Job summary
Portsmouth Hospitals Urology Department are excited to be able to expand our team with the role of Physicians Associate.
We are keen to hear from both newly qualified and established PAs. There will be ample opportunity for the post to develop. There will be the chance to develop and support projects that address key local challenges around patient care, workforce provision and training.
We envisage our PA model will complement our existing acute and specialty work-streams with successful candidates working alongside our medical and nursing teams, managing patients with a full-range of Urological conditions. You will work with our ward, outpatients, and theatre teams, acting as key liaison between medical and nursing teams, linking with multidisciplinary teams including specialist nurses and supporting criteria led discharges. There will be the opportunity to develop clinically, and particularly to learn specific procedural skills.
Main duties of the job
You will have a consultant mentor and there will be access to regular supervision and CPD opportunities to ensure individual and team development needs are met, alongside support for professional recertification, as well as orientation to the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
About us
The Trust is committed to driving excellence in care for our patients and communities and was rated good by the Care Quality Commission report published 2020 and became a University Hospital. We are ranked as the third in the country for research; embedding education and training across the organisation and we continuously strive to achieve our core values which are at the heart of everything we do. The Trusts main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, starting life as a military hospital over a century ago and now one of the largest hospitals on the south coast and you may have seen us on the TV series Nurses on the Ward. The Trust provides comprehensive secondary care and specialist services to a local population of 675,000 people across South East Hampshire. The Trust employs over 8,000 staff and are #ProudtobePHU; our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because its the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for providing outstanding care and support for patients, colleagues and our community you will find a home at PHU. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in
terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender
identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veterans
status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To exercise a high degree of personal autonomy when assessing, managing and planning care for a caseload of patients with insight when this this is outside scope of practice.
- To undertake prostate cancer diagnostic assessment clinics, both face to face and virtual.
- To perform prostate biopsies in both an outpatient and theatre setting.
- To act as a surgical first assistant, supporting our robotic cancer surgeons in theatres.
- To manage clinical caseloads daily.
- To develop extensive specialist knowledge and experience with the Urology specialty.
- Take part in all of the treatment and preventative healthcare services of the employing facility as and when requested and work within the policies and procedures of the organisation.
- Ensure that all relevant paperwork has been completed during stay and at discharge as appropriate.
- Participate in both departmental audits and specific audits on delivering services.
- Ensuring that patients have access to all relevant information as appropriate.
- Ensure that all appropriate onward referrals have been made.
- Liaise with appropriate healthcare professionals to improve care of patients and their families.
- Provide and receive complex highly complex, sensitive or contentious health, condition or lifestyle information. Communicates this information to patients, and relatives with empathy and reassurance and in a way they can understand. May need to motivate or negotiate with patient/relatives to ensure correct treatment.
- Undertake medical procedures as specified in scope of practice to support treatment.
Teaching & Support
The post holder will be supported through the following educational aspects:
- Communication Skills Training - Breaking bad news, end of life issues.
- Generic Teaching - History taking and examining, interpreting results.
- Participate in the Trusts foundation teaching programme.
- Attend weekly Departmental meetings, MDT meetings, Grand Rounds, X-ray Meetings.
Clinical Quality & Safety
- The post holder will be expected to attend the relevant unit meetings (Divisional) and contribute to service improvement.
- Together with the team, develop plans to ensure implementation of National Service Frameworks, NICE guidance, and emerging NHS policy relevant to the clinical area of responsibility.
- Ensure there is excellent adherence to Trust statutory and mandatory training.
- To participate in monitoring of standards of medical and nursing care.
- To contribute to the Divisional systems and process to comply with Trust policy in relation to:
- Clinical and non-clinical risk.
- Staff and Patient Complaints.
- Patient and user feedback and involvement.
- Ensure that patients are properly assessed and safely transferred in and out of the respective department in conjunction with the ward-based team.
- To contribute to environmental safety, clean, tidy and conducive to delivering compassionate care with privacy and dignity.
Research & Development, Education & Training
- To participate in the departments strategic approach towards education, training and development for the Division, taking into consideration the requirements of individual staff, the requirements of the service, and the availability of in-house and commissioned education programmes.
- Ensure use of evidence based practice within the department/unit.
- To facilitate an effective learning environment for pre-registration students.
- To participate in research activities when opportunities arise.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To exercise a high degree of personal autonomy when assessing, managing and planning care for a caseload of patients with insight when this this is outside scope of practice.
- To undertake prostate cancer diagnostic assessment clinics, both face to face and virtual.
- To perform prostate biopsies in both an outpatient and theatre setting.
- To act as a surgical first assistant, supporting our robotic cancer surgeons in theatres.
- To manage clinical caseloads daily.
- To develop extensive specialist knowledge and experience with the Urology specialty.
- Take part in all of the treatment and preventative healthcare services of the employing facility as and when requested and work within the policies and procedures of the organisation.
- Ensure that all relevant paperwork has been completed during stay and at discharge as appropriate.
- Participate in both departmental audits and specific audits on delivering services.
- Ensuring that patients have access to all relevant information as appropriate.
- Ensure that all appropriate onward referrals have been made.
- Liaise with appropriate healthcare professionals to improve care of patients and their families.
