Job summary
Physician associates (PAs) are healthcare professionals with a generalist healthcare education who work alongside doctors providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. PAs work under the supervision of a named senior doctor, such as a named General Medical Council registered general practitioner.
Physician associates work alongside doctors and other healthcare professionals as part of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
As the Physician Associate you will act within your professional boundaries, providing care
for patients from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and
evaluation of their care under the supervision of a GP.
You will show safe clinical decision-making and expert care for patients within the general
practice, in consultation with the duty GP. You will work with the multi-disciplinary general
practice team to support the delivery of policy and procedures and meet the needs of
patients
Main duties of the job
PAs are trained to work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence to perform the following duties:
- taking medical histories from patients
- carrying out physical examinations
- seeing patients with long-term chronic conditions
- formulating differential diagnoses and management plans
- carrying out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
- developing and delivering appropriate treatment and management plans
- requesting and interpreting diagnostic studies
- providing health promotion and disease prevention advice for patients.
About us
We are a well-established training practice in a purpose built (newly refurbished) premises, located on the Haringey Green lanes.
The practice's aim is to provide our patients with an excellent standard of patient-centered care, with clinicians and patients jointly involved in all aspects of planning and delivering care to meet patients' health and well-being needs.
You will work with colleagues including a team of GPs, practice Nurse & Healthcare Assistant, administrative staff and a wide variety of other health professionals.
The practice is working in a hybrid module which allows the flexibility of working from home.
There is free parking available on site.
You must have your covid vaccine to join as a member of the practice.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide first point of contact care for patients presenting with undifferentiated,
undiagnosed problems utilising history-taking, physical examinations and clinical decision making skills to establish a working diagnosis and management plan in partnership with the
patient (and their carers where applicable).
CLINICAL
- Provide high-quality clinical care to patients using established clinical guidelines,
delivered in a timely manner
- Make referrals to secondary care and social services within locally agreed protocols,
guidance and pathways.
- To perform specialist diagnostic physical examinations and treatment procedures.
- To instruct and educate patients in preventative health care.
- Ensure complete and accurate documentation of each and every patient contact.
- Assist or carry out home visits as necessary or directed by clinical supervisor(s).
- Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for
legal and administrative purposes.
- Carry out necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and
interpret findings/reports within the scope of a PAs practice. Discuss the result and
implications of laboratory investigations with patients;
- Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice;
- Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate
an on-going plan of care/support with an emphasis on prevention and self-care;
- Identify community health needs and participate in the development of
patient/family-centered strategies to address them
- Contribute to the practice quality targets to consistently achieve high standards of
safe, evidence-based, cost-effective patient care and service delivery.
- Work to deliver, with other members of the practice team the objectives of our GMS
contracts and contribute to the clinical and management development of College
Health care provision
ADMINISTRATION
- Contributes and participates in audits, evaluation and clinical standard setting within
the Practice and/or PCN.
- Accurate and timely summarising of patient records and read-coding patient data
- Complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes in
accordance with relevant standards
- Ensure that all practice policies are fully implemented
- Work in accordance with all governance and internal systems relating to (but not
limited to) the management of clinical data and systems
- Review and action patient clinical discharge letters
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
- Taking responsibility for own development with relevant evidence-based knowledge
and competence in all aspects of the role to meet clinical governance guidelines for
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and a Personal Development Plan (PDP).
- Stay up to date through attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary to
ensure that professional development requirements are met, demonstrating skills
and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
- Subject to a performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a
record of own personal and/or professional development
- Work closely with other clinical staff and administrative managers in the setting up
and/or improving of practice systems for monitoring/measuring performance against
Clinical Governance and Quality Indicator targets
- Work to deliver the NHS contract requirements related to the practice (including the
terms of the Quality and Outcomes Framework and locally enhanced services)
- Commit to take and pass the necessary Physician Associate re-certification exams
(currently every 6 years) to maintain qualifications required to carry out duties of the
role and as statutory regulatory bodies require.
