Musculoskeletal Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner

Band 8a

Main area

Surrey Downs Health and Care

Grade

Band 8a

Contract

Permanent

Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Job share

37.5 hours per week (22.5hrs with Leatherhead PCN and 15hrs with SDHC MCATS)

Job ref

343-SDH&C

Site

Leatherhead Hospital

Town

Leatherhead

Salary

£57,888 - £64,880 Per Annum Pro Rata inc Fringe HCAS

Salary period

Yearly

Closing

08/12/2025 23:59

Job overview

Surrey Downs Health & Care

SDHC is a dynamic partnership of Primary Care, Community and Acute colleagues at the forefront of delivering services locally to meet our patient needs.

We are looking for a dynamic and forward thinking APP to join our SDHC MSK team working in the MSK Clinical Assessment & Triage Service (MCATS) and within Leatherhead PCN as a First Contact Practitioner (FCP). This is an exciting role with close working between Secondary Care, GPs (and other primary care colleagues) and the wider MSK pathway is an essential part of the role.

You will have excellent clinical assessment and triage skills; be a great communicator; have good motivational skills and be happy to step out of your comfort zone to drive forward rapid changes.

You must be self-motivating, organised, computer literate and able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills with a commitment to continued personal development.

The post will be based at Leatherhead Hospital but you may be expected to travel to other sites for clinical supervision and training purposes and must be able to meet the travel requirements of this post.

Main duties of the job

Role Summary

• • To triage and refer musculoskeletal patients to the most appropriate pathway.
• To be a link between all parts of the pathway ensuring patients are seen by the right person at the right time and there is a smooth transition between primary and secondary care.
• To provide specialized clinical knowledge to assess patients, order and interpret diagnostics, and initiate treatment.
• To support GPs and FCP colleagues in the management of complex musculoskeletal patients.
• To provide skilled team leadership to clinicians within the wider multidisciplinary team and physiotherapy department and actively participate in plans for service development.
• To provide a high level of clinical expertise.
• To support and undertake audit and research projects and recommend changes in practice within specialist clinical area.

Working for our organisation

Surrey Downs Health and Care (SDHC) deliver care closer to people's own communities through our Primary Care Networks and our innovative partnership of local NHS organisations.

Surrey Downs Health and Care has a track record of providing person centric care that goes beyond organisational boundaries to do what is best for the individual. This partnership includes:

• The three GP federations representing practices that operate in the Surrey Downs area
• CSH Surrey
• Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Surrey Council County

We collectively aspire to be an exemplar of how to deliver the highest quality and best value care in a complex health and care environment. An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, ambitious and highly motivated individual to join Surrey Downs Health & Care Partnership.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Principle Duties:

• To take the lead role in ensuring patients see the right clinician at the right time and receive the most appropriate treatment moving through different specialties as required.

• To triage patients ensuring all information and appropriate diagnostics/ investigations are made available.

• To educate and support primary care clinicians in the management of musculoskeletal conditions.

• To act as a clinical expert in musculoskeletal physiotherapy to teach, advice and support, members of the multidisciplinary team.

• To be the link between primary and secondary care ensuring smooth process for patients and preventing duplication of assessments and diagnostics.

• The post holder is an autonomous practitioner who will manage a caseload of patients, using evidence based practice/patient focused principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions

• To undertake an Advanced Clinical Practice working alongside Consultants and GP's. To see patients as an alternative to a consultant with benign musculoskeletal dysfunctions where serious pathology is not suspected and to manage the musculoskeletal care of these patients, liaising with members of the Orthopaedic/Rheumatology or Pain teams as necessary, including listing for surgery where this is indicated.

• To provide clinical leadership within the MSK team. This may include visits to community physiotherapy clinics to provide clinical supervision and support. Whilst feeding back and problem-solving concerns with the MSK Operational Management team

• To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of musculoskeletal pathways meeting regularly with the MSK Operational Management Team, GP practices, Consultants and wider Multidisciplinary team.

Clinical and Professional

1. To triage referrals to select the most appropriate pathway for the patient.

2. To assess patients within clinics to exclude serious pathology and the need for immediate surgery. To form a diagnosis based on sound clinical reasoning and offer immediate explanation of your findings sensitively to the patient.

3. To ensure Shared Decision Making (SDM) is embedded within the service and evidenced.

4. To develop management plans in consultation with the patients, identify and request appropriate investigations and needs, e.g. physiotherapy, injections, X-rays, MRI's and other clinical interventions deemed necessary.

5. To work alongside the GPs, Orthopaedic Surgical, Rheumatology and pain teams conferring and referring clinical cases appropriately.

6. To use advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to refer on to other departments/consultants/colleagues, based on results of investigation and expert clinical assessment findings.

7. To articulate effectively the physiotherapeutic perspective on a patient's condition with medical colleagues and members of the MDT and negotiate when various patient management options are available.

8. To provide specialised assessment to patients with a range of musculoskeletal problems. Design and carry out appropriate high quality management programmes for individual patients in partnership with the patients and/or carers, using advanced clinical reasoning skills, knowledge of evidence based practice and advanced musculoskeletal expertise.

9. To communicate appropriate complex information effectively to patients and/or carers where there may be barriers to understanding. To inform them of the benefits and risks of suggested treatment options and to undertake this with groups or individuals.

10. To act as a clinical consultant for other staff within the musculoskeletal physiotherapy service to assist in their management of challenging clinical cases.

