Advanced Physiotherapist Practitioner - MSK Programme
Advanced Clinical Practice Physiotherapist – for the National Orthopaedic MSK pathway
- Waikato Hospital
- Permanent - Part time and full time positions
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.
About the Role
As an Advanced Clinical Practice Physiotherapist, you will play a pivotal role in delivering specialised physiotherapy services to patients on the MSK pathway. You will work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team to develop and implement individualised treatment plans, utilising advanced clinical skills and evidence-based practices. Your expertise will contribute to improving patient outcomes and enhancing overall quality of care.
This role will be focused on delivering first specialist appointments as part of the MSK pathway. This is a perfect opportunity for an advanced physiotherapist to gain experience of this pathway.
The ACPP is responsible for the clinical assessment, diagnostic workup, and identification of appropriate management pathways for patients referred to the Hospital Specialist Services Orthopaedic department via the Orthopaedic or Orthopaedic Triage Service referral pathways, both of which fall under planned care services. This is a non-interventional role focused on assessment and management.
Key responsibilities:
- Providing expert-level clinical assessments with high autonomy, requesting investigations and formulating differential diagnoses.
- Identifying serious, urgent, or emergent pathologies and escalating care as needed.
- Utilising evidence-based practices to guide management recommendations for surgical and non-surgical options.
- Promoting and demonstrating quality in clinical practice and service delivery through continuous quality improvement.
Click here to view the position description.
About the Team/Service
The Physiotherapy service has approximately 90 staff including Physiotherapists, assistants and administrators that work across the large geographical area that is Te Whatu Ora, Waikato. We have staff based at Waikato Hospital, our secondary hospital in Thames and our 3 rural hospitals in Tokoroa, Te Kuiti and Taumarunui and across our many community bases in areas such as Morrinsville, Matamata, Cambridge, and Ngaruawahia. Our vision is to provide quality physiotherapy care to promote, encourage and enable health, wellbeing and independence for the patients and Whanau in the communities we serve. Our mission is to ensure that patients receive excellence of care, that our staff are supported and trained to work and maintain levels of evidence-based practice and that our service is equitable, efficient and effective in order to meet the needs of our patients and their Whanau. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, supportive team who are keen to grow and develop our staff.
About you
You are an experienced advanced practice physiotherapist with strong experience in orthopaedics and MSK. You’re a clear communicator and confident collaborator, with the interpersonal skills to work collaboratively amongst a multidisciplinary team.
Physiotherapists in New Zealand can obtain registration under three scopes of practice
- General Scope of Practice: Physiotherapist
- Advanced Practice Physiotherapist Scope of Practice: Physiotherapist
- Specialist Scope of Practice Physiotherapist
For this role you should be registered in “General Scope of Practice: Physiotherapist” and are working at an advanced practice level within a defined field standard of Orthopaedics. This is an emerging field of practice in Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora and is equivalent to advanced clinical practice roles internationally.
All Physiotherapists are expected to hold a current Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) at all times, meet the expectations outlined in the Physiotherapy Standards Framework and comply with the Recertification Programme and Audit requirements of the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand (PBNZ).
How to Apply
To apply please click “Apply online” or apply via our Waikato Careers website by clicking here.
All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal before 11:59 pm on 17 October 2025. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Elisa Travailleur at elisa.travailleur@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz.
We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.