GOVERNANCE
- Produce complete and accurate records of patient consultation, in line with best
practice, confidentiality, policies and procedures
- Deliver care according to NHS guidance, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care
- Take part in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across
the Practice and its activities.
- Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the
team, implementing improvements where required.
- Work with other clinical teams on improving the quality of healthcare in response to
local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate
- Evaluate patients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care
- Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation
- Manage, review and identify learning from patient complaints, clinical incidents and
near-miss events
- Awareness of statutory safeguarding, notification processes and local guidance for
children / vulnerable patients, applying relevant policies and legislation to protect
them
- Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, by
taking action or alerting senior management team if the practice appears to
contravene policy, or if there are concerns over any aspect of patient care.
HEALTH & SAFETY
- The post-holder will manage their own and others health & safety and infection
control as defined in the Practices Health & Safety Policy, the Practice Health &
Safety Manual, and the Practices Infection Control Policy and published procedures.
- Comply with Practice health and safety policies by following agreed safe working
procedures
- Awareness and compliance with national standards of infection control, hygiene,
regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines.
- Correct personal use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ensuring correct
use of PPE by others, advising on appropriate circumstances for use by clinicians,
staff and patients.
- Reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System
CONFIDENTIALITY
- Maintain confidentiality of information, acting within the terms of the Data
Protection Act and Caldicott guidance on patient confidentiality at all times.
- Maintain an awareness of the Freedom of Information Act
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
- The post-holder will support, promote and maintain the Practices Equality &
Diversity Policy.
- No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable
treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation,
religion etc.
- The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure
equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the
individual needs of patients and their families.
OTHER DELEGATED DUTIES
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive - it may be changed after consultation
with the post holder. The employee shares with the employer the responsibility for review
and modification of duties
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide first point of contact care for patients presenting with undifferentiated,
undiagnosed problems utilising history-taking, physical examinations and clinical decision making skills to establish a working diagnosis and management plan in partnership with the
patient (and their carers where applicable).
CLINICAL
- Provide high-quality clinical care to patients using established clinical guidelines,
delivered in a timely manner
- Make referrals to secondary care and social services within locally agreed protocols,
guidance and pathways.
- To perform specialist diagnostic physical examinations and treatment procedures.
- To instruct and educate patients in preventative health care.
- Ensure complete and accurate documentation of each and every patient contact.
- Assist or carry out home visits as necessary or directed by clinical supervisor(s).
- Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for
legal and administrative purposes.
- Carry out necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and
interpret findings/reports within the scope of a PAs practice. Discuss the result and
implications of laboratory investigations with patients;
- Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice;
- Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate
an on-going plan of care/support with an emphasis on prevention and self-care;
- Identify community health needs and participate in the development of
patient/family-centered strategies to address them
- Contribute to the practice quality targets to consistently achieve high standards of
safe, evidence-based, cost-effective patient care and service delivery.
- Work to deliver, with other members of the practice team the objectives of our GMS
contracts and contribute to the clinical and management development of College
Health care provision
ADMINISTRATION
- Contributes and participates in audits, evaluation and clinical standard setting within
the Practice and/or PCN.
- Accurate and timely summarising of patient records and read-coding patient data
- Complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes in
accordance with relevant standards
- Ensure that all practice policies are fully implemented
- Work in accordance with all governance and internal systems relating to (but not
limited to) the management of clinical data and systems
- Review and action patient clinical discharge letters
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
- Taking responsibility for own development with relevant evidence-based knowledge
and competence in all aspects of the role to meet clinical governance guidelines for
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and a Personal Development Plan (PDP).
- Stay up to date through attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary to
ensure that professional development requirements are met, demonstrating skills
and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
- Subject to a performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a
record of own personal and/or professional development
- Work closely with other clinical staff and administrative managers in the setting up
and/or improving of practice systems for monitoring/measuring performance against
Clinical Governance and Quality Indicator targets
- Work to deliver the NHS contract requirements related to the practice (including the
terms of the Quality and Outcomes Framework and locally enhanced services)
- Commit to take and pass the necessary Physician Associate re-certification exams
(currently every 6 years) to maintain qualifications required to carry out duties of the
role and as statutory regulatory bodies require.
