service. It would also be a great opportunity for a Band 6 or Band 7 who wishes to develop in this area as full training and support will be provided for the role.

Main duties of the job

• Provide a high standard physiotherapy service in the most appropriate setting to both Consultant and GP referred patients. Patients may also be referred by other Health Care professionals, e.g. Nurse Practitioners and other care professionals.

• Provide first contact assessment and proactive first line management of appropriately identified patients with MSK conditions.

• Independently manage and be responsible for your own clinical caseload.

• Triage of referrals received by the service with the support of the Consultant Physiotherapist, Advanced Practice Physiotherapists/Extended Scope Practitioners and GPwSIs to decide on the most appropriate pathway for patients referred with musculoskeletal conditions/ problems.

• Provide clinical leadership for staff, taking a lead role in Continued Professional Development (CPD) activities and to have a shared responsibility for the clinical development of staff.

• Take a lead role in the advanced assessment and treatment of patients within the clinical speciality, to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts to form an accurate diagnosis, discuss treatment options and agree a management plan with patients, in order to achieve agreed set goals.

• Act as a source of specialist advice in the management of problems within the clinical area to patients, Physiotherapists, other health care professionals, GPs and Consultants.

Working for our organisation

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

The MSK Service is clinically led by a Consultant Physiotherapist and is focused on delivering safe, personal and effective care to our patients and population, and there is an ethos of continuous improvement within the service. This role will be key in supporting MSK pathway between primary and secondary care.

We share a commitment to put patient care at the heart of what we do; to do that effectively we need to support our staff to fulfil their potential. We have an integrated model of supervision and support to aid development of all grades of staff and job plans with protected SPA (10 per cent of job plan).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities -

• Provide first contact assessment and proactive first line management of appropriately identified patients with MSK conditions.
• Provide early identification of concerns and plan to mitigate or escalate risks as appropriate.
• Triage of referrals received by the service with the support of the Consultant Physiotherapist, Advanced Practice Physiotherapists and GPSIs to decide on the most appropriate pathway for patients referred with musculoskeletal conditions/ problems.
• Assess a patient's understanding of physiotherapy proposals and gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• Undertake an advanced specialist assessment of patients, provide a diagnosis, formulate an accurate prognosis, discuss treatment options and agree a goal orientated individual treatment programme, with the patient's informed consent.
• Undertake highly skilled and clinically advanced procedures and interventions within the scope of physiotherapy practice, such as Injection therapy.
• Work with outside agencies, e.g. Sports Centres, to facilitate a patient's transition to ongoing physical self-management.
• Provide spontaneous and planned advice and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.
• Be responsible for the comprehensive discharge planning of patients referring them on appropriately if necessary.
• Provide clinical leadership for staff including implementing "in-service development" within area of specialty.
• Be a recognised source of clinical expertise advice and guidance within an area of clinical specialty for senior colleagues working in the team.
• Provide a specialist opinion for physiotherapy/medical colleagues in more complex cases.
• Accept patients with complex needs, for example, those who require advanced interventions, referred to them from senior physiotherapy colleagues, following discussion and with the patient's agreement to the course of action.
• Assist in the co-ordination of student placements within the Physiotherapy Department in liaison with the Clinical Facilitator and the relevant Team Administrator (Co-ordinator). You may be required to allow a student to observe your working practices as a small part of their placement.
• Be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment utilised in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

Quality Improvement

• Evaluate service provision and develop evidence-based practice forwarding change as needed.
• Be an essential part of the process of developing the clinical effectiveness agenda, liaising with Clinical Lead and clinical colleagues and with support from the management team to identify, initiate and undertake relevant audit topics and research projects.
• Be actively involved in the process of the development, implementation and maintenance of clinical standards, protocols and guidelines within the area of practice.
• Critically appraise evidence from diverse sources to make informed judgements about its quality and application to practice.

Training and Development

• Act as a leader in "In-Service" activities, journal clubs, tutorials, etc.
• Identify training needs of and provide CPD opportunities for Senior Clinical Staff.
• Identify own training and development needs.
• Provide CPD and training to senior professionals working within the service.
• Contribute to training, supervision, and development of PCN staff

