Specialist AHP MSK Therapist / Team Lead

Job summary
Are you a highly skilled AHP MSK clinician ready to combine specialist clinical practice with meaningful team leadership at one of Carlisle's flagship outpatient settings?

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) is delighted to invite applications for the post of Specialist AHP MSK Therapist / Team Lead, based at The Carlisle Sands Centre -- a modern, purpose-built outpatient facility at the heart of the NCIC Integrated Musculoskeletal (IMSK) Service.

This post is a clinical and operational team leadership role within the AHP IMSK Service at The Sands Centre. The post holder will function as both a Specialist AHP MSK Therapist and Team Lead, providing specialist clinical expertise in the assessment, diagnosis and management of complex musculoskeletal conditions in line with IFOMPT 2016 educational standards, whilst providing day-to-day operational leadership of the Carlisle Sands Centre AHP IMSK team.

Underpinned by the four pillars of enhance/ advanced clinical practice, you will work across clinical practice, leadership and management, education and training, and research and evidence-based practice -- accountable to the Deputy Head of IMSK East and Head of IMSK.

NB: The job description and banding for this post are subject to the outcome of the Trust's Job Matching process.

Main duties of the job
Provide specialist assessment, diagnosis and management of patients with complex musculoskeletal conditions, delivering evidence-based treatment and promoting self-management. Maintain high standards of clinical practice, communication and record keeping.

Jointly lead the Integrated Musculoskeletal (IMSK) team at Carlisle Sands Centre, deputising for the Deputy Head of IMSK East as required. Support workforce planning, recruitment, appraisal, supervision and staff development, while fostering a positive culture aligned to Trust values.

Lead and contribute to service development, clinical governance, quality improvement and risk management activities. Monitor service performance and support the achievement of key operational targets.

Provide clinical supervision, mentoring and education for colleagues and students, promoting evidence-based practice and continuous professional development. Deliver teaching and support the development of the wider workforce.

Contribute to audit, research and service evaluation projects, using outcomes and evidence to improve patient care and support the ongoing development of the IMSK service.

About us
At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Details
Date posted: 31 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year Per Annum Pro Rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 262-A-26-8152298
Job locations: Sands Centre, Carlisle, CA1 1JQ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

CERTIFICATE OF SPONSORSHIP:
Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

AHP - Return to Practice Job Advert information. This role may be suitable for individuals Returning to Practice. Please speak to the recruiting manager for more information.

Disclosure and Barring Service:
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.

The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:
Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £6.50 = £28.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.
Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £6.50 = £56.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

NCIC can offer successful future employees the following benefits:

• 27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
• Flexible working Scheme
• NHS Discounts*
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work*
• Excellent opportunities for development*
• Competitive NHS Pension scheme
• Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

*Subject to eligibility

Important Information:
Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• CSP-accredited Degree or Diploma in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or equivalent AHP qualification
• Current, valid HCPC registration
• Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) or equivalent professional body, or evidence of current Professional Liability Insurance
• Evidence of post-registration education and training to diploma level in MSK / orthopaedic manual therapy aligned to IFOMPT 2016 educational standards

Desirable

• Full completion of an IFOMPT-credentialed post-graduate OMT programme
• MSc in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, or equivalent
• Recognised qualification in clinical supervision, mentoring or coaching
• Formal leadership or management qualification (e.g. NHS Leadership Academy, ILM, CMI)
• Post-graduate qualification at Master's level (MSc or equivalent) in a musculoskeletal or related clinical field, or substantial progression towards Masters-level study

Knowledge
Essential

• Proven specialist skills in MSK assessment, differential diagnosis and management including recognition and management of serious pathology and medical red flags
• Demonstrable knowledge and application of IFOMPT 2016 educational standards for MSK practice and orthopaedic manual therapy
• Knowledge of relevant NHS policy and strategy, including NHS Long Term Plan, NICE MSK guidelines, Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) and the Primary Care MSK pathway
• Understanding of workforce development, recruitment, retention and succession planning principles

Desirable

• Track record of involvement in clinical research, service evaluation or Quality Improvement Projects (QIPs)

Skills & Aptitudes
Essential

• Specialist level clinical reasoning, analysis and synthesis skills in complex MSK clinical presentations
• Excellent communication skills - able to present complex clinical information clearly to patients, carers, multidisciplinary colleagues and senior leaders
• Demonstrable ability to lead, motivate and develop a clinical team, role modelling Trust values
• High-level organisational and time management skills; ability to manage competing demands and prioritise effectively
• Ability to manage difficult conversations - including performance management, patient complaints and clinical incident debrief
• Competence in the design and delivery of clinical audit, service evaluation and education programmes
• Proficient in the use of validated outcome measures and patient-reported outcome tools in MSK practice
• Confident in applying shared decision-making frameworks and supporting patient self-management
• Ability to critically appraise and apply research evidence to clinical practice
• Competent in use of digital technology including EPR systems, Microsoft Office and virtual consultation platforms

Desirable

• Experience of leading and managing teams through service change
• Experience of quality improvement methodology (e.g. PDSA, Lean, Model for Improvement)
• Contribution to professional journals, national guidelines or conference presentations

Experience
Essential

• Significant post-registration clinical experience in AHP MSK practice at senior (Band 6) or above, with demonstrable expertise in complex and undifferentiated MSK presentations
• Proven experience of leading or co-leading an MSK clinical team, including operational day-to-day management
• Experience of clinical governance, risk management, audit and quality improvement within an MSK or AHP service
• Experience of delivering clinical supervision to AHP staff
• Experience of facilitating or delivering undergraduate and/or post-graduate clinical education
• Experience of managing patient complaints and using patient experience to improve service delivery.

Desirable

• Experience as a First Contact Practitioner (FCP) or Extended Scope Practitioner
• Experience with leading change, service transformation, redesign or pathway development in an MSK setting
• Experience using Electronic Patient Record (EPR) systems and digital health tools
• Experience of telehealth / remote consultation delivery

Other Requirements
Essential

• Commitment to the Trust's values of Kindness, Respect, Ambition and Collaboration
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and promoting a culture of dignity and respect
• Willingness and ability to travel independently across the North Cumbria footprint and to other Trust sites as required
• Flexibility in working patterns to meet the needs of the service
• Commitment to personal and team CPD, including engagement with IFOMPT and CSP professional networks
• Willingness to participate in and support the training and education of others

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 contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Deputy Head of IMSK East/ West Andrew Reilly/ Laura Hocking
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