Physician Associate

Job responsibilities

The following job description should be read in conjunction with the Person Specification for this post.

The post holder will work collaboratively with other members of the Primary Care Team within the policies and procedures of Downham Family Medical Practice.

1. CLINICAL

Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services in the Practice as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP(s).

Provide direct clinical care to patients using established clinical guidelines.

Consult and refer patients to physicians, medical specialists and other health professionals as appropriate.

Interview patients, take medical histories, perform physical examinations, analyse, diagnose and explain medical problems during surgery consultations and home visits.

Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment.

Request and interpret results of laboratory investigations when necessary.

Instruct and educate patients in preventative health care.

Conduct telephone consultations which may involve discussing the result and implications of laboratory investigations with patients as well as dealing appropriately with routine and emergency complaints.

Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes.

Contribute to the clinical development of the Practice by developing a special interest and to help establish appropriate systems to manage common chronic medical conditions, ensuring compliance with NSF guidelines.

Participate fully in the clinicians duty rota including the provision of home visits when appropriate.

Help manage or triage on the day patient demands.

2. TRAINING / EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Ensure continuing education, training and development is undertaken to meet clinical governance guidelines for Continuing Professional Development and a Personal Development Plan.

Keep up to date with relevant medical research and evidence-based medical practice by attending continuing education courses and professional meetings, reading journals etc.

Undertake 50 hours of continuing medical education (CPD) every year. A minimum of 25 hours must be in accredited direct learning programmes.

Take the UK PA National Re-certification Examination every six years, as required for Physician Associates.

Perform a variety of research and analysis tasks associated with improvement of clinical care, medical diagnosis and treatment where appropriate using the following means.

• Audit of clinical practice.
• Review of relevant literature.
• Research unusual symptoms and treatment options through consultation with General Practitioners, Physicians and other specialists.

Attend regular multi-disciplinary meetings organised by the Practice 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.

CPD in own personal time.

3. ADMINISTRATION

Communicate when necessary with colleagues in Primary Care and hospital specialists in order to discuss or refer specific patients, plan and co-ordinate activities or exchange information in order to improve the quality of patient care.

Send and receive written information on behalf of the Practice regarding matters of insurance, housing and other issues relating to the physical and social welfare of patients.

Work to deliver together with other members of the Practice and Primary Healthcare Team, the objectives of the APMS 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.

Qualifications

Essential

• MSc Degree/PgD in Physician Associate Studies
• Member of the Faculty of Physician Associates at the RCP, including registration on the PA MVR.
• Current and valid certification or re-certification by the UK Physician Associate National Examination

Experience

Essential

• High standard of clinical skills and experience of using these skills in different situations.

Desirable

• Minimum of 1 year experience to have been spent in GP Practice/primary care.
• EMIS web knowledge
• Experience of offering mentorship and supervision to other staff

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Dynamic / able to use own initiative.
• IT literate / proficient in the use of the computer.
• Good communicator.
• Ability to teach others.
• Good presentation skills.
• Good problem solving and decision making skills.
• Ability to manage work load effectively.
• Willingness to work at all times towards the best interest of the patient.
• Team player / ability to liaise effectively with colleagues and other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to liaise effectively with hospitals and other outside agencies.
• Maintains CPD requirements of 50 hours per year (25 Type 1 and 25 Type 2).

Other

Essential

• Meets onboarding requirements of:
• DBS requirements
• Right to work
• References

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).