Physician Associate
The Verwood Surgery
This job is now closed
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Physician Associate (PA) to join Crane Valley Primary Care Network. The post holder will be employed by Crane Valley and will work for Verwood Surgery.
We would welcome applications from qualified, newly qualified, or due to qualify PAs later this year, with a willingness to work under supervision of a doctor.
We are looking for a collaborative PA to work closely with clinical teams to deliver patient care and who will, after the first year, help other new PAs recruited through the process.
The post holder will also benefit from regular supervision from a supervising GP, opportunities to develop their clinical practice and support & pathway training.
Main duties of the job
A typical day will include direct patient contact with patients who present on the day and via booked appointments. Thorough assessment, examination, investigation, diagnosis, and treatment and will play a key role in continuity of care for patients with long-term conditions.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a PA to develop their clinical skills and provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking and clinical assessment through to the diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of care. They will demonstrate critical thinking in the clinical decision-making process, including assessment and diagnostic skills, leading to the delivery of safe care for all patients. They will work collaboratively with the healthcare team to meet the needs of the patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures.
About us
Crane Valley Primary Care Network is made up for 4 GP practices - Barcellos Family Practice, Cranborne/Lake Road Surgery, Verwood Surgery and West Moors Group Practice.
You will primarily be working for Verwood Surgery which is a well-established medical practice serving nearly 8000 patients in Verwood and the surrounding areas of Three-Legged Cross, Edmondsham and Woodlands.
The practice team is made up of five Partners, one Salaried GPs, four fantastic practice nurses, Physicians Associate, Phlebotomists, Frailty Team, management team and our admin staff. We are a training practice and regularly have a Registrar.
Verwood Surgery is a modern purpose-built medical centre in the heart of our community. We have a minor ops suite as well as an onsite pharmacy, physio practice and veterinary practice and are adjacent to the Verwood Hub community centre.
Date posted
28 March 2024
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
Depending on experience
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
A0723-24-0001
Job locations
15 Station Road
Verwood
Dorset
BH31 7PY
Job description
Job responsibilities
To be responsible for the provision of a clinical service, working as part of the practice multidisciplinary team, delivering care within their scope of practice to the entitled patient population. The physician associate will be required to work autonomously in the practice, providing a range of services such as assessment, diagnosis, treatment, telephone triage, clinical decision-making and referring patients appropriately, as well as supporting the management team in the reviewing of clinical policy and procedure when required.
Verwood Surgery Mission Statement
Care for all
The patient is the most important person in our surgery. They are not an interruption to our work, they are the purpose of it. They are not an outsider in our surgery, they are part of it. We are not doing them a favour by serving them they are doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do it.
Generic responsibilities
All staff at Verwood Surgery have a duty to conform to the following:
Equality, diversity and inclusion
A good attitude and positive action towards ED&I creates an environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do and it is required by law.
Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and to be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.
Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.
Safety, health, environment and fire (SHEF)
This practice is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you, your team and others and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.
Confidentiality
This practice is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect that all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times. It is essential that, if the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained, all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.
Quality and continuous improvement (CI)
To preserve and improve the quality of our output, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do, but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work. The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice.
This practice continually strives to improve work processes which deliver health care with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and to enhance patient care.
Induction training
On arrival at the practice, all personnel are to complete a practice induction programme. This is managed by the practice manager.
Learning and development
The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake and complete mandatory training as directed by the training coordinator, as well as participating in the practice training programmes. Staff will also be permitted (subject to approval) to undertake external training courses which will enhance their knowledge and skills, progress their career and ultimately enable them to improve processes and service delivery.
Collaborative working
All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working. Team work is essential in multidisciplinary environments. Effective communication is essential and all staff must ensure that they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.
Service delivery
Staff at Verwood Surgery must adhere to the information contained within practice policies and regional directives, ensuring that protocols are adhered to at all times. Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.
Security
The security of the practice is the responsibility of all personnel. Staff must ensure that they remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager. Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks with anyone and they are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured.
