First Contact Physiotherapist (FCP)

at  Orpington PCN

The Orpington Primary Care Network is a group of general practice surgeries in the outer London suburbs. We currently have forty staff including a team of five FCPs are looking to expand the team. 1 full time or 2 part time FCPs sought. Training and clinical supervision is provided in a supportive environment where we are keen to promote staff development.
A mix of home and surgery-based working at 3-4 surgeries.

CONFIDENTIALITY:

In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the PCN as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Federation may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the OPCN policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

· BSc degree in Physiotherapy
· Registration with the HCPC
· Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
· Completed Stages 1 and 2 of FCP Roadmap

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

· MSc degree in Physiotherapy
* Completed or working towards a Supplementary Prescribing qualification or non-medical prescribing qualification – training will be supported in post.
Knowledge and skills :
· Be flexible and adaptable to cope with unpredictable situations
· Ability to implement evidence-based practice principles
· Good self-management and ability to prioritise workload and delegate tasks as appropriate
· Computer literate for record keeping, communication, data collection and research purposes
* Aware of own limitations and when to ask for advice from the wider MDT
* Experience of working and have a good understanding of EMIS clinical platform
Experience:
· Experience of working in Primary Care and First Contact Practitioner roles
· Evidence of involvement in Service Improvement initiatives and outcomes
· Minimum of 5 years post qualification physiotherapy experience
· Minimum of 3 years MSK experience
· Knowledge of managing patients with a variety of conditions and complex needs
· Demonstrates expert clinical reasoning skills in MSK physiotherapy
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £48,000.00-£50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Licence/Certification:

• HCPC (preferred)

Work Location: In person
Reference ID: FCP20012

JOB PURPOSE

· Reduce local health inequalities
· Enable patient access to MSK Physiotherapy at the start of the pathway, ensuring timely access to diagnosis, early management and onward referral if necessary
· Support patients to stay well and make informed decisions and choices through shared decision making when their health changes
· Empower patients to build knowledge, skills and confidence to live well with their health conditions

JOB ROLE

The successful candidate will play a key role in proactively working with people, who would need support around MSK-related conditions and to provide coordination and navigation of care and support across health and care services.
They will work closely with GPs and practice teams, making sure that appropriate support is made available to people; supporting them to understand and manage their condition and ensuring their changing needs are addressed. They will enable people to access the services and support they require to meet their health and wellbeing needs, helping to improve people’s quality of life.
Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
· Work within primary care, seeing patients directly from reception booking ad triage.
· Work independently, to assess, diagnose, triage, and manage patients
· Where required refer patients to other health professionals within the PCN
· Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient facing role, using their expert knowledge of movement and function issues, to create stronger links for wider services through clinical leadership, teaching and evaluation
· Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients, providing a range of first line treatment options including self-management, referral to rehabilitation focussed services and social prescribing
· Make use of their full scope of practice, developing skills relating to independent prescribing, injection therapy and investigation to make professional judgements and decisions in unpredictable situations, including when provided with incomplete or contradictory information.
· Manage complex interactions, including working with patients with psychosocial and mental health needs, referring onwards as required and including social prescribing when appropriate
· Communicate effectively with patients, and their carers where applicable, complex and sensitive information regarding diagnoses, pathology, prognosis and treatment choices supporting personalised care
· Implement all aspects of effective clinical governance for own practice, including undertaking regular audit and evaluation, supervision and training
· Develop integrated and tailored care programmes in partnership with patients through:
- Effective shared decision-making
- Assessing levels of Patient Activation to support their own level of knowledge
- Designing and implementing plans that facilitate behavioural change
· Request and progress investigations (such as x-rays and blood tests) and referrals to facilitate the diagnosis and choice of treatment regime including, considering the limitations of these investigations, interpret and act on results and feedback to aid patients’ diagnoses and management plans
· Be accountable for decisions and actions via Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration, supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence-based practice.