DAVE BAKER – Clinical Director

Dave Baker
Clinical specialist – Diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound guided injections

QUALIFICATIONS: BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy MCSP SRP

Dave qualified as chartered physiotherapist in 1999. As clinical director at Complete Physio, Dave works as an extended scope physiotherapist and freelance and University Lecturer. He is also Chairman of professional network and national clinical interest group Association for Chartered Physiotherapists with an interest in Orthopaedic Medicine and Injection Therapy (http://www.acpomit.co.uk/).

Dave has vast experience in musculoskeletal treatments having worked in wide spectrum of settings from acute injury of sports teams and A&E ,  through to complex chronic pain conditions. Dave is a member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine. Dave is the physiotherapist for the National Centre of Circus Arts  and has special interest in treatment of injuries relating to dance, performing arts and martial arts.

Trained to masters level, Dave is able to bring together a unique array of clinical expertise including the traditional skills of manipulation, acupuncture, soft tissue mobilisations and sports rehab, with advanced practice skills such as image guided injections, diagnostic ultrasound and prescribing. Dave has been individually recognised by the Department of Health in 2012 for his contribution in developing the scope of physiotherapy practice also represented the physiotherapy profession in the national media as part of his work – including an appearance on BBC Breakfast News.

Dave is also one of the first physiotherapists in the world to be fully trained as an independent prescriber of medication, being able to autonomously assess, diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions with use of medications alongside his specialist physiotherapy skills. Dave combines these skills in performing ultrasound guided injections as a highly specialised adjunct to treatment of certain conditions.

Publications

Noblet, T., Jadhakhanb, F., Bennett, A., McCrum, C., O’Shea, S., Hensman-Crook, A., Barratt, P., Regan, P., Ronan, L., Baker, D. and Rushton, A., 2022. A multi-site prospective, observational study of physiotherapist independent prescribing activity in musculoskeletal clinics across seven healthcare locations in England. Physiotherapy, 114, pp.e24-e25.

Smith, C.B., Baker, D., Botchu, R., Cairns, M., Chester, R., Dean, B., Mast, R. and Lewis, J., 2023. Corticosteroid injections for non-spinal musculoskeletal conditions: Consideration of local and systemic adverse drug reactions and side effects. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 51(3), pp.217-232.

Smith, M., Innes, S., Wildman, S. and Baker, D., 2023. A proposed framework for point of care musculoskeletal ultrasound and ultrasound image-guided interventions by physiotherapists: scope of practice, education and governance. The Ultrasound Journal, 15(1), pp.1-13.