Physicians Associate

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Trauma & Orthopaedic team as a Physicians Associate. The role will provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation in the care of Orthopaedic patients on the ward, in outpatients and theatre areas. The role will support other services as needed for patient flow as well as contributing to decision making for patients to be admitted, transferred or discharged.

The T&O department has experience in working with PAs for a number of years. The role involves care of patients on the ward, with personal interests which can be developed to the individual over time. This may be in the outpatient setting, theatres or areas of quality improvement and research.

The trust has an established presence of PA's within other sub-specialities which is expanding. Involvement in CPD is encouraged with attendance to fortnightly PA teaching sessions. There is an allocated study budget and study leave allowance which PAs are encouraged to use. In the springtime MTW hosts the CPD training day for the region's PAs.

We will consider applications from qualified PA's as well as those due to receive their National results in November.

Main duties of the job

• To perform initial patient assessment and examination, initiate diagnostic process and interpret investigations and recommend initial treatment.
• To exercise a high degree of personal autonomy when assessing and planning care for patients with a range of presenting complaints.
• To develop extensive specialist knowledge and experience, acting as a resource to the clinical team and allied health professionals.
• Practice under the supervision of an Orthopaedic Consultant and other qualified staff as agreed.
• Take patient histories and perform physical examinations of a patient recording all information in the patients' medical records.
• Order and interpret diagnostic laboratory tests, radiological studies or various other therapies.
• Distinguish between normal and abnormal findings to recognise early stages of serious medical, emotional or mental problems in the patient
• Establish differential diagnosis, make appropriate treatment plans and initiate emergency treatment.
• Coordinate consultants ward rounds, and take responsibility for following up resulting actions
• Ensure safe and effective handover of patients to the appropriate teams
• Work with the multi-disciplinary team in an appropriate management plan for the patient e.g. Social Services, Community Nursing Teams, and Clinical Nurse Specialists

• To perform diagnostic/therapeutic procedures

About us

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is a large acute hospital Trust in the county of Kent.

The Trust provides a full range of general hospital services and some areas of specialist complex care to around 500,000 people living in the south part of West Kent and the north part of East Sussex.

The Trust's core catchment areas are Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells and their surrounding boroughs. We work from two main clinical sites: Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury. Tunbridge Wells Hospital opened in 2011 and provides single rooms with en-suites for all in-patients - the first of its kind in the country.

We employ over 6,500 full and part-time staff in a huge range of clinical and non-clinical roles across both of our hospital sites.