Physician Associate Lead

Job responsibilities

Communication:

Communicate complex or sensitive information to therapy staff and primary care leads in a language that is understandable to them. This may include imparting unwelcome news e.g. Impact of service constraints, performance issues.

Use advanced communication skills to present and represent the therapy staff at a conference level.

Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing, therapy, private and voluntary staff to ensure service development is co-ordinated and linked with other service development plans.

Provide information to managers regarding the role and value of therapies in the treatment of people across primary care, health & social care, education, housing, acute, secondary care and community pathways.

Initiate, plan, organise and chair meetings, which have a clear purpose and outcome, such as clinical network forums and Focus Groups.

Use advanced and innovative interpersonal skills of negotiation, persuasion, and conflict resolution in the development of the service and individuals.

Use information technology to communicate via email and to obtain and input data to systems.

Provide the Training Hub, HEE, NHSEI with the information as required, ensuring effective communication to board level e.g. plans, presentation, papers, and reports.

Represent primary care, maintaining a highly professional manner, using effective communication skills at all times.

Promote sound working relationships within primary care and across the ICBs within Lancashire and South Cumbria, universities, and other external agencies.

Training and Development:

Work collaboratively with the Training Hub, WTE, NHSE and the ICB to identify areas for improvement to ensure that profession specific staff within primary care have access to appropriate professional development and leadership training opportunities.

Alongside the Training Hub, WTE and NHSE, the post-holder will identify profession specific staff and support their access to an appropriate level of clinical supervision and personal/professional development.

Implement and lead a GM PA forum and share any learning/TNA/communications from the workforce to the Head of GMTH, the wider system and partners.

Lead the development of a prioritised programme of clinical training and development for profession specific staff members throughout primary care.

Develop and maintain close working links with higher education institutes.

Maintain own professional registration and competency to practice at an advanced/expert level, taking responsibility for ensuring own knowledge and skills remain up to date, by engaging in and directing continuous professional development, including maintenance of a CPD portfolio.

Alongside primary care leads, support the maintenance of professional registration and competency for practice, using continuous professional development and lifelong learning.

Attend mandatory training as required.

Actively participate with internal and external post-registration training to the equivalent of masters level, maintaining and developing advanced practice skills.

Support audit and research activities across the service.

Professional Responsibilities:

Work at all times within the Code of Professional Conduct defined by the relevant professional body.

Meet the requirements of registration of the professional body i.e.. GMC

Remain professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work.

Actively promote and ensure that all aspects of the service offered is of a high clinical standard and evidence based, in-line with professional codes of conduct, local policies, and procedures.

Take responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and others and to comply at all times to the requirements of Health & Safety regulations.

Oversee and support staff within legal aspects of their professional assessment and interventions.

Organisational Responsibilities:

Be responsible for the development and guidance of a robust training and development strategy for profession specific staff across primary care.

Be responsible for the planning and organisation of professional forums.

Advise Primary Care and the Training Hub with the service development required to meet local and National policies and priorities.

Implement innovative strategies to ensure the recruitment, induction, retention, and redeployment of high calibre clinical, support and temporary staff.

Ensure National professional standards are maintained.

Keep up to date with clinical/professional developments, analysing current research, implementing changes in practice accordingly.

Be responsible for collating and interpreting statistical information (as required), in order to monitor service delivery and plan future service development.

Implement quality initiative and service improvements in line with best practice, available evidence, legislation, and Local/National guidance.

Governance:

To ensure compliance with Federations policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, by taking action/alerting senior management team if practice contravenes policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.

To ensure compliance at all times and without exception with the organisations Information Governance Regulations and Standing Financial Instructions.

Behaviours:

The post holder will be expected to:

Support the visions and values of the Federation.

Act with honesty and integrity at all times.

Be a positive ambassador for the Federation.

Demonstrate high standards of personal conduct.

Value and respect colleagues, other members of staff, stakeholders, and patients

Work with others to develop and improve our services.

Uphold the Federations commitment to equality and diversity.

Take personal responsibility for their words, deed and actions and the quality of the service they deliver.

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers, and colleagues, to include:

Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers, and colleagues.

Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feeling priorities and rights.

Information Governance

The post-holder must be fully aware of and committed to all Policies, Procedures and Initiatives relating to Information Governance - this will include, but not limited to, Data Quality Improvements, Confidentiality, and Information Security.

To take personal responsibility for safeguarding and ensuring the quality of information.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any mandatory training programme implemented as part of this employment, such training to include: -

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skill and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Training may need to be undertaken outside of normal hours, and off-site.

Other:

This post involves the use of display screen equipment as a significant part of normal work and the job holder will be a user as defined in the Health & Safety Policy on work with DSE.

The post holder may need to work from different locations.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered with the PAMVR
• Coaching and mentorship
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Post-graduate qualification in education or other relevant experience
• Strong working knowledge of IT packages i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and working virtually via MS Teams.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 3 years experience of working within a general practice team.
• Currently working in GM
• In-depth clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare.
• A good working knowledge of how general practice works and the PA roles.
• Experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders
• Knowledge of current issues for profession within the health service provision
• Understanding of strategies for improving services

Desirable

• Proven experience of successful project or initiative development and implementation
• Experience of working in a wider system across several organisations
• Previous education or leadership experience
• Up to date knowledge and expertise of national priorities for profession in Primary Care and wider NHS.
• Knowledge and experience of working with HEIs and education providers.

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, listening, written and verbal.
• Good organisational and planning skills
• Excellent prioritisation skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines.
• Skilled and sensitive communicator, confident in dealing with a range of stakeholders at all levels and with issues that may be contentious.
• Ability to influence, persuade and motivate others.
• Understanding of the challenges and changes with the PA role within General Practice, supporting employers and employees to navigate these.

Desirable

• Teaching and training experience to a range of healthcare professionals and students.
• Project management skills
• Proven problem-solving skills.
• Leadership skills
• Mentoring and coaching skills

Aptitude and professionalism

Essential

• Accepts responsibility and accountability for own work.
• Can work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Recognises the limits of own authority within the role.
• Seeks and uses professional support appropriately.
• Understands the principle of confidentiality.
• Self-motivated with a can do attitude and can motivate others.

Desirable

• Political awareness

Self-awareness

Essential

• Has a balanced understanding of self and others.
• Has a realistic knowledge of personal strengths and areas for development.
• Can demonstrate flexibility of approach.

Other

Essential

• Ability to travel across GM, sometimes at short notice.
• Car driver and current driving licence essential with access to a car (unless you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995)
• Adaptable
• Team Player
• Sound judgement
• Flexible

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).