Job summary
Physician Associate
Employer: Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Department:Anaesthetics
Location: Royal Gwent Hospital
Contract:Permanent
Pay Scheme: Agenda for change
Pay Band:7
Newly qualified Physician Associates wanted to join our expanding team of Physician Associates at a caring, award-winning organisation and one of the largest Health Boards in Wales.
We are an integrated health board which serves a population of 600,000, employing more than 13,000 staff, with a budget of more than £1 billion.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has it all - a mix of urban and rural areas, diverse culture, award- winning services and all in a beautiful setting, close to the vibrant Capital city of Cardiff and on the edge of the beautiful Brecon Beacons.
The Grange University Hospital new state of the art Hospital which opened in November 2020 providing a new model of care for patients. With more than 40 different specialties and 470 beds, our specialists work together under one roof creating a centre of excellence.
As the birthplace of NHS Founder Aneurin Bevan, we take pride in the services we provide and recognise that feeling valued at work has a positive impact on our staff and patient care.
At Aneurin Bevan we offer excellent opportunities for education and training and offer a PA specific CPD programme. We have a well-established group of Physician Associates within the Health Board covering Primary and Secondary Care.
Main duties of the job
Our existing services includes:
- A well-established pre-assessment service with several consultant anaesthetist clinics per week in general surgery, orthopaedic surgery and vascular surgery
- A consultant led cardiorespiratory exercise testing (CPET) service, with funding approved for expansion of the service
- A busy post-operative care unit (POCU), with a throughput of more than 600 patients in its first year since opening. There is funding to expand this from a 6 bed to a 9-bed unit in the coming months. This is based at the Royal Gwent Hospital, which is the dedicated site for elective surgery.
- A prehabilitation service is currently being set up
Consideration will also be given to other roles that the candidate may wish to explore within the field.
There will be an initial period of teaching and training with an expectation to attend an ALS course. This induction period will include sessions in theatre for airway management and cannulation experience, recovery for the immediate post op care of patients and some simulation-based teaching. Attendance at pain rounds will provide the necessary experience to assess acute pain and its treatment including management of epidurals and nerve blocks.
About us
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is a multi-award winning NHS organisation with a passion for caring. The Health Board provides an exceptional workplace where you can feel trusted and valued. Whatever your specialty or stage in your career, we have opportunities for everyone to start, grow and build your career. The health board provides integrated acute, primary and community care serving a population of 650,000 and employing over 16,000 staff.
We offer a fantastic benefits package and extensive training and development opportunities with paid mandatory training, excellent in-house programmes, opportunities to complete recognised qualifications and professional career pathways including a range of management development programmes. We offer flexible working and promote a healthy work life balance, provide occupational health support and an ambitious plan for a Wellbeing Centre of Excellence to support you at work.
Our Clinical Futures strategy continues to enhance and promote care closer to home as well as high quality hospital care when needed. This includes the Grange University Hospital which provides specialist and critical care and is the newest addition to the clinical futures strategy opening in November 2020. Join us on our journey to pioneer new ways of working and deliver a world-class healthcare service fit for the future.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate will be working closely alongside a consultant whilst on POCU. There are daily ward rounds which involve decisions to discharge patients back to base wards or escalate and arrange transfer to GUH for higher levels of care. The recognition of a deteriorating or sick patient will be taught. There will be an introduction to many of the protocolised post op pathways such as enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). The POCU PA after attendance at an ALS course will become a member of the resuscitation team. Calls from other hospital wards for assistance, e.g., for difficult cannulation to the minor injury units to help e.g. in organising urgent /immediate transfers out of the hospital is needed can be expected.
Soon, the anaesthetic preassessment service will be centralised at the Royal Gwent Hospital site and there will be an expectation that the successful candidate will have a role in optimising patients for surgery in these clinics.
CPEX is an expanding service, and it is anticipated that there will be opportunities for involvement in these sessions with the necessary training being delivered.
In addition to the clinical work involved, the successful applicant will be expected to demonstrate involvement in improving our services through Quality Improvement work. Time free to attend useful training /teaching sessions organised for anaesthetic trainees will be supported whenever possible. There will be time allocated to support continued professional activities.
The successful applicant will be required to work a shift pattern with 12 hour shifts over 37.5 hours per week. Shift pattern will be confirmed on first week of commencing the role.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate will be working closely alongside a consultant whilst on POCU. There are daily ward rounds which involve decisions to discharge patients back to base wards or escalate and arrange transfer to GUH for higher levels of care. The recognition of a deteriorating or sick patient will be taught. There will be an introduction to many of the protocolised post op pathways such as enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). The POCU PA after attendance at an ALS course will become a member of the resuscitation team. Calls from other hospital wards for assistance, e.g., for difficult cannulation to the minor injury units to help e.g. in organising urgent /immediate transfers out of the hospital is needed can be expected.
Soon, the anaesthetic preassessment service will be centralised at the Royal Gwent Hospital site and there will be an expectation that the successful candidate will have a role in optimising patients for surgery in these clinics.
