Physician Associate for Primary Care Network (PCN)

Job responsibilities

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

The following are the core responsibilities of the Physician Associate role. 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:

Work clinical sessions consisting of either telephone triage, face to face, video or e-Consulting appointments or all four.

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

Provide direct clinical care to patients using established clinical guidelines.

Perform specialised diagnostic physical exams and treatment procedures.

Instruct and educate patients in preventative health care.

Be confident in explaining to patients their clinical management plan and be able to modify that plan according to their age and co-morbidities.

Identify, signpost or refer patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects on the patients health.

Give confidence to the supervising GP in your use of your clinical findings to justify the differential diagnosis.

Organise onward investigation, treatment and referral where appropriate.

Ensure continuity of care, arranging follow-up consultations or reviews as necessary.

Provide appropriate preventative health care and advice.

• Attend regular practice clinical meetings.
• Support the clinical team with all safeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies.

• Under supervision of the GPs in the practice, make professional, autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, whether self-referred or referred from other health care workers within the organisation
• Record clear and contemporaneous IT based consultation notes to agreed standards.

Review and act on Laboratory results and Clinical communication from Hospitals and other providers.

Develop consultation skills to enable shared patient and practitioner decision-making.

Recognise assess and refer where appropriate patients presenting with mental health problems.

Understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately.

Be able to justify choice of medication, and support patients in the use of their prescribed medication (within own scope of practice).

Be able to understand the impact of comorbidities and other medications and poly-pharmacy.

Deliver integrated patient centred-care through appropriate working with the wider primary care multi-disciplinary team and social care networks.

Conduct home visits and Care Home visits (following adequate training).

Act on alerts (e.g. QOF, local enhanced services etc.) and reminders during a consultation.

Assist the practices in achieving their clinical targets and objectives in QOF, Local enhanced services etc.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a physician associate
• Ability to Triage
• Experience of dealing with a range of clinical conditions
• Able to work under supervision of a Doctor.
• Ability to effectively triage, assess and diagnose
• Wound care
• Chaperone procedure
• 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
• Good IT Skills
• Able to work under pressure
• Work effectively and independently as a Team member
• Demonstrate accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision

Desirable

• Placement Experience in the following areas :
• acute and emergency medicine / community medicine
• General surgery
• obstetrics and gynaecology
• paediatrics
• mental health
• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• ECGs
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Asthma
• Spirometry
• CHD
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy

Other Requirements

Essential

• Self motivated and adaptable
• Full Driving License
• In date CRB
• Safeguarding adult and children level three
• Full Immunisation cover status
• Basic life support training
• Problem solver with the ability to process and interpret information accurately and effectively.
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Effectively utilise resources
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort

Qualifications

Essential

• Postgraduate medical training in Physician Associate Studies (UK)
• Mandatory registration with the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR)

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).