Professional conduct
At Verwood Surgery, staff are required to dress appropriately for their role. Clinical staff must dress in accordance with their role.
Leave
All personnel are entitled to take leave. Line managers are to ensure all of their staff are afforded the opportunity to all of their allocated leave each year. and should be encouraged to take all of their leave entitlement. The holiday year is 1st April to 31st March. Staff should check their own contract of employment for their leave year entitlement.
Primary responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the physician associate. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels. The physician associate will work within their scope of clinical practice and:
a. Identify, signpost or refer patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects on the patients health
b. Provide routine care to patients as required in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF
c. Examine, assess and diagnose patients and provide clinical care/ management as required
d. Triage patients and provide the necessary treatment during home visits
e. Triage and treat or refer patients who attend the walk-in clinic or minor illness clinic
f. Collect pathology specimens as required
g. Maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation
h. Ensure read codes are used effectively
i. Ensure continuity of care, arranging follow-up consultations or reviews as necessary
j. Review the effectiveness of the treatment provided, making changes where necessary to improve patient outcomes
k. Chaperone patients where necessary
l. Prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately
m. Recognise, assess and refer patients presenting with mental health needs
n. Support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over the counter medicines (within own scope of practice)
o. Liaise with external services/agencies to ensure that the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients etc.)
p. Ensure that they adhere to the relevant patient group directives and local clinical pathways at all times
q. Support the clinical team with all safeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies
r. Understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately
s. Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate
Secondary responsibilities
In addition to the primary responsibilities, the physician associate may be requested to:
a. Support the practice audit programme, undertaking audits when necessary
b. Support junior members of the team, providing guidance when necessary
c. Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
d. Support and participate in shared learning within the practice
e. Continually review clinical practices, responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate
f. Participate in the review of significant and near-miss events applying a structured approach, i.e. root cause analysis (RCA)
g. Take personal responsibility for own learning and development, including the requirement to maintain currency, achieving all targets set in their Personal Development Plan (PDP)
Job description
Job responsibilities
To be responsible for the provision of a clinical service, working as part of the practice multidisciplinary team, delivering care within their scope of practice to the entitled patient population. The physician associate will be required to work autonomously in the practice, providing a range of services such as assessment, diagnosis, treatment, telephone triage, clinical decision-making and referring patients appropriately, as well as supporting the management team in the reviewing of clinical policy and procedure when required.
Verwood Surgery Mission Statement
Care for all
The patient is the most important person in our surgery. They are not an interruption to our work, they are the purpose of it. They are not an outsider in our surgery, they are part of it. We are not doing them a favour by serving them they are doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do it.
Generic responsibilities
All staff at Verwood Surgery have a duty to conform to the following:
Equality, diversity and inclusion
A good attitude and positive action towards ED&I creates an environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do and it is required by law.
Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and to be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.
Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.
Safety, health, environment and fire (SHEF)
This practice is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you, your team and others and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.
Confidentiality
This practice is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect that all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times. It is essential that, if the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained, all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.
Quality and continuous improvement (CI)
To preserve and improve the quality of our output, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do, but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work. The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice.
This practice continually strives to improve work processes which deliver health care with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and to enhance patient care.
Induction training
On arrival at the practice, all personnel are to complete a practice induction programme. This is managed by the practice manager.
Learning and development
The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake and complete mandatory training as directed by the training coordinator, as well as participating in the practice training programmes. Staff will also be permitted (subject to approval) to undertake external training courses which will enhance their knowledge and skills, progress their career and ultimately enable them to improve processes and service delivery.
Collaborative working
All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working. Team work is essential in multidisciplinary environments. Effective communication is essential and all staff must ensure that they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.
Service delivery
Staff at Verwood Surgery must adhere to the information contained within practice policies and regional directives, ensuring that protocols are adhered to at all times. Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.
Security
The security of the practice is the responsibility of all personnel. Staff must ensure that they remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager. Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks with anyone and they are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured.
