Job description

Job responsibilities

First Contact Physiotherapist for Primary Care

As a first contact physiotherapist (FCP), you are an advanced practitioner working within a primary care team with extensive expertise in the clinical assessment, diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. You will see patients with (suspected or diagnosed) MSK conditions as the first point of contact, instead of a GP, via direct booking.

The purpose of the role is not to deliver physiotherapy treatment for patients in place of the community and hospital outpatient service. The role intends to shift workload from GPs, by providing patients with an appropriately trained and certified healthcare professional to assess and manage their MSK presentations.

The role includes supporting patient self-management, in ways that facilitate behavioural change, optimise individuals' physical activity, mobility, fulfilment of personal goals and independence, and that minimise the need for medical or pharmacological interventions.

• Provide clinical expertise, acting as first contact physiotherapist and making decisions about the best course of action for patients' care (including in relation to undifferentiated conditions). This will involve seeing patients, without prior contact with their GP, in order to establish a rapid and accurate diagnosis and management plan.
• 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 test, and interpret and act on results to aid diagnosis and the management plans of patients.
• Demonstrates general physiotherapy skills and knowledge in core areas
• Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general physiotherapy care programmes for patients in core areas, including disease states / long term conditions identified by local needs assessment
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
• Exercise a critical understanding of personal scope of practice and to identify when a patient needs referring on and where there are opportunities for developing the scope and competence of the wider MDT to meet patient care needs
• Integrates a broad range of interventions into practice, including injection therapy and independent prescribing, while also promoting nonpharmacological solutions to patient care
• Through patient assessment and working in partnership with patients and their carers, make decisions about the best pathway of care, informed by the urgency and severity of patient need, patient acuity and dependency, and the most appropriate deployment of resources
• Manage risk in unpredictable, uncertain situations to uphold patient safety, including by referring on to other primary care team members and to specialist services, as needed
• Able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct
• Involves patients in decision making and supporting adherence as per NICE guidance

Collaborative working relationships

• Operate as a full member of the primary care team, including contributing to leadership, service evaluation/improvement and research activity
• Manage and co-ordinate the care that individual patients receive, including through liaising with other members of the MDT and with patients' carers
• Contribute to the development of primary care teams, including through contributing to others' learning
• The role will entail working within the Sphere Primary Care Network (PCN), this is likely to include attending meetings, sharing of best practice and working on wider PCN objectives.
• Sphere PCN is made up of six practices, namely Elliott Hall Medical Centre, GP Direct, Hatch End Medical Centre, Northwick Surgery, Streatfield Medical Centre and St Peters Medical Centre. The PCN employs over 150 staff and provides care to over 70,000 patients.

Key working relationships

The post holder will develop and maintain relationships with practice staff across PCN member practices, service providers, patient representative groups and other partner organisations relevant to the local health system.

The post-holder will need to communicate effectively with both patients and fellow health care professionals

Key relationships include:

• GP Practices, Primary Care Networks, and Federation Leads and key professionals groups including Practice Managers, Primary Care healthcare professionals (other physiotherapists, GPs, nurses, pharmacists etc.)
• ICB/Borough Primary Care Team and wider ICB including Clinical Directors and Clinical Leads
• Members of the public and local Voluntary Sector and Community Groups

Functional responsibilities

• Takes professional responsibility as a first contact physiotherapist, with high level decision-making and clinical-reasoning skills to assess, diagnose and triage of patients
• Manages a complex caseload (including patients with long-term conditions, co-morbidities and multi-factorial needs),
• Leads, manages and contributes to service delivery
• Accountable for decisions and actions via CSP/HCPC registration, supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence based practice
• Streamlines pathway of care by providing a responsive service so that patients receive timely access to care
• Provides care which is tailored to the individual needs. 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)
• Supports patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management
• Communicates effectively and appropriately with patients and carers complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology and prognosis.
• Uses a range of clinical skills which may include

- non-medical independent prescribing,

- joint / soft tissue injections

- joint aspirations Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care. Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care. Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care.

• Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care.
• Works with MDT to develop more effective and streamlined clinical pathways and services
• Exercises professional judgement, making, justifying and taking responsibility for decisions in unpredictable situations, including in the context of incomplete/contradictory information
• Manages interactions in complex situations, including with individuals with particular psychosocial and mental health needs and with colleagues across the primary care team, sectors and settings

Leadership

• Demonstrates understanding of the physiotherapy role in respect of clinical governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace
• Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service
• Reviews last years progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others

Management

• Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation
• Demonstrates understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice
• Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol
• Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management

Learning and Development

• Demonstrates self-development through continuous professional development activity
• Participates in the delivery of formal education programmes within their professional remit
• Demonstrates an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice

Job responsibilities

First Contact Physiotherapist for Primary Care

As a first contact physiotherapist (FCP), you are an advanced practitioner working within a primary care team with extensive expertise in the clinical assessment, diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. You will see patients with (suspected or diagnosed) MSK conditions as the first point of contact, instead of a GP, via direct booking.

The purpose of the role is not to deliver physiotherapy treatment for patients in place of the community and hospital outpatient service. The role intends to shift workload from GPs, by providing patients with an appropriately trained and certified healthcare professional to assess and manage their MSK presentations.

The role includes supporting patient self-management, in ways that facilitate behavioural change, optimise individuals' physical activity, mobility, fulfilment of personal goals and independence, and that minimise the need for medical or pharmacological interventions.

