Job responsibilities
JOB
SUMMARY
The post holder
will provide care for patients through clinical assessment, examination,
investigation, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of care.
Post holder
will deliver a high standard of patient care within 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. Physician Associates will have a key role in supporting delivery of
Network Contract DES services.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILTIES
The
post holder will provide first point of contact care for patients presenting
with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems utilising history taking, physical
examinations, problem solving and clinical decision making skills to establish
a working diagnosis and management plan in partnership with the patients (and
their carers where applicable)
Review,
analysis and action diagnostic test results
Deliver
integrated patient centred care through appropriate working with the wider
primary care network multi-disciplinary team and social care networks
Undertake
face to face, telephone, video and online consultations for emergency or
routine problems, as determined by the PCN, including management of patients
with long term conditions. Where required by the PCN physician associates can
offer specialised clinics following appropriate training including but not
limited baby checks, COPD, asthma, diabetes and anti-coagulation
Provide
health/disease promotion and prevention advice to patients
Utilise
clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice, participate in
clinical audits, significant event reviews and other research and analysis
tasks.
ADMINISTRATION
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:
o
Audit
of clinical practice.
o
Review
of relevant literature.
o
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 relationships
- Patients
- GP, nurses and other practice staff
- DGS Health GP Federation staff
- Primary Care Networks
- Other members of the Physician Associate team
- dieticians
- Locality / GP prescribing lead
- Locality managers
- Community nurses and other allied health professionals
- Community PAs and support staff
- Hospital staff with responsibilities for prescribing
and medicines optimisation
Responsibilities
underpinning the role
- To develop and facilitate a good working relationship
with community PAs and other local providers of healthcare
- To plan and organise the post holders 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.
Equal Opportunities
DGS Health is committed to
an equal opportunities policy that affirms that all staff should be afforded
equality of treatment and opportunity in employment irrespective of sexuality,
marital status, race, religion/belief, ethnic origin, age or disability. All
staff are required to observe this policy in their behaviour to fellow
employees.
Confidentiality
All employees are required
to observe the strictest confidence with regard to any patient/client
information that they may have access to, or accidentally gain knowledge of, in
the course of their duties.
All employees are required
to observe the strictest confidence regarding any information relating to the
work of the practice and its employees. You are required not to disclose any
confidential information either during or after your employment with the
practice, other than in accordance with the relevant professional codes.
Failure to comply with
these regulations whilst in the employment of practice could result in action
being taken.
