Job overview

The Chronic Pain Self Management Team is a well established and experienced multi disciplinary team offering highly specialist assessment and intervention for people living with complex chronic pain presentations.  We aim to support people referred to our service to develop a range of self management skills to allow them to improve their overall quality of life despite pain.  Interventions are focussed on improving understanding of chronic pain, increasing function and engagement in valued activities, managing pain related distress and reducing inappropriate health case.  

This post would suit a Physiotherapist who is looking to increase their skills in chronic pain / long term condition management using a biopsychosocial framework.   Support will be provided to assist the post holder to – 
•    Increase their knowledge of complex chronic pain presentations
•    Deliver self management interventions in groups and with individuals
•    Develop knowledge and skills in delivering approaches based on CBT/ ACT / mindfulness models 

Specialist supervision and support will be provided by senior physiotherapists in the team.  

Main duties of the job

To provide a high standard of service to patients attending the Chronic Pain Service working as an autonomous practitioner, with advice and support from Band 7 and 8a Physiotherapists, the service Clinical Lead and other team members.  The post holder will work with patients presenting with complex chronic pain presentations, offering specialised clinical assessment, treatment planning and appropriate discharge from the service, adapting practice to suit the needs of the patient.   

Working for our organisation

St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC). 

 After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.