Job summary
- Main area
- MSK
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (work flexibly at the GP practices , based on estates availability.)
- Job ref
- 333-G-ECP-0700
- Employer
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Acton PCN sites
- Town
- Acton
- Salary
- £55,524 - £62,652 per annum incl. HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 02/07/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Band 7 First Contact Physiotherapist
NHS AfC: Band 7
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity to work as Band 7 First Contact Physiotherapist role in Acton Primary Care Network. The post holder will work within the FCP team and will be supported with adequate FCP training and supervision to demonstrate highly specialist MSK Skills . The post holder will be required to work autonomously as per availability of estates in Acton GP practices.
The first contact physiotherapist will work in the PCN whilst also supported by an established MSK team which includes extended scope physiotherapists, neurosurgical and orthopaedic consultants and a consultant physiotherapist. The MSK service in Ealing is well established and provides a high level of training, clinical supervision and support.
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 as required.
They will also be expected to deliver programmes of supported 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 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.
We expect you to show COMPASSION, contribute to a caring and kind environment and recognise that what you do and say helps 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 recognise that commissioners and users of our services are the people who generate and pay for our work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
CORE 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 of 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 specialities 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 contribute to service delivery and the development of MSK care within the primary care network 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 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 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 judgement, 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.
Vaccination
The statutory requirement to be fully Covid-19 vaccinated as a condition of deployment from April 2022 is subject to legislative review. 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
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
- Teaching qualification or experience
Teaching, Research and Development
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates ability to apply the research evidence base into working practice
- Demonstrates understanding of the principles of research governance
- Demonstrates ability to work as a member of the research team
- To demonstrate an ability to work as a clinical educator for Physiotherapy students
Desirable criteria
- Research qualification
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate ability to design, develop and delivers programmes of specialised learning in line with evidence-based practice to peers and junior staff
Desirable criteria
- Demonstrates ability to work as a member of the research team
- Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Developing Specialist experience in musculoskeletal out- patients in GP or community
- Demonstrates general physiotherapy skills and knowledge and experience 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 clinical governance and audit
- Excellent communicator
- Excellent organisational skills and time management
- Good problem solver
- Good general background knowledge of orthopaedic, rheumatology and pain conditions and their management.
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of CBT or pain management approaches
- Experience of SystmOne
- Previous experience within a community setting or GP practice
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 utilisation
- Demonstrates understanding of, and conform to, relevant standards of practice
- Demonstrate an ability to lead / support and developing individual staff or teams to ensure optimised individual and team performance
Desirable criteria
- Leadership qualification / change management experience
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Maitri Pandya
- Job title
- FCP Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Maitri Pandya (FCP Lead )on email [email protected]
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