Physician Associate

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services in the Practices as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP(s).

2. Provide first point of contact for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, utilising history taking, physical examination, problem-solving and clinical decision-making skills to establish a working diagnosis and management plan working in partnership with patients.

3. Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment to patients.

4. Undertake as agreed surgery-based consultations for emergency or routine problems including management of long-term conditions. In addition, undertake telephone consultations/home visits.

5. Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings/reports within the scope of a PAs practices and agreed by supervising GP(s). Discuss the result and implications of laboratory investigations with patients.

6. Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practices.

7. 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.

8. Refer patients directly to other services or agencies using appropriate referral pathways.

9. Ensure safe handover of care within and outside the Practices as appropriate.

10. Work directly with members of the Practices primary health care team and support integrated patient centred care through appropriate working with wider primary care/social care networks.

11. Identify community health needs and participate in the development of patient/family-centred strategies to address them.

12. Contribute to the practices quality targets to consistently achieve high standards of safe evidence-based, cost-effective patient care and service delivery.

13. Contribute to the clinical development of the Practices by developing a special interest and to help establish appropriate systems to manage common chronic medical conditions, ensuring compliance with NSF guidelines.

Training and development

14. Participate in continuing professional development opportunities to keep up-to-date with evidence-based knowledge and competence in all aspects of the role to meet clinical governance guidelines for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and a Professional Development Plan (PDP) utilising a reflective approach to Practices. This requires 50 hours of CPD every year: a minimum of 25 hours must be in accredited direct learning programmes.

15. Undertake a variety of research and analysis tasks associated with the improvement of clinical care, medical diagnosis and treatment where appropriate using the following means.

Audits of clinical practice

16. Significant event review / root cause analysis

17. Review of relevant literature

18. Research unusual symptoms and treatment options through consultation with general practitioners, physicians and other specialists.

19. Promote and support a learning culture within the Practices and assist in clinical instruction, mentoring and supervision of medical, nursing or physician associate students and other learners that may periodically be attached to the Practices.

20. Contribute to regular multi-disciplinary and or Practices educational meetings.

21. Work closely with other clinical staff and administrative managers in the setting up and/or improving of practices systems for monitoring/measuring performance against Clinical Governance and Quality Indicator targets.

22. Regularly reflect on own Practices (and keep a record of learning encounters) in order to identify learning needs and encourage self-directed lifelong learning and continued professional development.

Administration:

23. Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes in accordance with relevant standards.

24. Work in accordance with internal administrative systems relating to but not limited to the management of clinical data.

25. Send and receive written information on behalf of the Practices relating to the physical and social welfare of patients.

26. Work closely with other clinical staff and administrative managers in the setting up and/or improving of practices systems for monitoring/measuring performance against Clinical Governance and Quality Indicator targets and work to deliver the NHS contract pertinent to the Practices including the terms of the Quality and Outcomes Framework and locally enhanced services.

27. Ensure that all Practices policies are fully implemented.

28. Support, contribute to and participate in external inspections.

• Postgraduate Diploma/Master in Physician Associate from an accredited UK University.
• 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.
• For USA trained candidates: Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Postgraduate Diploma/Master in Physician Associate from an accredited UK University.
• 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.
• For USA trained candidates: Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Desirable

• Basic or advanced Life Support Equal Opportunity training in the last three years.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable patient assessment skills.
• Demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of related medical conditions, treatments and pharmacology.
• 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 general practice and/or secondary care.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Essential
• Good communication and empathy skills with patients.
• Evidence of willingness to participate in a multi-disciplinary team environment to provide an integrated service for patients.
• Ability to work as a member of a team, both through communication and sharing workload.
• Ability to manage high pressure situations e.g. clinical crisis.
• Willingness to work flexibly to deliver clinically effective and cost-effective healthcare.
• Evidence of continual learning and development.
• Knowledge of Audit principles and evidence of participation in audit / quality improvement projects.
• Experience of applying evidence to clinical practice.

Desirable

• Understands self (strengths/weaknesses) and impact of behaviour on others.

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

Manor Medical Practice

Address

195 Girlington Road

Girlington

Bradford

BD8 9PB

Employer's website

https://www.manor-bradford.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)