JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Lead Orthopaedic Physiotherapist
Band: 8b
Base: Oldham Integrated Care Centre
Responsible to: Executive Directors
Hours: 37.5 hours per week Full time
Contract Type: Permanent
Disclosure Required: Clinical Records Bureau Enhanced Disclosure
Job Summary
The purpose of the role is to provide exemplar leadership by delivering excellent service results and acting as a role model within clinical practice.
The lead physiotherapist will assess and treat his/her own caseload of patients whilst providing clinical and managerial leadership to the wider physiotherapy team. The post holder will also have responsibility for clinical governance across the orthopaedic physiotherapy team and will liaise closely with the Consultant Nurse in Clinical Governance/Director for Service
Improvement, providing expert physiotherapy advice both within the organisation and externally.
 To provide the lead role in providing strategic clinical leadership in all aspect of musculoskeletal physiotherapy care for Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd, working across traditional professional boundaries and developing new pathways of care. Will lead the MDT in all aspects of MSK clinical pathway development in liaison with the
Directors and relevant professionals.
 To provide expert, highly advanced, clinical care with complete professional autonomy including patient assessment, investigative procedures, diagnosis and treatment to a highly complex group of patients, including those with actual and potential serious pathology (including terminal illness).
 To work in partnership with the Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd, relevant CCGs, local and national agencies to provide and develop evidence based care for musculoskeletal services, to achieve local, regional and national objectives/priorities.
 To employ a biopsychosocial model of care across all pathways to ensure that a holistic care plan is developed which increases the likelihood of patient engagement
(DiMatteo et al 2007).
 To provide education and training at an advanced level to the wider multidisciplinary team, including Surgeons, Physicians, Allied Health Professional and Nursing staff, within the field, locally, regionally and nationally as appropriate in musculoskeletal care.
1

 To provide strategic, operational and clinical leadership for all Physiotherapists working within Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical
1.
To act as an expert clinical practitioner using highly developed specialist clinical knowledge and specialist knowledge of clinical research.
2.
To work as a fully autonomous expert practitioner, providing an assessment service for a group of highly complex patients, including those with actual or potential serious pathology (including terminal illness). Assessment procedures will include history taking, advanced physical examination and investigative procedures including
MRI, USS, Isotope Bone Scans, Nerve Conduction Studies and Blood tests.
3.
To interpret the results and clinical relevance of test results, e.g. scans, nerve conduction studies and blood tests in conjunction with the findings of the clinical assessment to make a diagnosis.
4.
To use advanced clinical reasoning and practical knowledge in relation to the clinical assessment to make a differential diagnosis in complex patients with multiple medical and musculoskeletal problems.
5.
To determine, following assessment, a management plan for each patient which can include treatment by various allied health professionals (AHPs) or further evaluation/management by Consultant Medical or Surgical colleagues.
6.
To provide a complete package of care and determine further management, in the light of tests results and discuss with patients (options) including the relative risks and potential benefits of each management option.
7.
To discuss and determine possible further radiological imaging techniques with
Consultant Radiologist colleagues, in the light of complex or conflicting clinical facts and evidence.
8.
To provide a highly specialised assessment service for a further/second opinion for complex patients who are referred to the post holder by Consultant Surgical/Medical colleagues, GP’s with Special Interests, Nurse Consultant and Clinical
Specialist/Senior Physiotherapist’s. This will include interpretation and analysis of highly complex clinical and non-clinical facts, which may be conflicting and where the views of other clinicians differ or conflict.
9.
To provide specific advice on appropriate self-management strategies. This includes a large proportion of patients where physiotherapy treatment with other clinicians, including other medical and surgical Consultant Colleagues, Senior and Clinical
Specialist therapist’s has failed to provide significant benefits.
10.
To provide a highly specialised re-assessment/follow up service for patients who have undergone physiotherapy (with other clinicians) or other procedures then determine whether further treatment/management options are available and determine the appropriateness of them.
11.
To screen and prioritise referrals for patients with potential serious pathology
(including terminal illness). Arranging emergency/extra clinic appointments on a routine basis.
2

