We are looking for a First Contact Physiotherapist to provide clinical expertise and make decisions about the best course of action for patients' care.
As a first contact practitioner (FCP), acting as a first-contact physiotherapist, you will be providing initial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients in need of musculoskeletal (MSK) related care. As the first point of contact for patients, this individual plays a pivotal role in ensuring timely and effective care delivery.
Based in Northgate Health Centre and working mainly across two of our four practices in the PCN, you will offer remote and face to face appointments. If you are a motivated self-starter and passionate about offering excellent care, we would love to hear from you.
Previous applicants need not apply.
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. This will include seeing patients to establish a rapid and accurate diagnosis and management plan.
Progress and request investigations to facilitate diagnosis and choice of treatment pathway; using diagnostic services such as x-rays and blood test. Interpret and act on results to aid diagnosis and the management plans of patients.
Provide patient self-management advice, 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.
Oxford Central is a forward thinking and friendly PCN looking to expand our wider additional roles team. We aim to provide consistent, excellent healthcare for our patients and residents.
We offer a central location in a spacious, brand-new, purpose-built centre, with a friendly and cohesive bunch of GP partners and salaried GPs. We have an excellent clinical support team including Paramedics, Nurses, Health Care Assistants, Mental Health Practitioners, Social Prescriber and Pharmacists. We schedule a weekly catch-up with colleagues and have a great team environment.
1. Take professional responsibility as a first-contact physiotherapist, with high-level decision-making and clinical-reasoning skills to assess, diagnose, triage and refer patients for onward treatment.
2. Support GPs with management of complex caseloads (including patients with long-term conditions, co-morbidities and multi-factorial needs).
3. Contribute to development of service delivery.
4. Accountable for decisions and actions via HCPC registration, supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence-based practice.
5. Ensure care is proactive, preventive in focus and population based, with an emphasis on early intervention.
6. Provide 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).
7. 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.
8. Support patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management.
9. Communicate effectively and appropriately with patients and carers complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology and prognosis.
10. Use a range of clinical skills which may include:
a. non-medical independent prescribing
b. joint / soft tissue injections
c. joint aspirations
11. Provide learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care at network of Practice level.
12. Exercise professional judgement, making, justifying and taking responsibility for decisions in unpredictable situations, including in the context of incomplete/contradictory information.
13. Manage 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.
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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
KES@Northgate
Northgate Health Centre
15 Market Street
Oxford
OX1 3EF
https://www.kingedwardst.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)