About this role
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join our MSK Physiotherapy team as a Band 7 Enhanced Practice Physiotherapist with a specialist focus in spinal care. The role is designed as a portfolio post, with approximately 0.5 WTE dedicated to supporting the spinal pathway across MSK services. You will work closely with OASIS and wider MDT colleagues to enhance clinical decision-making, improve patient flow, and reduce unnecessary escalation to specialist services.
The remaining 0.5 WTE offers a flexible portfolio tailored to the successful candidate's skills and development goals, which may include First Contact Practitioner (FCP) work. This element may involve working across multiple sites, supporting primary care and community services.
You will play a key role in developing clinical pathways, supporting workforce education, and providing specialist advice and supervision to colleagues, helping to build capability within the MSK team. In return, you will be supported through structured supervision, access to training, and opportunities to further develop your advanced clinical and leadership skills within a forward-thinking, integrated service.
Main duties of the job
You will play a key role in delivering a high-quality spinal service within MSK Physiotherapy, working closely with OASIS and the wider MDT to support effective triage, clinical decision-making and patient flow. A core focus will be enabling more patients to be safely and effectively managed within MSK, improving access and reducing reliance on specialist services.
Alongside clinical work, you will contribute to service development by identifying opportunities to improve pathways and patient experience across the spinal pathway. You will support colleagues through informal and formal teaching, clinical supervision, and sharing specialist knowledge to build capability within the wider MSK team.
The role includes active involvement in audit, quality improvement and service evaluation, using data to inform practice and support ongoing development of the service. You will contribute to clinical governance processes, helping to ensure high standards of care and continuous improvement.
The portfolio element of the role (e.g. FCP) will involve working across different settings, supporting integrated care and delivering consistent, high-quality MSK assessment and management.
About us
As a Trust we are proud of the excellent, pioneering service the musculoskeletal team delivers to our patients. As an employer, we recognise that our colleagues, truly are our greatest asset and we are committed to supporting them to achieve a rewarding and satisfying career.
Would you like to work in one of the most desirable places within the UK?
Working here in Somerset you can soak up all that the idyllic countryside has to offer with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.
There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You get to experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone!
Please note that pay scales are dependent on NHS experience.
Job description Job responsibilities Please see the attached Job description and person specification for more details about this fantastic role.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Please see attached Job description
Disclosure and Barring Service Check 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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Address Dene Barton Hospital
Dene Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA4 1DD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)