12.
To integrate the existing and emerging research evidence (including the full range of research methodology/various different types of research) to determine optimum treatment strategies, including the appropriateness of physiotherapy, further investigations or medical/surgical assessment and treatment options.
13.
To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable as a fully autonomous practitioner for all aspects of the practitioner’s activities.
14.
To develop and maintain skills required to practice as an expert Lead Physiotherapist.
Clinical Governance
1.
To lead the development of MSK pathway service redesign, with regard to multidisciplinary care, in conjunction with directors and relevant clinical experts.
2.
To take the strategic lead role for development of orthopaedic physiotherapy services at local and at a regional level in conjunction with Consultant colleagues.
3.
To contribute to and influence the national policy agenda with regard to musculoskeletal services.
4.
To take a lead on creating, developing and implementing guidelines and protocols of care in order to provide early recognition of patients with actual or potential serious pathology.
5.
To provide ‘expert input’ to the Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd’s strategy by expressing the needs of the patient via a whole systems approach rather than a uni-professional view.
6.
To develop innovative models of service delivery by challenging unhelpful organisational and professional boundaries.
7.
To provide clinical leadership and career development opportunities for senior physiotherapy staff/clinical specialists working within the field of MSK physiotherapy.
8.
To play a key role in the strategic planning of the musculoskeletal service (short and long term) and the developments of professional practice, both within Pennine MSK
Partnership Ltd and across its partners (e.g. local CCGs), involved in the delivery of health and social care locally and nationally.
9.
To play a key role in the development of initiatives and innovations in musculoskeletal services between the trust and other agencies to ensure equity and ease of access to services for the local population.
10.
To be responsive to user feedback by ongoing evaluation and identification of emerging trends within the provision of services to musculoskeletal service patients, leading to development and redesign on a local and national level.
11.
To inform the clinical risk management agenda related to musculoskeletal patients and their management within the service.
12.
To promote best practices in care by facilitating the integration of research theory into practice, including the development of multidisciplinary integrated pathways based on the best available current and emerging evidence.
3

13.
To promote national and international standards in MSK management that crosses professional boundaries by working closely with medical, surgical and radiology
Consultant colleagues and leads to consistent use of locally endorsed standards.
14.
Ensure that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually monitored and improved in conjunction with Service Improvement Director.
15.
To work with the Senior Management Team to ensure developments within the service fit strategically in line with NHS England Five Year Forward View (Oct 2014)
16.
To evolve the role of Lead MSK Physiotherapist, including representation at local regional and national AHP networks, proposing and negotiating extension of practice beyond traditional scope.
17.
To be responsible for any clinical risk management and competency based training requirement that arises from such role development.
Training and Development
1.
To play a key role in clinical teaching and staff development of peers, medical colleagues and other health professionals within Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd and outside the organisation.
2.
To identify training opportunities and devise training programmes to meet the needs of service. This will be an ongoing responsibility as the service is developed.
3.
To take part in the Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd appraisal system and use an individual CPD portfolio to guide this development.
4.
To develop formal links through partnerships with local Universities and relevant professional bodies e.g. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), The society of
Orthopaedic Medicine (SOM).
Research and Audit
1.
To work in partnership with the Research Lead at Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd to ensure that evidence based practice, research and audit are firmly embedded in clinical practice.
2.
To identify research and audit priorities in partnership with MSK Partnership Ltd in conjunction with local and national priorities for MSK research including those which will have an impact outside the organisation.
3.
To publish and disseminate the results of projects in national and international peer reviewed journals.
4.
Regularly devise and implement audit processes to evaluate existing service delivery
(clinical and non-clinical aspects) and measure the impact of service developments/innovate practice led by the post holder.
5.
As a result of interpretation of audit data, makes changes to service delivery/develop new ways of working.
4