11. To maintain accurate and up to date records on patient treatment in line with the Chartered society of Physiotherapy.

12. To work in conjunction with all MSK CATS staff with the MSK network to challenge the treatment methods used across the service and initiate changes in line with evidence based practice and clinical governance through regular clinical supervision.

13 To carry out a programme of clinical audit and implement changes that may be required from findings.

14 To demonstrate a sound reasoning of clinical governance, clinical risk and to demonstrate the use of treatment plans with an evidence based link.

15 To set and maintain a high personal standard of work and ensure more junior and unqualified staff do the same.

16 To maintain a continuing Professional Development diary and keep professionally up to date in clinical practice relating to patient care within the field of musculoskeletal outpatients and be proactive as a consultant to other staff in this respect.

17 To have a good understanding of other clinical interventions that can be used in conjunction with physiotherapy practice to maximize treatment benefit, e.g. MRI or CT scans, injection therapy, epidurals, podiatry, orthotics, etc. and to work collaboratively with the other health professionals involved.

Training and Supervisory

1. To provide education and support to primary care colleagues on the management of musculoskeletal conditions, the shared decision making tool, joint goal setting and partnership working.

2. To use advanced clinical reasoning skills enabling the formal supervision, specialist support and advice for senior physiotherapy staff and members of the MDT on a regular basis and be available to advise other staff on the management of complex musculoskeletal patients as appropriate, in area of specialist expertise.

3. To provide and organise a training programme for all musculoskeletal staff in specialist area and to also participate in the education of other appropriate professionals.

4. To participate in the development and delivery of external courses in specialist field on behalf of the musculoskeletal team.

5. To actively participate in the appraisal scheme.

Managerial

1. To co-operate with and support the team of Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioners and MSK Consultant Physiotherapist within SDHC and ensure that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually monitored and improved.

2. To define and refine referral thresholds and protocols.

3. To manage patient flows within anticipated activity levels.

4. To oversee the performance of the staff within your area of responsibility and manage any issues that arise and to support these staff to do the same, keeping the MSK Consultant Physiotherapist informed of any issues.

5. To demonstrate effective time management skills by appropriately managing the potentially conflicting demands of clinical and other non-clinical duties.

6. To prioritise workload/caseloads within existing resources and advise others how to do likewise.

7. To have an overall strategic view in order to instigate change appropriately within the specialist area, supporting the development of strategic and operational management of the MSK CATS and community MSK service.

8. To participate in the recruitment and selection of colleagues.

9. To manage resources efficiently and effectively

10. To be competent at navigating IT systems and electronic patient records to view imaging and clinical results.

Research and Development

1. To participate in the evaluation of Musculoskeletal Service through clinical audit and/or research projects and monitoring clinical outcomes in specialist field.

2. To identify opportunities to improve the musculoskeletal service in order to provide the best possible patient care within available resources.

3. To give specialist advice on the planning and development of the MSK CATS and assist in the implementation of changes to practice identified through this process.

4. To participate in the development and implementation of clinical protocols in the MSK CATS service involving all relevant parties.

5. To undertake defined projects within the musculoskeletal in collaboration with the MSK Consultant Physiotherapist.

This job description is not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake such other duties from time to time as are consistent with the responsibility of the grade.

Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria

• Degree/diploma level education leading to State Registration by HCPC as a physiotherapist
• Evidence of relevant MSK post - graduate qualification /training at Masters Level.
• Completion of Stage 1 of the FCP Roadmap
• Foundation management training (e.g supervision ,appraisal skills)

Desirable criteria

• Member of Appropriate Special interest group or Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Relevant Master's Degree
• Diploma in Injection Therapy
• Non-Medical Prescriber
• Completion of Stage 2 of the FCP road map

Experience
Essential criteria

• Good theoretical knowledge and experience of a wide range of approaches to the management of complex musculoskeletal conditions.
• Extensive experience as an MSK physiotherapist suitable to fulfil the requirements of this role
• Experience of Teaching or peer development
• Attend relevant post-graduate courses

Desirable criteria

• Managerial /leadership experience
• Audit/research experience
• Extended post graduate clinical courses to a masters level.
• IRMER training
• Worked at APP level previously
• Worked as an FCP previously

Other
Essential criteria

• Demonstration of biopsychosocial approach
• IT skills: able to competently use word processing, data base and spreadsheets.
• Relevant and comprehensive evidence of life-long learning and post-graduate training and its application to clinical practice.
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Committed to personal and Team development
• Able to work with others and pass on skills and knowledge within profession and other health professionals including medical colleagues

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of Pharmacology relating to relevant MSK medicines

Your application: Please ensure that you have read the job description and person specification and that your supporting statement reflects these, as your application will be assessed and scored against these criteria.

References: You will be required to provide 3 years of employment/educational history. We do notaccept references from personal email addresses such as Hotmail, Gmail etc. therefore please ensure you are providing professional working email addresses within your application form. If you are unable to provide professional email addresses and are invited to an interview, please ensure you advise the interviewers of this - otherwise, this may delay your pre-employment checks.

Closing date: In order to streamline recruitment within our Trust, we reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications.

Shortlisting: You will only be contacted via e-mail/SMS if you are successfully shortlisted for this post. Please ensure that you check your Trac registered e-mail regularly.

DBS: We are committed to safeguarding children and adults who are at risk of abuse. As such, if this post will have access to children or vulnerable adults, you will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. However, all employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.

Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.

---