Senior MSK Physiotherapist

Job Overview

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• To provide clinical expertise in the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal problems and in the education and supervision of less experienced members of the musculoskeletal team.
  
• To support the management of the musculoskeletal team to deliver and develop high quality seamless musculoskeletal services in primary and acute care settings.
  

Main duties of the job

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• To provide a comprehensive service to patients with physiotherapy need at a variety of locations. Skills required include: Management of patients with complex musculoskeletal, orthopaedic and rheumatological disorders and conditions; Advanced manual therapy and therapeutic exercise skills; Extensive knowledge of patient self‑management and education; Excellent communication with consultants, GPs and other healthcare professionals is essential in providing a holistic approach to patient management.
  
• To initiate and participate in the development of new ideas and the evolution of existing systems within Primary care and hospital based musculoskeletal services.
  
• To provide structured supervision, in line with ERS guidelines, for more junior members of the team.
  
• To carry out annual appraisals and subsequently create professional development plans with more junior members of the physiotherapy team.
  
• To provide specific advanced level teaching for more junior members of the team.
  
• To organise, coordinate and deliver training for GPs and other healthcare professionals as required.
  
• To be responsible for helping to plan service development and implementing decisions.
  

Working for our organisation

The physiotherapy team is integrated with our interface service and there is opportunity to work alongside Advanced Practitioners Physiotherapists and consultant Physiotherapist, as well as experienced senior physiotherapists. This is a non‑rotational MSK post and thus some previous experience would be beneficial but not essential. We aim to provide a supportive environment with the chance to be involved in a range of innovative service projects.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. 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 on our healthcare settings.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• 
  
• To provide a comprehensive service to patients with physiotherapy need at a variety of locations. Skills required include: Management of patients with complex musculoskeletal, orthopaedic and rheumatological disorders and conditions; Advanced manual therapy and therapeutic exercise skills; Extensive knowledge of patient self‑management and education; Excellent communication with consultants, GPs and other healthcare professionals is essential in providing a holistic approach to patient management.
  
• To initiate and participate in the development of new ideas and the evolution of existing systems within Primary care and hospital based musculoskeletal services.
  
• To provide structured supervision, in line with ERS guidelines, for more junior members of the team.
  
• To carry out annual appraisals and subsequently create professional development plans with more junior members of the physiotherapy team.
  
• To provide specific advanced level teaching for more junior members of the team.
  
• To organise, coordinate and deliver training for GPs and other healthcare professionals as required.
  
• To be responsible for helping to plan service development and implementing decisions.
  
• To deputise for musculoskeletal team leads, in their absence, with regards to day‑to‑day management tasks. Examples of tasks included:
  
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  • Checking new referrals against the team's referral criteria
    
  • Dealing with problems/issues as they arise and passing things on to more senior managers as required
    
  • Support and liaison with the admin/booking teams
    
  
  
  
• To lead on the planning and clinical education of undergraduate students in the physiotherapy team.
  
• To participate in the recruitment process of more junior members of the physiotherapy team.
  
• To participate and lead, when appropriate, in the monitoring of activity and audit of Musculoskeletal physiotherapy service.
  
• To autonomously assess and diagnose patients with a diverse range of Musculoskeletal, orthopaedic or rheumatology conditions, using appropriate assessment/diagnostic techniques, skills and tools.
  
• To autonomously create individual treatment plans using a variety of appropriate physiotherapy treatment regimes for a range of patient groups including patients with complex and multiple musculoskeletal and medical problems.
  
• To adopt a problem‑solving approach, engaging patients and carers in their treatment plan, negotiating on agreed outcomes, gaining consent and educating patient on self‑care.
  
• To evaluate and review treatment outcomes to facilitate discharge of patients.
  
• To deliver care in a range of settings including clinics, GP surgeries and acute hospital as required.
  

Person specification
Education And Qualifications
Essential criteria

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• Graduate Diploma [P]hysiotherapy/BSc Physiotherapy or equivalent level
  
• HCPC Registration
  

Desirable criteria

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• CSP membership Special interest group membership
  

Experience
Essential criteria

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• Good general experience, plus some specialist experience in musculoskeletal out‑patients
  
• Have participated in in‑service training
  
• Have been involved in service training evaluation/initiated service change
  

Desirable criteria

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• Experience of having sole responsibility for supervision of staff and students
  
• MDT working within Trust
  

KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria

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• Relevant post‑graduate courses completed or commenced
  
• Awareness of research methods, patient outcomes, clinical governance and audit
  
• Good general background knowledge of orthopaedic conditions and their management
  
• High level knowledge of musculoskeletal conditions and their management, specifically spinal pain
  
• Knowledge of pain management strategies for chronic conditions
  

Desirable criteria

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• Participation in research, outcomes, clinical governance and audit
  

Skills And Abilities
Essential criteria

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• Good communicator
  
• Excellent organisational skills and time management
  
• Thorough/reliable
  
• Good problem solver
  
• Able to work independently as a sole practitioner in GP surgeries
  
• Able to work independently as a sole practitioner in GP surgeries