GOVERNANCE
- Produce complete and accurate records of patient consultation, in line with best
practice, confidentiality, policies and procedures
- Deliver care according to NHS guidance, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care
- Take part in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across
the Practice and its activities.
- Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the
team, implementing improvements where required.
- Work with other clinical teams on improving the quality of healthcare in response to
local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate
- Evaluate patients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care
- Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation
- Manage, review and identify learning from patient complaints, clinical incidents and
near-miss events
- Awareness of statutory safeguarding, notification processes and local guidance for
children / vulnerable patients, applying relevant policies and legislation to protect
them
- Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, by
taking action or alerting senior management team if the practice appears to
contravene policy, or if there are concerns over any aspect of patient care.
HEALTH & SAFETY
- The post-holder will manage their own and others health & safety and infection
control as defined in the Practices Health & Safety Policy, the Practice Health &
Safety Manual, and the Practices Infection Control Policy and published procedures.
- Comply with Practice health and safety policies by following agreed safe working
procedures
- Awareness and compliance with national standards of infection control, hygiene,
regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines.
- Correct personal use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ensuring correct
use of PPE by others, advising on appropriate circumstances for use by clinicians,
staff and patients.
- Reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System
CONFIDENTIALITY
- Maintain confidentiality of information, acting within the terms of the Data
Protection Act and Caldicott guidance on patient confidentiality at all times.
- Maintain an awareness of the Freedom of Information Act
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
- The post-holder will support, promote and maintain the Practices Equality &
Diversity Policy.
- No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable
treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation,
religion etc.
- The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure
equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the
individual needs of patients and their families.
OTHER DELEGATED DUTIES
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive - it may be changed after consultation
with the post holder. The employee shares with the employer the responsibility for review
and modification of duties
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree at 2:1 level or above and Postgraduate Diploma/Master in Physician Associate from an accredited University
- Current and valid certification or recertification by the Physician Associate National Examination.
- Member of Faculty of Physician Associates.
Desirable
- Evidence of continuing professional development activities
- Member of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register
Experience
Essential
- Ability to work cohesively within the multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to adhere to regulations as well as work flexibly to meet the needs of the Practice.
- Clinical examination skills
- Developing care plans with patients and carers
- Management of patients with common acute medical conditions
- Experience of managing GP paperwork including insurance reports and hospital letters
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Desirable
- Minimum of 1 year post-qualification experience.
- Familiarity with GP systems
- Experience of working to achieve standards within the Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF)
Personal qualities
Essential
- Ability to work flexibly to meet Practice demands
- Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, nurses, other staff and agencies.
- Caring attitude to patients
- Must value and appreciate the worth of others.
- A recognition of the importance of showing respect, dignity and compassion to patients and colleagues.
- Commitment to continuing clinical education and professional development
- Genuine interest in and commitment to the needs of the local community
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree at 2:1 level or above and Postgraduate Diploma/Master in Physician Associate from an accredited University
- Current and valid certification or recertification by the Physician Associate National Examination.
- Member of Faculty of Physician Associates.
Desirable
- Evidence of continuing professional development activities
- Member of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register
Experience
Essential
- Ability to work cohesively within the multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to adhere to regulations as well as work flexibly to meet the needs of the Practice.
- Clinical examination skills
- Developing care plans with patients and carers
- Management of patients with common acute medical conditions
- Experience of managing GP paperwork including insurance reports and hospital letters
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Desirable
- Minimum of 1 year post-qualification experience.
- Familiarity with GP systems
- Experience of working to achieve standards within the Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF)
Personal qualities
Essential
- Ability to work flexibly to meet Practice demands
- Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, nurses, other staff and agencies.
- Caring attitude to patients
- Must value and appreciate the worth of others.
- A recognition of the importance of showing respect, dignity and compassion to patients and colleagues.
- Commitment to continuing clinical education and professional development
- Genuine interest in and commitment to the needs of the local community
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).