Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Trainee First Contact Physiotherapist
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Job Overview
An exciting development opportunity for an exceptional candidate, with demonstrable potential, to progress into a Band 8a Advanced Practice First Contact Physiotherapist role. The post is hosted by CNWL and candidates will work within the local PCN. The development programme offers the successful candidate the opportunity, as a Band 7, to successfully complete the associated training package / FCP Portfolio and to work through the competencies for the HEE MSK FCP. Upon successful completion, the successful candidate will be promoted to the Band 8a role. There are multiple roles in South Southall and Acton PCN and this is a full-time role based either in Southall or Acton area in Ealing.
The first contact physiotherapist will work in the PCN whilst also being part of the MSK team. The FCP service in Ealing is well-established and provides a high level of training, clinical supervision, and support.
An agreed timeframe will be agreed during the interview for completion. Should the candidate not successfully complete the development package, then a role as a substantive, permanent Band 7 Physiotherapist will be offered.
As an NHS Trust, we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues, and of course patients and service users when working in our healthcare settings.
Main Duties of the Job
The main duties of the job will be to provide clinical expertise, acting as first-contact physiotherapist 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 and assessment of patients with undifferentiated conditions to determine that they meet the criteria for self-management, local MSK, or community service criteria or to ensure that those with medical needs are rerouted to the appropriate clinician. This will involve face-to-face, telephone, or virtual contact with patients, without prior contact with their GP, in order to establish a rapid and accurate diagnosis and management plan. Onward referral to community or specialist services may be required.
The successful candidate may need to progress and request investigations to facilitate diagnosis and choice of treatment regime, understanding the information limitations derived from these and the relative sensitivity and specificity of particular tests, diagnostic services such as x-rays and blood tests, and interpret and act on results to aid diagnosis and the management plans of patients.
They will also be expected to deliver programmes of supported patient self-management, in ways that facilitate behavioral change, optimize individuals' physical activity, mobility, fulfillment of personal goals, and independence, and that minimize the need for pharmacological interventions.
Working for Our Organisation
Central and North West London NHS Trust expects all First Contact or Advanced Clinical Practitioners to act in a way which shows you understand our core values and are willing to put them into practice with service users, their friends, family, and carers, and also other staff members.
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- We expect you to show COMPASSION, contribute to a caring and kind environment, and recognize that what you do and say can make the lives of others better.
- We expect you to RESPECT everyone and acknowledge and welcome people’s differences rather than ignore them or see them as problematic.
- We expect you to EMPOWER others and continually try to provide information, resources, and support to help others make their own decisions and meet their own needs.
- We expect you to work in PARTNERSHIP and behave in a way that shows that you recognize that commissioners and users of our services are the people who generate and pay for our work.
Core Responsibilities
Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities
The First Contact Physiotherapist will work autonomously using highly specialist knowledge and skills to provide care within the musculoskeletal sphere. They will take professional responsibility as a first-contact physiotherapist (FCP), with high-level decision-making and clinical-reasoning skills to assess, diagnose, and triage patients. The FCP is accountable for independent clinical management of patients with undiagnosed and undifferentiated conditions. In addition to this, the FCP is also responsible for appropriately referring patients to relevant specialties for any necessary inpatient or outpatient investigations.
- To manage a complex caseload (including patients with long-term musculoskeletal conditions, comorbidities, and multi-factorial needs).
- To lead, manage, and contribute to service delivery and the development of MSK care within the primary care network, driving and innovating changes in practice for the benefit of patient care in line with current trust and local needs.
- To be accountable for decisions and actions via HCPC registration, supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence-based practice.
- To streamline pathways of care by providing a responsive service so that patients receive timely access to care. To be responsible for promoting clinical excellence in MSK care and provide clinical advice and support to other health care professionals.
- To ensure that care is proactive, preventive in focus, and population-based, with an emphasis on early intervention and self-management.
- To provide care which is tailored to the individual needs of the patient. 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). This may include providing professional and independent clinical care which enables the coordination of a multi-professional seamless service for patients.
- To support patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management.
- To communicate effectively and appropriately with patients and carers complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology, and prognosis.
- To use a range of clinical skills which may include: non-medical independent prescribing, joint/soft tissue injections, joint aspiration as the primary care network requires.
- To provide learning opportunities for the whole multi-professional team within primary care.
- To work with the MDT to develop more effective and streamlined clinical pathways and services.
- To exercise professional judgment, justifying and taking responsibility for decisions in unpredictable situations, including in the context of incomplete/contradictory information.
- To manage interactions in complex or conflict situations, including with individuals with particular psychosocial and mental health needs and with colleagues across the primary care team, sectors, and settings. You may need to visit patients in their own home to complete the MSK assessment.
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Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Graduate Diploma Physiotherapy/BSc Physiotherapy + HCPC Registration
- Relevant post-graduate courses completed or commenced relevant to this post
Desirable criteria
- May hold or be working towards a prescribing qualification/Injector
- Teaching qualification or experience
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 utilization
Desirable criteria
- Leadership qualification/change management experience
Skills
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate ability to design, develop, and deliver programs of specialized learning in line with evidence-based practice to peers and junior staff
Desirable criteria
- Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Specialist experience in musculoskeletal out-patients
- Demonstrates general physiotherapy skills and knowledge in core areas
- Experience of telephone triage or face-to-face triage
- Have been involved in service training evaluation/initiated service change
- Experience of MDT working
- Participation in research, outcomes, clinical governance, and audit
- Good communicator
- Excellent organizational skills and time management
- Good problem solver
- Good general background knowledge of orthopaedic, rheumatology, and pain conditions and their management.
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience within a community setting or GP practice
- Understanding of CBT or pain management approaches
Research and Development
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates understanding of the principles of research governance
Desirable criteria
- Research qualification
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