Physician Associate

Job responsibilities

Primary Responsibilities:

The Physician Associate has the following key responsibilities in delivering health services within Lancing & Sompting PCN.

This may vary with the Physician Associates specific skill mix.

There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

a) 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).

b) Following appropriate training, to support the management of patients conditions by offering clinics including and not limited to Frailty, Care Home Rounds, Family Planning, Cervical Screening, Baby Checks, COPD, Asthma, Diabetes and Anticoagulation.

c) Provide Health & Disease promotion and prevention advice, alongside analysing and actioning diagnostic test results.

d) Develop integrated patient-centred care through appropriate working with the wider primary care multi-disciplinary team and social care networks.

e) Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice and partake in clinical audits, significant event reviews and other research and analysis tasks.

f) Participate in 'On The Day' duty rotas, undertaking face to face, telephone and online consultations for emergency and routine problems including management of patients with long term conditions.

g) Receive referrals and directed patients from triage services and other clinicians.

h) Manage a caseload of patients and work with care institutions.

i) Plan, implement and evaluate treatment / interventions for patients with acute and chronic physical and psychological conditions.

j) 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, local and national protocols.

k) Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care.

l) Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles and apply principles of self-care.

m) Provide targeted support and proactive reviews for vulnerable, complex patients and those at risk of admission and re-admission to secondary care.

n) Develop and agree a 'Personal Development Plan' (PDP) utilising a reflective approach to practice, operating under appropriate clinical supervision.

o) Review the latest guidance ensuring the organisation conforms to NICE, CQC etc.

p) Be responsive to the changing needs of patients and service provision in terms of scope and nature of clinical practice.

q) Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality.

r) Undertake clinical responsibilities as required by the organisation within scope of practice defined by RCP/GMC.

s) Recognise and work within own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the GMC.

t) Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultations, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.

u) 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.

v) Develop yourself and the role through participation in clinical supervision, training and service redesign activities.

w) 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

Secondary Responsibilities:

In addition to the Primary responsibilities the Physicians Associate may be requested to:

a) Support delivery of QOF, Incentive Schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives.

b) Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.

c) There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels.

d) 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.

Personal Development:

The Practices and PCN encourage and support personal learning and development and would hope that this is reflected in team members commitment to ongoing lifelong learning. The Physicians Associate would be encouraged to:

a) Demonstrate an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working

areas of practice and keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice.

b) Maintain and develop professional competence and expertise, keep up to date withmedical/therapeutic evidence and opinion, and local and national service, legislation and policy developments, agree objectives and a personal development plan and participate in the appraisal process.

c) Work with your line manager to undertake continual personal and professionaldevelopment, taking an active part in reviewing and developing the role and responsibilities.

d) Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, including confidentiality,safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.

e) Work with your line manager to access regular clinical supervision, to enable youto deal effectively with the difficult issues that people present.

f) Review yearly progress and develop clear plans to achieve results within prioritiesset by others. Participate in the delivery of formal education programmes.

g) Demonstrate an understanding of current educational policies relevant to workingareas of practice and keep up to date with relevant clinical practice protocols.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Demonstrates an understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice.
• Awareness of the breadth of common acute and long-terms
• conditions that are likely to be seen in general practice.
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Office Tools.
• Able to analyse and interpret complex clinical information and present information in a clear way.
• Able to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol.
• Proven problem-solving skills
• Able to gain acceptance for recommendations and influence and motivate the audience to comply with recommendations/course of action where there may be significant barriers.
• Understanding of clinical governance
• Understanding of research principles
• Ability to develop, implement and embed policy and procedure.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and co-operative
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Motivated and proactive

Experience

Essential

• Experience of communicating and engaging effectively with
• internal and external agencies/ stakeholders.

Desirable

• Post Registration Experience.
• Experience of working in Primary Care.
• Experience of Partnership/Collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations.

Qualifications

Essential

• Post Graduate Diploma, Masters or MSc in Physician
• Associate Studies from a UK Physician Associate Programme
• or US Physician Associate Programme
• Member of the Faculty of Physician Associates
• Registered on the PA Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR)

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).