Professional conduct
At Verwood Surgery, staff are required to dress appropriately for their role. Clinical staff must dress in accordance with their role.
Leave
All personnel are entitled to take leave. Line managers are to ensure all of their staff are afforded the opportunity to all of their allocated leave each year. and should be encouraged to take all of their leave entitlement. The holiday year is 1st April to 31st March. Staff should check their own contract of employment for their leave year entitlement.
Primary responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the physician associate. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels. The physician associate will work within their scope of clinical practice and:
a. Identify, signpost or refer patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects on the patients health
b. Provide routine care to patients as required in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF
c. Examine, assess and diagnose patients and provide clinical care/ management as required
d. Triage patients and provide the necessary treatment during home visits
e. Triage and treat or refer patients who attend the walk-in clinic or minor illness clinic
f. Collect pathology specimens as required
g. Maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation
h. Ensure read codes are used effectively
i. Ensure continuity of care, arranging follow-up consultations or reviews as necessary
j. Review the effectiveness of the treatment provided, making changes where necessary to improve patient outcomes
k. Chaperone patients where necessary
l. Prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately
m. Recognise, assess and refer patients presenting with mental health needs
n. Support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over the counter medicines (within own scope of practice)
o. Liaise with external services/agencies to ensure that the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients etc.)
p. Ensure that they adhere to the relevant patient group directives and local clinical pathways at all times
q. Support the clinical team with all safeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies
r. Understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately
s. Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate
Secondary responsibilities
In addition to the primary responsibilities, the physician associate may be requested to:
a. Support the practice audit programme, undertaking audits when necessary
b. Support junior members of the team, providing guidance when necessary
c. Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
d. Support and participate in shared learning within the practice
e. Continually review clinical practices, responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate
f. Participate in the review of significant and near-miss events applying a structured approach, i.e. root cause analysis (RCA)
g. Take personal responsibility for own learning and development, including the requirement to maintain currency, achieving all targets set in their Personal Development Plan (PDP)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Experience of working in a primary care setting
- Experience of working as a physician associate
- Experience in triage
- Experience of dealing with a range of clinical conditions
- Ability to effectively triage, assess and diagnose
- Wound care
- ECGs
- Chaperone procedure
- Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Asthma
- Spirometry
- CHD
- Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
- Understand the importance of evidence-based practice
- Broad knowledge of clinical governance
- Ability to record accurate clinical notes
- Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
- EMIS/SystmOne/Vision user skills
- Effective time management (planning and organising)
- Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
- Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
- Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
Desirable
- Post-graduate diploma or degree (Physician Associate)
- Member of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register
- Understanding of the audit process
- Understanding of clinical risk management
- Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
- Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
- Knowledge of health promotion strategies
- Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Experience of working in a primary care setting
- Experience of working as a physician associate
- Experience in triage
- Experience of dealing with a range of clinical conditions
- Ability to effectively triage, assess and diagnose
- Wound care
- ECGs
- Chaperone procedure
- Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Asthma
- Spirometry
- CHD
- Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
- Understand the importance of evidence-based practice
- Broad knowledge of clinical governance
- Ability to record accurate clinical notes
- Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
- EMIS/SystmOne/Vision user skills
- Effective time management (planning and organising)
- Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
- Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
- Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
Desirable
- Post-graduate diploma or degree (Physician Associate)
- Member of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register
- Understanding of the audit process
- Understanding of clinical risk management
- Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
- Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
- Knowledge of health promotion strategies
- Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
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.
Employer details
Employer name
The Verwood Surgery
Address
15 Station Road
Verwood
Dorset
BH31 7PY
Employer's website
Employer details
Employer name
The Verwood Surgery
Address
15 Station Road
Verwood
Dorset
BH31 7PY
Employer's website
For questions about the job, contact:
Date posted
28 March 2024
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
Depending on experience
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
A0723-24-0001
Job locations
15 Station Road
Verwood
Dorset
BH31 7PY