Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Fracture Clinic Practitioner at University Hospitals Sussex East. This is a specialist role with a focus on delivering quality and effective care to patients with newly diagnosed fractures. The team provides acute musculoskeletal and orthopaedic services including the award-winning and nationally recognised Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC).
We are looking for a dynamic, motivated, and enthusiastic individual who is keen to learn and wants to become an autonomous practitioner within Trauma and Orthopaedics. This is a development role with all required training provided and would be suitable for a practitioner with previous experience in MSK or orthopaedics, looking to develop specialist skills and challenge themselves.
Main duties of the job
This role is a specialist role where you will assess, diagnose, and treat patients who have sustained acute fractures or significant soft tissue injuries, both within the VFC and face to face follow up fracture clinics. The VFC is telephone-based assessments to triage patients and provide them with treatment plans for their diagnosed injury. The face-to-face clinics involve assessing patients post fracture or soft tissue injury, requesting imaging as required and deciding on their ongoing management plan, with support available from Specialist Orthopaedic consultants.
With this role there are significant opportunities for personal development in clinical practice, education and service development, with an aim to improve patient care. As a team we are actively engaged in research, including recruiting patients for national trials, working on local orthopaedic research projects and engaging with research to ensure our patient pathways remain evidence based. In this role we will endeavour to offer protected time for research and service development opportunities.
Example job plan for Specialist Fracture Clinic Practitioner
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Morning
VFC
VFC
Clinic
VFC
Research/project
Afternoon
VFC
In-service training
Clinic
VFC
VFC/Research/project
About us
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programmefor staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Virtual Fracture Clinic
1. Working closely with orthopaedic consultants to review x-rays to inform diagnosis and management plans for patients with acute fractures.
2. Developing knowledge, triage and assessment skills for common conservatively managed orthopaedic injuries.
3. Developing knowledge and skills in treatment, education and rehabilitation of conservatively managed injuries within the acute stages.
4. Supportive environment with support from VFC team and Orthopaedic Consultants.
Face to face Clinic
5. Face to face follow up clinics, either working as a specialist physiotherapist or practitioner alongside an Orthopaedic Consultant.
6. Examples include; soft tissue shoulder clinic, acute knee clinic, proximal humerus fracture clinic, Achilles tendon rupture clinic.
Education
7. Dedicated in-service training program taught by the VFC team, Orthopaedic Consultants and other members of the MDT.
8. Opportunity to develop teaching skills through delivery of in-service training to VFC team and other members of the MDT.
9. Work as a link practitioner with local A&E Departments, Urgent Treatment Centres and Minor Injury Units.
Service Development
10. Opportunity to lead on and participate in service development projects and implement changes that improve efficiency of the VFC and quality of patient care.
Research
11. Engage with evidence-based practice to ensure VFC patient care remains up to date in line with current guidelines.
12. Participate in local research project including reviewing our current practice and patient experience of our care.
13. Engage with national research projects including being involved in recruitment for trials.
14. Attend annual Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Day.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
15. Registered with appropriate professional body such as Health and Care Professions Council or Nursing Midwifery Council
16. Diploma or BSc in appropriate subject (including but not limited to Physiotherapy, Paramedical science, nursing, physicians associate etc)
17. Evidence or portfolio of post graduate continued development
18. Evidence in postgraduate training or development in MSK and/or orthopaedics
19. Specialist in-depth knowledge in MSK/Orthopaedics and the ability to apply this knowledge in a clinical setting
20. Excellent clinical reasoning skills
21. Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
22. Able to manage own clinical caseload by prioritising effectively and support others to do the same
23. Competent IT skills including use of Bluespier, PACS, internet, email, EXCEL and word processing
Desirable
24. Ability to critically evaluate current research and apply to own practice
25. Advanced skills and experience in musculoskeletal assessment
26. Evidence of active involvement in service development & contribution to change within the workplace
27. Works autonomously, making decisions as necessary
Equality, Diversity, and inclusion
Essential
28. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
29. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.