Physician Associate

Job responsibilities

Job Responsibilities:

The Physician Associate has the following key responsibilities in delivering health services at [insert name of organisation]. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

• Provide first point of contact care for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems by utilising history-taking, physical examinations and clinical decision-making skills to establish a working diagnosis and management plan in partnership with the patient (and their carers where applicable)
• Support the management of patients conditions through offering specialised clinics following appropriate training including (but not limited to) family planning, cervical screening, baby checks, COPD, asthma, diabetes and anticoagulation
• To undertake home visits where appropriate.
• Provide health/disease promotion and prevention advice, alongside analysing and actioning diagnostic test results
• Develop integrated patient-centred care through appropriate working with the wider primary care multi-disciplinary team and social care networks
• Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice and partake in clinical audits, significant event reviews and other research and analysis tasks
• Participate in duty rotas; undertaking face-to-face, telephone and online consultations for emergency or routine problems as determined by the organisation, including the management of patients with long-term conditions
• Develop and agree a personal development plan (PDP) utilising a reflective approach to practice, operating under appropriate clinical supervision
• Receive referrals and directed patients from triage services and other clinicians
• Manage a caseload of complex patients and potential care institutions
• Plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions for patients with acute and chronic physical and psychological conditions
• Utilise as needed the full range of non-drug therapies for all patients, consider pharmacological interventions and make recommendations to prescribers in accordance with evidence-based practice and national, local and practice protocols
• Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care
• Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles and apply principles of self-care
• Review the latest guidance ensuring the organisation conforms to NICE, CQC etc.
• Provide targeted support and proactive reviews for vulnerable, complex patients and those at risk of admission and re-admission to secondary care
• Be responsive to the changing needs of patients and service provision in terms of scope and nature of clinical practice
• Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality
• Undertake clinical responsibilities as required by the organisation within scope of practice defined by RCP/GMC
• Identify and be proactive in own training needs and development and as agreed with clinical mentor
• Recognise and work within own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the GMC
• Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultations, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures
• Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the organisation
• Support virtual and remote models of consultation and support including e-consultations, telehealth and telemedicine
• Participate in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near miss events
• Develop yourself and the role through participation in clinical supervision, training and service redesign activities
• Contribute to a patient safety culture through the reporting and investigation of significant events and patient safety incidents and to undertake proactive measures to improve patient safety
• Actively signpost patients to the correct healthcare professional
• Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
• Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
• Attend a formal appraisal with your manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed
• Contribute to public health campaigns (e.g., COVID-19 and flu clinics) through advice or direct care
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area

Secondary Responsibilities

In addition to the primary key responsibilities, the Physician Associate may be requested to:

• Support delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives
• Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner
• Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.
• There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
• All patients diagnosis and treatments must be held in the STRICTEST CONFIDENCE at all times

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards

Reporting potential risks identified.

Equality and Diversity:

• 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, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice 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 skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication:

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work

ANY OTHER DELEGATED DUTIES APPROPRIATE TO THE POST.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of working autonomously or as part of a team
• Understanding and knowledge of healthcare provision in GP surgeries, QOF, Enhanced Services and national standards that inform practice (NSF, NICE Guidelines)
• Understanding GMC Good Medical Practice and the medico-legal aspects of PA role
• Experience and an awareness of common acute and chronic conditions that are likely to be seen in general practice

Desirable

• Experience of working in a primary care setting
• Understanding of the mentorship process
• An appreciation of the new NHS landscape including the relationships between individual practices, PCNs and the commissioners

Skills

Essential

• Good organisational skills, enthusiastic and dynamic member of the clinical team
• Effective time management
• Reflective practitioner
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills and organisational skills with the ability to constructively challenge the view and practices of managers and clinicians
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure

Desirable

• Good clinical system IT knowledge of EMIS

Qualifications

Essential

• Physician Associate Postgraduate Diploma/Masters from accredited UK university
• Registered with Faculty of Physician Associates/PAMVR and or the General Medical Council following implementation of statutory regulation, working within the latest code of professional conduct (CIPD)
• Has passed the UK Physicians Associate (PA) National Re-Certification Exam which needs to be taken every six years

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
• Able to provide leadership and to finish work tasks and be both flexible and cooperative
• Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance and health and safety
• Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct

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).