Job responsibilities
Ensure continuing education, training and development is undertaken to meet clinical governance guidelines for Continuing Professional Development and a Personal Development Plan.
Show a caring attitude towards patients, have well-developed communication skills to provide treatment plans. And work to their professional code of ethics
Keep up to date with relevant medical research, technology and evidence-based medical practice by attending continuing education courses and professional meetings, reading journals etc.
Work to deliver with other members of the practice and Primary Healthcare Team, the objectives of the PCN GP contract, including the terms of the Quality and Outcomes Framework and Practice Based Commissioning.
Attend regular multi-disciplinary meetings organised by the Practice in order to discuss the health and social needs of particular patients.
TRAINING / EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ QUALIFICATIONS
In the UK, physician associates must complete a full-time post graduate diploma, which is offered by 25 universities. Applicants must already have a degree in a life or healthcare science and experience of working in the health service. Programmes must all meet the national standards laid down in the competence and curriculum framework approved by the Faculty of Physician Associates, which is part of the Royal College of Physicians.
Undertake 50 hours of continuing medical education (CPD) every year.
Take and pass the national re-certification exam every 6 years in accordance with the requirements of the PA Managed Voluntary Register and as recommended by the National Examination Sub Committee of the UKUBPAE (UK Universities Board of Physician Associate Education) and subsequently as required by the statutory regulating body when in place.
Perform a variety of research and analysis tasks associated with improvement of clinical care, medical diagnosis and treatment where appropriate using the following means:
Audit of clinical practice.
Review of relevant literature.
Research unusual symptoms and treatment options, through consultation with physicians and other medical specialists.
Assist in clinical instruction and supervision of medical and nursing students as well other learners (need to have completed relevant mentoring course, to the area of practice) that may periodically be attached to the practice, including the educational development and mentoring of Physician Associate students.
Attend regular multi-disciplinary meetings organised by the Practice in primary care network in order to discuss and learn from recent significant events relating to clinical practice occurring within the Practice.
Attend regular educational meetings organised by the practice in order to update clinical knowledge, practice policy and guidelines and disseminate other useful information relevant to the provision of adequate healthcare for patients.
Regularly reflect on own practice (and keep a record of learning encounters) in order to identify learning needs and encourage self- directed lifelong learning and continued professional development.
Key working relationship
Patients
GP, nurses and other practice staff
Other members of the Physician Associate team
Dieticians
Locality / GP prescribing lead
Community nurses and other allied health professionals
Community PAs and support staff
Responsibilities underpinning the role
To develop and facilitate a good working relationship with community PA’s and other local providers of healthcare
To plan and organise the post holder’s own workload, including audit and project work, and training sessions for members of the practice team and other partners are required
To record personally generated information and maintain a database of information relating to the work done in the practice(s)
To maintain registration as a PA and comply with appropriate professional codes
As appropriate to the post, to maintain and develop professional competence and expertise, keep up to date with medical/therapeutic evidence and opinion, and local and national service, legislation and policy developments, agree objectives and a personal development plan and participate in the appraisal process
To attend local, regional and national meetings of relevance
All employees should understand that it is their personal responsibility to comply with all organisational and statutory requirements (e.g. health and safety, equal treatment and diversity, confidentiality and clinical governance)
Codes of Conduct
Physician Associates must comply with the Code of Professional Conduct set by the Faculty of Physician Associate towards key areas like professionalism, knowledge, skills, risk analysis and communication and to Practices Code of Conduct.
