Expert Physiotherapist (Musculoskeletal Outpatients)

Location: Capital, Coast & Hutt Valley District Therapies departments

Contract: Permanent, Part Time (0.5 FTE / 20 hours per week)

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence. 

About the Role 

The therapist in this role will support and orientate Musculoskeletal (MSK) outpatient (OP) physiotherapists to ACC & Ministry of Health (MoH) clients. This role will identify competency and skill mix needs within the team. The role will audit and support/mentor/promote permanent, rotational and students around best practice. They will do double appointments and second opinions with clients as necessary/identified, providing clinical expertise/peer reviewing and mentoring. They may support the Team Leader (TL) and Professional Leader (PL) around regular review of policy regarding internal audits of clinical record keeping plus clinical oversight. They may support the PL/TL around auditing clinical record keeping as part of performance management if required. They will be a key part of the clinical assurance framework for MSK physiotherapy including learning and development and leading the learning program that is governed by the learning gaps identified as part of their mentoring role.

About the Team/Service Location 

The team encompasses MSK physiotherapists from new graduates to highly experienced, Hand therapists of both Occupational therapy and Physiotherapy backgrounds and new graduates (rotationals) and Advanced clinical practice physiotherapists in Orthopaedics (ACPP (Ortho)) – 1 Expert and 3-4 Advanced roles. There are up to 4 coordinators. There are also advanced designated roles in the Hutt Hand therapy team and one Allied Health assistant (AHA). Primarily this role would oversee the MSK PT new graduates to highly experienced, but may also liaise/work with the Expert Physiotherapist (Orthopaedics), the Coordinators and the TL to form a leadership group within the wider team. They may support students as required but mainly support the team supervising students.

About you 

You will be an experienced OP MSK physiotherapist with high levels of both analytical and judgemental skill. You will have a high level of clinical reasoning alongside the ability to work with all levels of experienced clinicians where there are performance issues and/or risk for patients within their care. You will be confident in providing day to day clinical leadership in musculoskeletal therapy, providing clinical advice, monitoring of clinical practise and clinical mentoring of others working in this area.

They will also promote and lead the clinical area learning/education program. Responsibilities required for this role will include:

• Subject matter expertise (SME) in MSK physiotherapy. Contributing expert MSK physiotherapy knowledge and skills across the continuum of healthcare through consultation, support, advice, training, education, research and service delivery, with the aim of improving the patient and whānau outcomes.
• Involvement in research, auditing, orientation to the ACC Physiotherapy Services contract, evaluation and development within this clinical area and will support/lead MSK Special Interest Group meetings.
• Fostering and provision of education and training in MSK PT care for Nurses, Medical Teams, Pharmacists and the wider health care team.
• Development and delivery of education packages to attain a core level of MSK PT knowledge and skills for all MSK PT’s to ensure provision of continuous and consistent MSK care.
• Leading/supporting the development and implementation of local, regional and national MSK PT guidelines, and work closely with regional colleagues on development and implementation.
• Works in other areas as identified or following a reasonable request in order to support the organisation in managing safe patient care and maintaining service delivery.
• Supporting the Team leader around auditing of service delivery to ensure consistent excellence of practise of MSK PT clinicians.

Working at Health New Zealand 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community. 

How to Apply 

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by 3 May. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Philip.Adamson@tewhatuora.govt.nz 

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.

Position description Apply now

Share