Job responsibilities
As Physician Associate, you will work as part of the Clinical Team
in a number of areas and using a wide range of skills and competencies to
support our GP practices to deliver care and support to the local population
and to reduce the workload of the local GPs. This may include, but is not
limited to;
Providing holistic
assessment, diagnosis, offering advice and guidance, and initiating treatment
(where appropriate and within competence)
Supporting GPs with
managing investigation results
Supporting GPs with
managing their clinical correspondence
As Physician Associate you will act within your professional
boundaries, providing first point of contact care for patients from initial
history taking, clinical assessment, examination, investigation, diagnosis,
treatment and evaluation of their care under the supervision of a GP.
You will demonstrate safe clinical decision-making and expert care
for patients within the general practice, supported by and in consultation with
a duty GP.
You will work with the multi-disciplinary general practice team to
support the delivery of policy and procedures and meet the needs of patients.
Supervision and mentoring will be provided by the appropriate senior medical
staff - the type of support will depend on the post holders skills and
knowledge and determined by our clinical governance arrangements. You will have
annual appraisals and continuing professional development as set out by the
Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA).
As a Physician Associate you will be paid on the 28th day (or
nearest working day) of each month by bankers automated clearing service
(BACS).
KEY
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:
To deliver a high standard of patient care using advanced autonomous
clinical skills with in-depth theoretical knowledge and evidence based
practice working under the supervision of a GP
To manage a clinical caseload and deal with presenting patients needs
in a primary care setting including supporting the practice to deliver the
Primary Care Network Direct Enhanced Service, Local Commissioned Services and
QOF (Quality Outcomes Framework).
The role will ensure a breadth of clinical work focused on face to
face appointments. Focus will be on the registered population, from cradle to
grave providing a holistic approach to high quality care and service
delivery. The role will be based across two surgeries, on the day support
will be available at site and via your GP lead.
CLINICAL
Carry out consultations face to face with patients of all ages as an
autonomous practitioner and using own clinical judgement to diagnose, treat,
refer and/or discharge patients.
Participate in duty rotas for the practice clinical team with
supervision provided by the Lead GP.
Identify, signpost or refer patients at risk of developing long-term
conditions, preventing adverse effects on the patients health, making
referrals within locally agreed protocols, guidance and pathways.
Provide routine care to patients as required in accordance with
clinical based evidence and support tools.
Examine, assess and diagnose patients and provide clinical care /
management / treatment plans as required.
Perform specialist diagnostic physical examinations and treatment
procedures.
Prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately.
To instruct, advise and educate patients in health promotion and
disease prevention.
Review the effectiveness of the treatment provided, making changes
where necessary to improve patient outcomes.
Ensure complete and accurate documentation of each and every patient
contact.
Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required
paperwork for legal and administrative purposes.
Carry out necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or
investigations and interpret findings/reports within the scope of a Physician
Associates practice. Discuss the results and implications of laboratory
investigations with patients.
Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice.
Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing
where appropriate an ongoing plan of care/support with an emphasis on
prevention and self-care;
Identify community health needs and participate in the development of
patient/family centred strategies to address them.
Contribute to the practice quality targets to consistently achieve
high standards of safe, evidence-based, cost-effective patient care and
service delivery.
Work to deliver, with other members of the surgery the objectives of
our GMS contracts and PCN Network clinical responsibilities and contribute to
the clinical and management development of care provision.
Participate in MDT processes, reviewing identified patients, carrying
out face to face reviews and participating in MDT meetings as necessary.
Contribute to public health campaigns, including mass vaccination
campaigns.
Identify and manage own development needs to enable working as an
effective part of the multi-disciplinary team, linking with all healthcare colleagues.
ADMINISTRATION
Contribute to and participate in audits, significant event reviews,
evaluation and clinical standard setting within the Practice.
Accurate and timely summarising of patient records and read-coding
patient data
Complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes
in accordance with relevant standards
Ensure that all practice policies are fully implemented
Work in accordance with all governance and internal systems relating
to (but not limited to) the management of clinical data and systems
TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT
As appropriate to the post, to maintain and develop professional
competence and expertise, keep up to date with relevant professional 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.
Taking responsibility for own development, with relevant
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).
Stay up to date through attendance at any courses and/or study days
necessary to ensure that professional development requirements are met,
demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar
work.
Subject to a performance review, which includes taking responsibility
for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
Work closely with other clinical staff and administrative managers in
the setting up and/or improving of practice systems for monitoring/measuring
performance against Clinical Governance and Quality Indicator targets
Work to deliver the NHS contract requirements related to the practice
(including the terms of the Quality and Outcomes Framework and locally
enhanced services)
Commit to take and pass the necessary Physician Associate
re-certification exams (currently every 6 years) to maintain qualifications
required to carry out duties of the role and as statutory regulatory bodies
require.
Participate in training, supervision and development of students and
other learners in the setting.
GOVERNANCE
Produce complete and accurate records of patient consultation, in line
with best practice, confidentiality, policies and procedures.
1.
Record personally generated information and maintain a database of
information relating to the work done in the practice.
2.
Personally generated information includes information and records
relating to audit and clinical work undertaken by the post holder, reference
notes relating to clinical/technical information, etc.
The database includes maintaining up-to-date, detailed records of all
work done in the practices for which the post holder is accountable (done by
the post holder or others).
Deliver care according to NHS guidance, NICE guidelines and
evidence-based care.
Take part in the maintenance of quality governance systems and
processes across the Practice and its activities.
Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the
work of self and the team, implementing improvements where required.
Work with other clinical teams on improving the quality of healthcare
in response to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate
Evaluate patients response to health care provision and the
effectiveness of care
Actively seek to deliver and support continuous quality improvement.
Lead and support the development of knowledge, ideas and work practice within
the service and work area.
Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and
wider organisation
Manage, review and identify learning from patient complaints, clinical
incidents and near miss events
Awareness of statutory safeguarding, notification processes and local
guidance for children/vulnerable patients, applying relevant policies and
legislation to protect them
Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and guidelines for self
and others, by taking action or alerting senior management team if the
practice appears to contravene policy, or if there are concerns over any
aspect of patient care.