PCN Physician Associate (PA)

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Physician Associate role works in support of the clinical team. This role will require the PA primarily undertaking their own consultations in the surgery or in a patients home/care home ensuring appropriate history, examination, diagnosis and management plan is formulated. The post involves mixture of home visits, appointments including on the day, pre-booked, follow-up, specialist and procedural appointments.

They may work within a primary care home visiting team to ensure the patients requiring home visits changing needs are addressed by considering local priorities, health inequalities and/or population health management risk stratification. They will also work on other case loads as applicable.

The summary above and duties below are not intended to be exhaustive and may be subject to change according to the needs of the PCN.

1. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical responsibilities

To perform initial patient assessment and examination, initiate diagnostic process and interpret investigations and recommend initial treatment.

To exercise a high degree of personal autonomy when assessing and planning care for patients with a range of presenting complaints.

To develop extensive specialist knowledge and experience, acting as a resource to the clinical team and allied health professionals.

Practice under the supervision of the on call Duty Doctor within each practice on a day to day basis and the overall supervision of the Named PCN Clinical Lead/Clinical Director

Take patient histories and perform physical examinations of a patient recording all information in the patients medical records.

Order and interpret diagnostic laboratory tests, radiological studies or various other therapies.

Discriminate between normal and abnormal findings to recognise early stages of serious medical, emotional or mental problems in the patient

Establish differential diagnosis, make appropriate treatment plans and initiate emergency treatment.

Work with the multi disciplinary team in an appropriate management plan for complex patients e.g. Social Services, Community Nurse Team, Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Instruct and counsel patients regarding mental and physical health, including:

Diet and lifestyle advice

Disease and disease prevention

Treatment

Normal development

Refer and converse with appropriate specialists in regard to patient management.

To perform diagnostic/therapeutic procedures, as per skills and experience such as:

IM/Sc Injections

Venepuncture

Ambulatory Blood pressure reading

Spirometry

Cervical Smear Taking

Other interventions or procedures as directed by the supervising physician

Work collaboratively with the medical team,

Maintain knowledge and proficiency in medical practices through continuing education, CPD days, staff meetings, workshops and online training.

Work towards prescribing independently when appropriate legislation is in place.

Work with the teams to develop/improve and implement new models of working to ensuring efficiency within the area of work.

Work within the team to support the achievement and maintenance of internal and external targets at practice levels e.g. QOF/LES/Prescribing incentive

Long term condition management

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Postgraduate Diploma/Master in Physician Associate from an accredited UK University
• Bachelor Degree in Life Science/Biomedical/Nursing or Allied Health Science
• Member of Faculty of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR)
• Valid national certification and recertification every six years stipulated by PAMVR

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a health care setting
• Demonstrable patient assessment skills
• Experience of supporting doctors in clinical decision making
• Ability to work autonomously within the scope of supervised practice
• Detailed knowledge of maintaining confidentiality and implementing data protection legislation requirements including information governance

Desirable

• Experience of working with S1 and or Emis
• An interest or experience in womens health

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Wolseley Medical Centre

Address

Londesborough Street

Hull

HU3 1DS

Employer's website

https://www.wolseleymedical.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)