Job responsibilities
AYTON AND SNAINTON MEDICAL PRACTICE
PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATE
Duties and Responsibilities
The PA will be required to:
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.
Undertake as agreed surgery-based consultations
for emergency or routine problems including management of long-term conditions.
Participate in all treatment and preventative
healthcare services in the practice as delegated and agreed by the supervising
physicians in the practice.
Provide direct clinical care to patients using
established clinical guidelines.
To perform specialised diagnostic physical exams
and treatment procedures.
To instruct and educate patients in preventative
health care.
To confer with patients by telephone to convey
test results, hear emergency complaints and deal with similar situations and
issues.
To consult and refer patients to physicians,
medical specialists and other health professionals as indicated.
Order laboratory tests as required and agreed
under supervising physicians.
Fully document all aspects of patient care and
complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes.
Perform a variety of research and analysis tasks
associated with medical diagnosis and treatment.
Research unusual symptoms and treatment options,
through consultation with physicians and other medical specialists.
Formulate diagnoses and treatment plans, in
consultation with or referring to supervising physician as appropriate.
Give clinical instructions to nursing staff and
Primary Healthcare Team as required.
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 Personal Development Plan (PDP)
utilising a reflective approach to practice.
Keep up to date on relevant medical research,
technology and related issues by attending continuing education courses and
professional meetings, reading, etc.
To ensure continuing education, training and
development is undertaken to meet clinical governance guidelines for Continuing
Professional Development and a Personal Development Plan
Work collaboratively with the clinical team to
ensure continuity of care is maintained on specific services/projects.
Work to deliver, with other members of the
practice and Primary Healthcare Team, the objectives of the GMS Contract.
Encourage and ensure good working relationships
with all members of the Primary Healthcare Team.
To contribute to the clinical and management
development of the Practice.
To commit to undertake 50 hours of continuing
medical education per year (outside contracted hours) and take and pass the
national re-certification exam every 6 years if relevant in accordance with the
requirements of the PA Managed Voluntary 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.
To work within the policies and procedures of
the Practice and report to the Practice Manager on non-clinical work programmes
and service development.
Scope and Purpose of Job Description
The job description does not constitute a term and
condition of employment. It is provided only as a guide to assist the employee
in the performance of their job. The practice is a fast moving organisation and
therefore changes in employees duties may be necessary from time to time. The
job description is not intended to be an inflexible or finite list of tasks and
may be varied from time to time after consultation/discussion with the post
holder.
This is an exciting opportunity for the right person
wishing to develop their career as a PA in a highly dedicated Practice in the
heart of the community. The supervising team have a wealth of experience in General
Practice which will undoubtedly provide the opportunity for the new appointee
to develop their knowledge and shape the position within a dynamic clinical
team.
Other Information
General
The duties of this post are a guide to the range of
responsibilities that may be required. These may change from time to time to
meet the needs of the service and/or the development needs of the post holder.
This job description will be revised regularly to take account of changes
within the organisational structure and the Practice business plan.
Other duties
The post holder will be required to undertake any other
duties according to the needs of the service. This job description is not
intended to be an exhaustive list of activities, but rather an outline of the
main areas of responsibility. Any reasonable changes will be discussed and
agreed with the post holder before any variations to the job description are
made.
Medical Examinations
All appointments are conditional upon prior health clearance
by the Practice.
Failure to provide continuing satisfactory evidence will be
regarded as a breach of contract.
Professional Registration
Staff undertaking work which requires professional/state
registration are responsible for ensuring that they are so registered and that
they comply with any Codes of Conduct applicable to that profession. Proof of
registration must be produced on appointment and, if renewable, proof of
renewal must also be produced.
Disclosure and Barring Service
Applicants for posts in the NHS are exempt from the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All applicants who are offered employment
will be subject to a disclosure and barring service check before the
appointment is confirmed. Further information is available from the Disclosure
and Barring Service website at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service
Equal Opportunities
Ayton and Snainton Medical Practice is an equal
opportunities employer, and you will be expected to comply with all relevant
policies and procedures in this area together with all other policies and
procedures as initiated by the practice.
Work Visa/ Permits/Leave to Remain
If you are a non-resident of the United Kingdom or European
Economic Union, you are required to have a valid work visa and leave to remain
in the UK, which is renewed as required. The Practice is unable to employ or
continue to employ you if you require but do not have a valid work visa and/or
leave to remain in the UK.
Code of Conduct
All staff are required to work in accordance with the code
of conduct for their professional group (e.g. Nursing and Midwifery Council,
Health Professions Council, General Medical Council, NHS Code of Conduct for
Senior Managers).
Confidentiality
All information obtained in the course of the post holders
duties should be treated as strictly confidential. Any breach of confidence or
disclosure of such information, without express permission, may lead to
disciplinary action. The post holder has a responsibility to comply with the Data
Protection Act 1998, Access to Health Records Act (1990) and Code of Practice
on Confidentiality.
Health and Safety at Work
The post holder is required to take responsible care for the
health and safety of him/herself and other persons who may be affected by
his/her acts or omissions at work. The post holder is also required to ensure
that statutory and practice safety regulations are adhered to Health and Safety
at Work Act 1974.
Infection control
It is the responsibility of all staff, whether clinical or
non-clinical, to familiarise themselves with and adhere to current policy in
relation to the prevention of the spread of infection.
Clinical staff, on entering and leaving clinical areas and
between contacts with patients, must apply alcohol gel to their hands and also
wash their hands frequently with soap and water. Staff are required to
communicate any infection risks to the Practice Manager.
Complaints
From time to time, complaints may occur, no matter how
professional the approach of our staff. All complaints are investigated
promptly, and the full co-operation of staff is required. The current
guidelines amplify the above points with policies and procedures explained.
Clinical Governance and Risk management
The Practice believes everyone has a role to play in
improving and contributing to the quality of care provided to our patients. As
an employee of the Practice, you are expected to take a proactive role in
supporting the Practices clinical governance agenda by:
Taking part in activities for improving quality
such as clinical audit
Identifying and managing risks through incident
and near miss reporting and undertaking risk assessments
Following polices, guidelines and procedures
Maintaining continued professional development
Clinical staff making entries into patient
health records are required to follow any Practice standards of record keeping
Information Quality Assurance
As an employee of the Practice, it is expected that you will
take due diligence and care in regard to any information collected, recorded,
processed or handled by you during the course of your work and that such
information is collected, recorded, processed and handled in compliance with
Practice requirements and instructions.