Communication

• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients. This will include patients who have cognitive and other problems, for example they may be dysphasic, hearing impaired, visually impaired or depressed.
• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients who have difficulty in coming to terms with diagnosis/prognosis.
• Discuss and communicate with the Team Leader on decisions taken regarding information that needs to be brought to the attention of the Clinical Service Lead.
• Communicate effectively with all members of the Physiotherapy Team Staff on site and also with members of the wider team across the service.
• Maintain and further develop links with Secondary Care colleagues.
• Communicate effectively with patients in order to meet their differing needs.
• Where indicated and in agreement with the patient, to communicate with other members of medical staff, relatives and carers.
• Undertake written communication providing feedback to referring agents or referring patients onto other professionals by compiling clinical written reports.
• Discuss clinical physiotherapy issues with other partners in health when required and in agreement with the Clinical Area Service Lead.
• Communicate effectively with other professionals from Health Care and outside organisations when representing the Physiotherapy Service.
• Communicate with other organisations, etc to ensure information available for patients is current, for example, advice leaflets from voluntary organisations, which the Physiotherapy Service issues to patients.

Professional Responsibilities

• Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of patients in your care, in accordance with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) Core Standards 2005 and Trust clinical guidelines.
• Be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through continued professional development activities and the maintenance of a portfolio, keeping up-to-date of any developments and bringing them to the attention of the wider team as appropriate.
• Undertake valuation of your work and current practices through the use of evidence based practice, audit and outcome measures either individually or with other Senior Physiotherapists.
• Undertake relevant post-graduate modules at Masters level and to use knowledge gained from the experience to benefit the Service.
• Maintain and develop skills required to practice at a clinical specialist level.
• Supervise and delegate duties to Assistants, which will involve compiling and giving written instructions, ensuring they are carried out appropriately.
• Act as a clinical lead on clinical governance issues in the area of speciality in liaison with other clinical specialists and the clinical facilitator.
• Complete all mandatory training as stipulated by the organisation.
• Attend "Team Meetings" as required and any absence should be agreed with the Line Manager.

• To be actively involved in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraiser of Band 6 Staff and/or other grades as appropriate. To also be involved in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and to comply with your agreed Personal Development Plan.
• Be proactive in representing the Trust's Physiotherapy Service regarding your Clinical Speciality; this could be locally, contributing specialist knowledge for strategic planning, regionally at clinical forums or nationally at, for example Conferences.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Diploma/Degree level in Physiotherapy or equivalent qualification
• Health and Care Professionals Council Registration

Desirable criteria

• Membership of the Charted Society of Physiotherapy

Courses/Training

Essential criteria

• Appropriate post graduate clinical courses linked to speciality

Desirable criteria

• Management
• Clinical Educators course

Work Experience/Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Recent post-registration experience
• Relevant experience at Band 6 level
• Experience of MDT working
• Demonstrate a problem solving approach
• Demonstrates evidence of continuing professional education
• Demonstrates IT literacy to an appropriate level
• General experience relevant to the post at masters level or equivalent
• Special aptitudes / Abilities/ Interest

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge/experience of FCP

Monitored/Supervised

Essential criteria

• Junior Staff
• Assistants / A.P's

Desirable criteria

• Students

Taught

Essential criteria

• Junior Staff
• Involvement in appraisal scheme
• Ability to prioritise
• Awareness of developments in NHS and service delivery
• Knowledge of research / evaluation of practice
• Participate in audit
• Evidence of participation in service developments
• Demonstrate the ability to work in a team

Desirable criteria

• Other professionals
• General Public
• Students
• Involvement in SIG
• Published research of practice evaluation

Motivation and Disposition

Essential criteria

• Interest in Team Leadership
• Ability to work at clinical specialist level
• Personally and professionally responsible
• Ability to self-motivate
• Flexible approach to changing circumstances
• Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, including evidence of presentation skills

Dear Potential Applicant,

It is important you are made aware of the following as regards your application to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

• Please note that the salary advertised is for full time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro-rata. For posts on Agenda for Change pay-scales, new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.
• This vacancy may close before the closing date if the recruiting manager deems sufficient applications have been received. Therefore it is advised to complete your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
• Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
• Please note that shortlisting is completed anonymously with candidates being assessed against the essential criteria for the post. Therefore only applicants, who can clearly demonstrate how they meet our person specification criteria in their application, will be short-listed.

Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS)

If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained.

The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

The cost of an Enhanced Disclosure will be £55.38 and for a Standard Disclosure will be £27.38.

This cost is not applicable for a Volunteer post

The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust.

We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible. By telephone [phone] or email [e-mail] or write to Employment Services, Parkview Offices, Haslingden Road, Blackburn, BB2 3HH

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Job Description MSK Clinical Spec FCP (PDF, 544.3KB)
• Personal Specification (PDF, 496.6KB)
• Privacy Notice (PDF, 305.1KB)
• Benefits of working at ELHT (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Additional Candidate information 2024 (PDF, 408.6KB)