• Provide clinical expertise, acting as first contact physiotherapist and making decisions about the best course of action for patients' care (including in relation to undifferentiated conditions). This will involve seeing patients, without prior contact with their GP, in order to establish a rapid and accurate diagnosis and management plan.
• 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 test, and interpret and act on results to aid diagnosis and the management plans of patients.
• Demonstrates general physiotherapy skills and knowledge in core areas
• Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general physiotherapy care programmes for patients in core areas, including disease states / long term conditions identified by local needs assessment
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
• Exercise a critical understanding of personal scope of practice and to identify when a patient needs referring on and where there are opportunities for developing the scope and competence of the wider MDT to meet patient care needs
• Integrates a broad range of interventions into practice, including injection therapy and independent prescribing, while also promoting nonpharmacological solutions to patient care
• Through patient assessment and working in partnership with patients and their carers, make decisions about the best pathway of care, informed by the urgency and severity of patient need, patient acuity and dependency, and the most appropriate deployment of resources
• Manage risk in unpredictable, uncertain situations to uphold patient safety, including by referring on to other primary care team members and to specialist services, as needed
• Able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct
• Involves patients in decision making and supporting adherence as per NICE guidance

Collaborative working relationships

• Operate as a full member of the primary care team, including contributing to leadership, service evaluation/improvement and research activity
• Manage and co-ordinate the care that individual patients receive, including through liaising with other members of the MDT and with patients' carers
• Contribute to the development of primary care teams, including through contributing to others' learning
• The role will entail working within the Sphere Primary Care Network (PCN), this is likely to include attending meetings, sharing of best practice and working on wider PCN objectives.
• Sphere PCN is made up of six practices, namely Elliott Hall Medical Centre, GP Direct, Hatch End Medical Centre, Northwick Surgery, Streatfield Medical Centre and St Peters Medical Centre. The PCN employs over 150 staff and provides care to over 70,000 patients.

Key working relationships

The post holder will develop and maintain relationships with practice staff across PCN member practices, service providers, patient representative groups and other partner organisations relevant to the local health system.

The post-holder will need to communicate effectively with both patients and fellow health care professionals

Key relationships include:

• GP Practices, Primary Care Networks, and Federation Leads and key professionals groups including Practice Managers, Primary Care healthcare professionals (other physiotherapists, GPs, nurses, pharmacists etc.)
• ICB/Borough Primary Care Team and wider ICB including Clinical Directors and Clinical Leads
• Members of the public and local Voluntary Sector and Community Groups

Functional responsibilities

• Takes professional responsibility as a first contact physiotherapist, with high level decision-making and clinical-reasoning skills to assess, diagnose and triage of patients
• Manages a complex caseload (including patients with long-term conditions, co-morbidities and multi-factorial needs),
• Leads, manages and contributes to service delivery
• Accountable for decisions and actions via CSP/HCPC registration, supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence based practice
• Streamlines pathway of care by providing a responsive service so that patients receive timely access to care
• Provides care which is tailored to the individual needs. 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)
• Supports patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management
• Communicates effectively and appropriately with patients and carers complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology and prognosis.
• Uses a range of clinical skills which may include

- non-medical independent prescribing,

- joint / soft tissue injections

- joint aspirations Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care. Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care. Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care.

• Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care.
• Works with MDT to develop more effective and streamlined clinical pathways and services
• Exercises professional judgement, making, justifying and taking responsibility for decisions in unpredictable situations, including in the context of incomplete/contradictory information
• Manages interactions in complex situations, including with individuals with particular psychosocial and mental health needs and with colleagues across the primary care team, sectors and settings

Leadership

• Demonstrates understanding of the physiotherapy role in respect of clinical governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace
• Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service
• Reviews last years progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others

Management

• Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation
• Demonstrates understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice
• Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol
• Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management

Learning and Development

• Demonstrates self-development through continuous professional development activity
• Participates in the delivery of formal education programmes within their professional remit
• Demonstrates an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience in undertaking an FCP role within primary care

Desirable

• Broad knowledge of General Practice

Qualifications

Essential

• Completed an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy
• Health & Care Professions Council Registered Physiotherapist
• Be a member of the CSP or appropriate professional body
• A Masters Level qualification or equivalent specialist musculoskeletal knowledge, skills and experience
• Completed Level 7 Modules in MSK related areas of practice (advanced assessment / diagnosis / treatment)

Desirable

• Holds an Independent Prescribing qualification
• Trained in delivering joint injections
• Hold credentials in imaging, i.e. diagnostic or procedural

Skills, personal qualities and other requirements

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Ability to promote best practice regarding all physiotherapy related matters
• Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving & analytical skills
• Ability to follow policy and procedure
• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated
• Forward thinker
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure
• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• EMIS Web user skills

Experience

Essential

• Experience in undertaking an FCP role within primary care

Desirable

• Broad knowledge of General Practice

Qualifications

Essential

• Completed an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy
• Health & Care Professions Council Registered Physiotherapist
• Be a member of the CSP or appropriate professional body
• A Masters Level qualification or equivalent specialist musculoskeletal knowledge, skills and experience
• Completed Level 7 Modules in MSK related areas of practice (advanced assessment / diagnosis / treatment)

Desirable

• Holds an Independent Prescribing qualification
• Trained in delivering joint injections
• Hold credentials in imaging, i.e. diagnostic or procedural

Skills, personal qualities and other requirements

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Ability to promote best practice regarding all physiotherapy related matters
• Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving & analytical skills
• Ability to follow policy and procedure
• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated
• Forward thinker
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure
• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• EMIS Web user skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

GP Direct

Address

3-7 Welbeck Road

Harrow

HA2 0RQ

Employer's website

https://www.gpdirect.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)