- Provide and receive complex highly complex, sensitive or contentious health, condition or lifestyle information. Communicates this information to patients, and relatives with empathy and reassurance and in a way they can understand. May need to motivate or negotiate with patient/relatives to ensure correct treatment.
- Undertake medical procedures as specified in scope of practice to support treatment.
Teaching & Support
The post holder will be supported through the following educational aspects:
- Communication Skills Training - Breaking bad news, end of life issues.
- Generic Teaching - History taking and examining, interpreting results.
- Participate in the Trusts foundation teaching programme.
- Attend weekly Departmental meetings, MDT meetings, Grand Rounds, X-ray Meetings.
Clinical Quality & Safety
- The post holder will be expected to attend the relevant unit meetings (Divisional) and contribute to service improvement.
- Together with the team, develop plans to ensure implementation of National Service Frameworks, NICE guidance, and emerging NHS policy relevant to the clinical area of responsibility.
- Ensure there is excellent adherence to Trust statutory and mandatory training.
- To participate in monitoring of standards of medical and nursing care.
- To contribute to the Divisional systems and process to comply with Trust policy in relation to:
- Clinical and non-clinical risk.
- Staff and Patient Complaints.
- Patient and user feedback and involvement.
- Ensure that patients are properly assessed and safely transferred in and out of the respective department in conjunction with the ward-based team.
- To contribute to environmental safety, clean, tidy and conducive to delivering compassionate care with privacy and dignity.
Research & Development, Education & Training
- To participate in the departments strategic approach towards education, training and development for the Division, taking into consideration the requirements of individual staff, the requirements of the service, and the availability of in-house and commissioned education programmes.
- Ensure use of evidence based practice within the department/unit.
- To facilitate an effective learning environment for pre-registration students.
- To participate in research activities when opportunities arise.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates knowledge of evidence-informed practice.
- Evidence of understanding of the needs of the healthcare sector and the patients it serves.
- Ability to work across all sites.
- Professional presentation of self.
- Good attendance record.
- Enthusiastic and self-motivated.
- Full UK driving license and access to a car for work use.
Desirable
- Demonstrate awareness of healthcare research.
- Project Management.
Qualifications
Essential
- If UK Trained: BA/BS Degree prior to undertaking PA programme.
- Qualification in Physician Assistant Studies from a recognised UK training programme.
- Current and valid certification or recertification by the Physician Assistant National Examination Board.
- If US Trained: Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
- All applicants: Registration with UK Managed Voluntary Registry for Physician Associates.
Desirable
- Communication Skills Training.
- BLS, ILS, ALS.
- Member of UKAPA.
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of medical procedures & terminology.
- Specialist knowledge across a range of medical conditions, procedures and practices, underpinned by theoretical knowledge or relevant practical experiences.
- Able to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, nurses, other staff and agencies.
- An inquiring and critical approach to work.
- Able to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively.
- Ability to exercise sound judgements when faced with conflicting pressures.
- Ability to implement and interpret policies and procedures.
- Ability to organise self and others.
- Fully understands the context in which complex problems arise and can coordinate multi-disciplinary unit wide interventions.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to build rapport with colleagues at all levels.
- Demonstrates the ability to problem solve from different angles.
- Able to ensure delivery of good patient care, appropriate in meeting the needs/expectations of patients and their relatives.
- Computer and keyboard skills.
- Highly developed physical skills, dexterity and hand eye coordination required for undertaking medical procedures.
Desirable
- Assist in the educational development of Physician Assistant students through student shadowing and/or teaching.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates knowledge of evidence-informed practice.
- Evidence of understanding of the needs of the healthcare sector and the patients it serves.
- Ability to work across all sites.
- Professional presentation of self.
- Good attendance record.
- Enthusiastic and self-motivated.
- Full UK driving license and access to a car for work use.
Desirable
- Demonstrate awareness of healthcare research.
- Project Management.
Qualifications
Essential
- If UK Trained: BA/BS Degree prior to undertaking PA programme.
- Qualification in Physician Assistant Studies from a recognised UK training programme.
- Current and valid certification or recertification by the Physician Assistant National Examination Board.
- If US Trained: Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
- All applicants: Registration with UK Managed Voluntary Registry for Physician Associates.
Desirable
- Communication Skills Training.
- BLS, ILS, ALS.
- Member of UKAPA.
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of medical procedures & terminology.
- Specialist knowledge across a range of medical conditions, procedures and practices, underpinned by theoretical knowledge or relevant practical experiences.
- Able to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, nurses, other staff and agencies.
- An inquiring and critical approach to work.
- Able to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively.
- Ability to exercise sound judgements when faced with conflicting pressures.
- Ability to implement and interpret policies and procedures.
- Ability to organise self and others.
- Fully understands the context in which complex problems arise and can coordinate multi-disciplinary unit wide interventions.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to build rapport with colleagues at all levels.
- Demonstrates the ability to problem solve from different angles.
- Able to ensure delivery of good patient care, appropriate in meeting the needs/expectations of patients and their relatives.
- Computer and keyboard skills.
- Highly developed physical skills, dexterity and hand eye coordination required for undertaking medical procedures.
Desirable
- Assist in the educational development of Physician Assistant students through student shadowing and/or teaching.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