CPEX is an expanding service, and it is anticipated that there will be opportunities for involvement in these sessions with the necessary training being delivered.
In addition to the clinical work involved, the successful applicant will be expected to demonstrate involvement in improving our services through Quality Improvement work. Time free to attend useful training /teaching sessions organised for anaesthetic trainees will be supported whenever possible. There will be time allocated to support continued professional activities.
The successful applicant will be required to work a shift pattern with 12 hour shifts over 37.5 hours per week. Shift pattern will be confirmed on first week of commencing the role.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.
Person Specification
Qualifications and / knowledge
Essential
- meets all essential criteria
- BA / BS degree prior to Undertaking PA Programme
- Successfully Completed Postgraduate Diploma (M-Level) in Physician Associate Studies from a recognised UK Training Programme
- Current and valid Certification or Re Certification by the Physician Associate National Examination Board
- Registration with the UK Managed Voluntary Registry for Physicians Associate
- Undertake Continuous directly observed procedural skills, case based discussions and Min Clinical examination exercises to maintain on-going certification with the PA Managed Voluntary Register or equivalent
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
Desirable
- meets some desirable criteria
- ILS ACLS PALS Certification
- Evidence of successful completion of internship period
Experience and Ability
Essential
- Experience of workload prioritisation
- Ability to exercise sound judgement when faced with conflicting pressures
- Ability to motivate and develop the multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to manage and lead a working group
- Ability to implement and interpret policies and procedures
- Experience of conducting clinical audit
- Assist in the educational development of Physician Associate Students through student shadowing and/or teaching
- Awareness of current developments and initiatives in emergency medicine services
- Ability to be mobile and to meet the travel requirements of the post
- oAble to communicate highly complex, highly sensitive and/or contentious information, including where there are barriers to understanding
- Understands highly complex situations/ information to decide the best course of action
Desirable
- Assist in the development of the role of Physician Associate locally and nationally
Skills
Essential
- High level of clinical skills
- Ability to work well with colleagues and within a team
- Verbal and Written comunication skills
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Ability to respond to questions in a tactful and professional manner
- Critical & Analytical Skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, nurses, other staff and agencies
- Commitment to professional development
- Possess good IT Skills
- Has good problem solving and decision making skills.
- Knowledge of medical procedures and terminology
Desirable
- Ability to learn or speak Welsh
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Can demonstrate flexibility, commitment and adaptability
- Ability to travel if needed to a number of different NHS sites
- Demonstrates high level of self-awareness and knows when to seek advice
- Caring attitude toward patients
- Energy and enthusiasm and the ability to work under pressure
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the current NHS environment, particularly in relation to reforms, initiatives and issues
Desirable
- Knowledge of evaluation to support the development of a 'new role'
Person Specification
Qualifications and / knowledge
Essential
- meets all essential criteria
- BA / BS degree prior to Undertaking PA Programme
- Successfully Completed Postgraduate Diploma (M-Level) in Physician Associate Studies from a recognised UK Training Programme
- Current and valid Certification or Re Certification by the Physician Associate National Examination Board
- Registration with the UK Managed Voluntary Registry for Physicians Associate
- Undertake Continuous directly observed procedural skills, case based discussions and Min Clinical examination exercises to maintain on-going certification with the PA Managed Voluntary Register or equivalent
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
Desirable
- meets some desirable criteria
- ILS ACLS PALS Certification
- Evidence of successful completion of internship period
Experience and Ability
Essential
- Experience of workload prioritisation
- Ability to exercise sound judgement when faced with conflicting pressures
- Ability to motivate and develop the multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to manage and lead a working group
- Ability to implement and interpret policies and procedures
- Experience of conducting clinical audit
- Assist in the educational development of Physician Associate Students through student shadowing and/or teaching
- Awareness of current developments and initiatives in emergency medicine services
- Ability to be mobile and to meet the travel requirements of the post
- oAble to communicate highly complex, highly sensitive and/or contentious information, including where there are barriers to understanding
- Understands highly complex situations/ information to decide the best course of action
Desirable
- Assist in the development of the role of Physician Associate locally and nationally
Skills
Essential
- High level of clinical skills
- Ability to work well with colleagues and within a team
- Verbal and Written comunication skills
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Ability to respond to questions in a tactful and professional manner
- Critical & Analytical Skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, nurses, other staff and agencies
- Commitment to professional development
- Possess good IT Skills
- Has good problem solving and decision making skills.
- Knowledge of medical procedures and terminology
Desirable
- Ability to learn or speak Welsh
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Can demonstrate flexibility, commitment and adaptability
- Ability to travel if needed to a number of different NHS sites
- Demonstrates high level of self-awareness and knows when to seek advice
- Caring attitude toward patients
- Energy and enthusiasm and the ability to work under pressure
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the current NHS environment, particularly in relation to reforms, initiatives and issues
Desirable
- Knowledge of evaluation to support the development of a 'new role'
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
