Extended Scope Practitioner / Specialist Physiotherapist - Lumbar

Job overview

Extended Scope Practitioner / Specialist Physiotherapist in Lumbar Spine.

Band 8a

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is looking for a demonstrably experienced, dynamic and enthusiastic musculoskeletal clinician to join our Lumbar Spine Pathway Triage Service. The successful applicant will be working alongside an existing team of Clinical Specialists, LSP clinical lead and wider neurosurgical and pain multidisciplinary teams. The role of the post holder will be to undertake the advanced assessment, investigation and appropriate onward referral of spinal patients referred by GPs to the service. Previous demonstrable experience in a like or similar field is desirable but not essential. The post will involve training to allow proven competency in any ‘extended scope of practice’ required and will include shadowing our consultants in neurosurgery and the pain management centre.

The Lumbar Spine Pathway form part of the Plymouth Back Pain pathway for patients in Plymouth and some surrounding areas.

If you are a dynamic progressive physiotherapist with relevant demonstrable clinical experience, excellent leadership skills, and inspire innovative team working this is the post for you!

Main duties of the job

• To undertake a lead Advanced / Extended Scope Physiotherapy Practitioner role within the Lumbar Spine Pathway. Acting and working as an expert autonomous practitioner and working independently at an advanced practice level, demonstrating advanced knowledge and skills with a specific specialism in spinal pathology, within the Spinal Service and musculoskeletal Physiotherapy.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

·         To lead, undertake, and/or support research as a key leader to advance professional practice, devise or test clinical benchmarks, outcome measures or clinical indicators.

• To undertake a lead Advanced / Extended Scope Physiotherapy Practitioner role within the Lumbar Spine Pathway. Acting and working as an expert autonomous practitioner and working independently at an advanced practice level, demonstrating advanced knowledge and skills with a specific specialism in spinal pathology, within the Spinal Service and musculoskeletal Physiotherapy.
• To provide assessment, treatment, management advice and education to patients with a range of acute and chronic, routine to highly complex clinical presentations. This includes the integration of research evidence into practice via the process of advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making. Determining clinical diagnosis may requiring further investigations for example diagnostic imaging, blood investigations and associated tests.
• To have a collaborative relationship with colleagues in MSK physiotherapy, Chronic Pain Management teams, Radiology and other specialist secondary care services. Management and treatment may involve advanced knowledge and skills, spinal injection therapy, escalation to on-call orthopaedics or surgery.
• To work as part of the spinal surgical teams (orthopaedic and neurosurgical) to discuss cases to decide on further management options which may include spinal surgery, spinal injections, further investigations, referral to another specialist service, discharge to self- manage.
• To engage in service level development/discussions/meetings relating to the area of work independently and as delegated by the Therapies Service Line Manager.
• Together with the existing Outpatient Specialists provide clinical leadership and expertise within the Physiotherapy Department with respect to spinal pathologies.
• To be involved in developing and support commissioning of any new pathways relating to back pain and its management in the community setting.