Management and Leadership
Information Resources
1.
To be responsible for maintenance of adequate written records, to include comprehensive progress and discharge reports to medical referrers and legal and disability reports, in line with legal and Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd requirements.
2.
To identify appropriate outcome measures and service impact measures which accurately evaluate patient response and service development needs.
3.
To identify, adapt and develop information systems needed for new service developments e.g. integrated care pathways.
4.
To maintain accurate statistical information on specialist area using databases as necessary to inform management team and drive audit programme.
Planning and Organisation
1.
To flexibly manage responsibility for a highly complex clinical caseload.
2.
To work in partnership with service directors and other relevant professionals to facilitate the delivery of long term strategic plans for the development of MSK services across MSK Partnership Ltd, NHS Oldham and more widely over the NE section of Greater Manchester. This involves uncertainty and requires the need to influence numerous stakeholders including Radiology services, Medical and Surgical services,
GP’s, Modernisation Managers, Commissioners of Services, Patient Groups, Voluntary
Organisations, Outside agencies (e.g. employer groups, ethnic groups, education authorities, public health agencies).
3.
To negotiate issues where expert opinion differs and where decisions made will impact upon existing and developing patient services across the organisation.
4.
To use excellent prioritising and time management skills to meet the unpredictable and conflicting needs of the existing and developing MSK service.
Communication and Relationships
1.
To demonstrate an expert ability to communicate highly complex and sensitive information to patients, carers and other staff, where there may be barriers to communication or may include information about long term/permanent disabilities or chronic pain. Also conveying information to patients about potential and actual serious pathology.
2.
To use motivational interviewing skills and embed the culture of shared decision making both with patients and team where appropriate.
3.
To discuss and articulate highly complex patient problems at an expert level, with
Consultant Medical, Surgical and Radiology colleagues, where expert opinion may differ.
4.
To use negotiating, motivational and persuasive skills to gain agreement and cooperation with regard to highly complex issues, from a range of health care professionals, this includes various clinicians, service managers and commissioners, relating to ongoing service developments and innovative practice, across Pennine MSK
Partnership Ltd, NHS Oldham and the NE sector of Greater Manchester.
5

5.
To diffuse potentially volatile and antagonistic staff, patients and relatives when dealing with complex issues relating to service changes or patient care, using highly developed negotiating and empathetic skills.
6.
To make reasonable efforts to resolve verbal complaints and to be well versed with the Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd’s formal complaints procedure.
7.
To maintain the highest standards of communication, written and verbal, with patients and colleagues ensuring satisfactory and timely resolution of queries whilst upholding confidentiality in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. To maintain accurate and contemporaneous records, both paper and electronic, in line with Pennine MSK Partnership Ltd policy.
8.
To demonstrate responsibility and leadership for promoting and championing all aspects of equal opportunities by valuing diversity in all areas of work.
9.
To take responsibility for ensuring and achieving the objectives of the Pennine MSK
Partnership Ltd Health and Safety Policy.
10.
To undertake any other duties in order to meet personal, team and organisational objectives following consultation with your manager.
This job description does not attempt to describe all the tasks the post holder will undertake, it does, however, indicate the degree of authority, range of duties covered
and the flexibility required for the job.
This job description may be amended in consultation with the post holder as
developments evolve, and as part of the appraisal process.
6

PERSON SPECIFICATION
Lead Orthopaedic Physiotherapist
Band 8b
Attributes
Education &
Qualifications
Experience
Criteria
Degree or diploma in
Physiotherapy
Working to or beyond Masters level
MSc or equivalent experience
HPC registration
Extensive post graduate training in rheumatology/ musculoskeletal conditions
Clinical interpretation of the results of investigations
Injection Qualification
Current member of the
Chartered Society of
Physiotherapists
Extensive post graduate experience some of which must have been within the
NHS
Minimum 5 years ESP experience
Experience at senior level in primary care and/or secondary care organisations
Experience that involves highly specialist clinical knowledge
Essential/
Desirable
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
AF
AF
AF/I
AF
AF
Evidence
AF
AF
AF
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
7

Knowledge & Skills
Wide range of senior experience in Musculoskeletal
Physiotherapy
Previous experience of leading and managing a team
Experience of working as a first contact practitioner
Experience of training staff of all levels
Experience of training across multi-disciplinary team
Experience of working in a pressured environment
Experience of working with medical colleagues
Experience of consultant level cross-consultation
Understanding of clinical governance
Experience of leading clinical governance initiatives
Experience of using research and other evidence to inform practice
Ability to take a lead role in
MDT
Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills both written and orally
Adaptable and supportive of change
Excellent problem solving skills
Published problem solving analyses e.g. case histories
Excellent time management
Skills
Competent IT skills
D
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
D
E
AF/I
AF/I
I
AF/I
AF/I
I
I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
I
AF/I
AF/I
I
I
I
AF/I
8

Remains updated in professional practice and NHS developments
Excellent presentation skills
Ability to effectively promote service and role to external agencies
Prominent professional profile
Personal &
Professional
Presentation
AF = Application Form
Ability to develop others
Able to work as team member
Punctual and reliable
Versatile & flexible
I = Interview
E
E
E
E
E
D
E
E
I
AF
I
I
AF/I
I
I
I
9