Job Description
Are you an excellent team player and looking to be a part of a team which helps you grow into an excellent clinician .
Before we post for the candidate we are looking for it is essential to be aware that this role does not offer a Tier 2 or a skilled worker visa.
Managerial and clinical accountability will be set by the service context of the post. The structure of accountability will be determined at local level, but it should ensure the following: The post holder is expected to be able to work at an advanced clinical practice level as an autonomous practitioner. A part of this may be managing and leading the FCP service within the primary care team. However, it is essential that the post holder does not work in clinical or managerial isolation. The post holder will be expected to have access to support from leaders within their own profession and from the senior primary care team. The post holder will be expected to demonstrate outcomes/achievement of key results for the FCP contract. The post holder will be expected to have strong relationships with local clinical specialists within the field of primary care and advanced MSK practice. A significant element of this will be to ensure maintenance of strong advanced clinical practice skills, clinical governance and clinical support.
Scope of the Role - To be the first point of contact for expert clinical assessment and diagnosis of patients presenting with MSK conditions in primary care/GP practices. This will include patients who present with a range of multiple needs and underlying pathologies/other primary conditions. Use of advanced assessment tools and application of expert treatment modalities/techniques will be required. - Be the link between primary, community and acute services, when the patient is managed via primary care ensuring an integrated care pathway for individual patients that meets their needs. This will include provision of triage to other services and/or directly providing management and advice. - To lead on and develop effective communication between primary care services/GP practices and other relevant care providers. Educate on the role of the FCP, its impact on referral patterns and patient care pathways. - Maintain sound relationships with orthopaedic consultant teams, relevant MDT and physiotherapy services in community and acute settings. - Where appropriate develop relationships with wider health and social care agencies, for example mental health teams, local authorities, third sector providers and patient groups. - To provide leadership to primary care multi-disciplinary teams on physiotherapeutic management of MSK conditions. This will include the provision of highly specialist advice on issues ranging from the provision of expert opinion on individual patient treatment options to be a contributor to MSK services and related pathway development. - Work with other FCPs and primary care teams to develop collaborative working within the primary care multi-disciplinary team and provide leadership and expert advice to support the contribution of FCPs to MSK pathways. - Use local and national evidence-based practice to develop suitable research and audit programmes evaluating the effectiveness of the FCP programme. This will include communicating outcomes and integrating findings into own and wider service practice and pathway development. - Contribute where appropriate to formal research projects evaluating the FCP role, including multi-provider and academic led research projects. - Provide education and expert training to specialist clinicians from a range of disciplines including supporting the development of FCP MSK specialists in own profession. Clinical • To be the first point of clinical contact for patients presenting with MSK conditions or symptoms, providing the patient with the primary assessment, diagnosis and management options for their condition. • Use advance clinical practice skills and clinical reasoning to provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment support patients who present with complex musculoskeletal conditions and/or multiple pathologies and/or mental health and/or pain management needs. • Independently request diagnostic tests including routine and specialist x-rays, MRI imaging, ultrasound scans and blood and other pathology tests. Interpret the results alongside traditional physiotherapeutic assessment techniques and non-clinical information to aid clinical diagnosis and decisions on potential treatment options/clinical interventions. • Carry own caseload as an autonomous practitioner, providing direct clinical/physiotherapeutic care for patients with a range of complex musculo-skeletal conditions and who may have significant other primary or secondary conditions/multi pathologies. • Be able to decide when appropriate to use advanced clinical practice clinical skills that may include: ➢ Joint/soft tissue injection therapy, including administration of prescription only medication [POM] to aid treatment. ➢ Joint aspirations ➢ Non-medical prescribing • Use professional judgement and advanced clinical reasoning skills to make decisions about safe and effective patient care in unpredictable situations, including when there is incomplete/contradictory information. • To be able to work autonomously as a lone practitioner. • Be able to demonstrate understanding of the impact of physiotherapeutic interventions on existing conditions and treatment programmes e.g. podiatric treatment, drug therapies, etc. Ensuring physiotherapy interventions are integrated and supportive of the whole treatment aims promoting a holistic approach to condition management. • Be able to clinically justify referral onto appropriate MSK pathways within the community or wider healthcare services. Including referral to the appropriate stage of the pathway and the use of social prescribing • For patients managed as part of own caseload take the lead for the management of the patient’s journey on their care pathway, acting as the link for the patient between primary care and other services/professionals. • Be able to justify clinically referrals to other specialist services. This will include referral to acute and specialist services such as surgical orthopaedics, rheumatology and neurology, other AHP services, nursing services and to the primary care medical teams. This requires advanced knowledge of the role of other specialist health professionals. • An ability to recognise potential underlying non-MSK related disease and conditions that present as MSK symptoms and to refer appropriately. When needed accelerate the patient’s referral to other health professionals/services. • Work in partnership with the patient at all times to attain maximum participation in treatment programmes. This will include working with patients from diverse social background and cultures and understanding how this will affect treatment proposals and models.
- Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients:
- Use effective shared decision making with a range of first line management options (appropriate for the person’s level of activation)
- Assess levels of Patient Activation to confirm levels of knowledge, skills and confidence to self-manage
- Agree appropriate support for self-management through referral to rehabilitation focussed services and social prescribing provision.
- Provide expert advice and act as source of expertise in the management of musculoskeletal conditions and provide a specialist advisory service to patients, specialist physiotherapists other specialist healthcare professionals and members of the primary care team. Including advising GPs on management of MSK conditions.
- Provide advice, instruction and teaching on aspects of management of a condition to patients, relatives, carers and other health professionals.
- Continually review and develop specialist clinical and diagnostic skills in response to service need.
- Be accountable for own decisions and actions via HCPC registration and professional standards. Service/Professional Leadership/Consultancy
- Plan and organise the FCP service efficiently, ensuring delivery in-line with service expectations.
- Integrate the FCP role into the wider primary care team, proactively working with the primary care team to build robust relationships and integrate working practices. Attending primary care strategic and practice level meetings to represent FCP/physiotherapy when appropriate.
- Contribute to the development of referral guidelines for MSK and MSK related conditions from primary care to other NHS services that will direct referrals to other primary care services, community, secondary and tertiary [specialist] services.
- Work with other specialists to support the development of MSK pathways across the primary care network. This may include contributing to pathways that are not primary MSK pathways, but which have MSK interventions along the pathway.
- Work collaboratively with the primary care team, including working across the Primary Care Network [PCN] and also in partnership with business managers, professional managers and lead clinicians of secondary, community and other care providers to improve service delivery and meet the identified needs of the local patient population.
- Use influence and contribution to the PCN to promote the contribution of FCPs to MSK services in primary care and to the wider related services in the health economy.
- Work with the primary care team to support preventative strategies for local populations, patient groups and individuals.
- Participate in peer networking and support underpinned by active engagement in peer review and embracing evidence-based practice.
- Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of wider health, healthcare and social care agencies related to MSK conditions and physiotherapy.
- Contribute to organisational and service policies that support the maintenance of good clinical governance, manage risk and ensure patient safety is paramount. Be responsible for identifying and reporting any risk/clinical governance issues in the FCP service.
- Contribute to monitoring and review of service standards for MSK primary care services. Including established clinical, professional and service standards.
- Be aware of and able to demonstrate how the FCP role contributes to the achievement of key performance indicators [KPIs] for MSK primary care services. Identifying where own FCP role is supporting delivery of KPIs.
- Work within the FCP service, contributing to the development of musculoskeletal physiotherapy and related services across the healthcare economy.
- Represent the FCP primary care service at internal primary care meetings and at external forums/service meetings including CCG and other strategic regional forums involved in the development of FCPs and/or MSK pathways.
- Participate in/support investigations into complaints and clinical errors/incidents when appropriate. Education/Workforce Development
- Be responsible for leading and developing education and training of specialist physiotherapists up-to post graduate level to support the development of advanced clinical practice skills and knowledge within the wider physiotherapy workforce.
- Provide training and supervision, some of which maybe to postgraduate level, for specialist primary care professionals, including GPs in order for them to develop specialist MSK patient referral and management skills.
- Provide and receive clinical supervision and be an active provider of mentoring and coaching of specialist clinicians from a range of disciplines.
- Maintain a professional portfolio of advanced clinical practice knowledge and skills through participation in internal and external development opportunities. Research and Evaluation
- To initiate, design and evaluate an audit strategy ad tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the FCP MSK services in collaboration with the primary care MDT.
- Promote and lead the integration of evidence-based practice and national guidelines into own and local FCP MSK service practice. Use expert knowledge of evidence- based guidelines and national frameworks to influence the development of FCP services within the primary care team
- Lead or participate in research and MDT research projects as appropriate. This may include participation in cross organisational research and audit programmes.
- Present and disseminate research and clinical audit findings to the primary care team. Providing analysis of local and national data sets to illustrate service improvements and to promote service change.
- To maintain and up-date audit and data derived from a range of data sets in order provide statistical reports on outcome measures and achievement of KPIs for a range of audiences.
- Use audit and research to develop and improve service guidelines, care protocols, delivery of triage services and referral pathways. Communication/Building Networks • Participate in PCNs taking the opportunity to influencing the PCN to further support for and knowledge of the FCP role in primary care.
- Promote and explain the FCP role and what it can deliver to a range of audiences including patient groups, individual patients and other primary care team members, including GPs.
- Communicate effectively and appropriately with patients and their carers. This will include explaining the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment choices available to manage multi-pathology and complex conditions. It will also involve communicating limitations on treatment outcomes and managing expectations of patients with chronic or life limiting conditions
Injection therapy skills is desirable and not essential
Injection therapy skills/training will be provided to the appropriate candidate.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Slough: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Licence/Certification:
Work Location: In person