Physician Associate

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Delivering health services in primary care: 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, baby checks, COPD, asthma, diabetes, and anticoagulation Provide health/disease promotion and prevention advice, alongside analysing and actioning diagnostic test results Develop integrated patient-centred care through appropriate wording 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 Practice, including management of patients with long-term conditions; Undertake home visits when required; and Develop and agree a personal development plan (PDP) utilizing a reflective approach to practice, operating under appropriate clinical supervision.

2. CLINICAL

Provide advice and treatment to patients as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP in line with Practice policy and using established clinical guidelines.

Consult with and refer patients to GPs, medical specialists and other health professionals as considered necessary.

Interview patients, take medical histories, perform physical examinations, analyse, diagnose and explain medical problems.

Formulate and adjust as necessary, diagnoses and treatment plans, in consultation with supervising GP where necessary.

Recommend and explain to patients appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment.

Instruct and educate patients in preventative health care.

Confer with patients by telephone as required to provide highly specialist advice.

Order laboratory tests as required and in line with parameters set by the supervising GP.

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

Perform a variety of research and analysis tasks associated with medical diagnosis and treatment.

Research unusual symptoms and treatment options, through consultation with supervising GP and other medical specialists and by undertaking literature reviews and the like.

Give highly specialist clinical instructions to nursing staff and Primary Care Team members as required.

Assist in clinical instruction and supervision of medical students as required.

Confer regularly with GPs, medical specialists, those working at hospital level and members of the primary care team to plan and co-ordinate activities, exchange information, investigate and resolve problems in relation to the care of individual patients.

Encourage and ensure good working relationships with all members of the Primary Care Team.

Implement the policies and procedures of the practice in which the post-holder is working and propose changes to policies and practices where they professionally believe they require amendment.

Keep up to date on relevant medical research and evidence based medical practice, technology and related issues by attending continuing education courses and professional meetings, reading journals etc.

Ensure continuing education, training and development is undertaken to meet the needs of continuing professional and personal development.

Commit to undertake a minimum of 37.5 hours of continuing professional development each year and take national re-certification examinations as required.

Perform, as required, a variety of research and analysis tasks associated with improvement of clinical care, medical diagnosis and treatment using the following means:

Audit of clinical practice

Review of relevant literature

Research unusual symptoms and treatment options through consultation with GPs, medical specialists and members of the practice team

Assist in clinical instruction and supervision of medical and nursing students as well as other learners that may periodically be attached to the practice including, where considered appropriate, the educational development and mentoring of UK training/trained Physician Associates.

Attend regular multi-disciplinary meetings to discuss and learn from recent significant events relating to clinical practice.

Attend education meetings taking place at practice level 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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Certification of passing the PA National Examination
• Member of the Faculty of Physician Associates at the RCP, including registration on the PA Managed Voluntary Register
• MSc Degree / PgD in Physician Associate Studies
• BA/BSc degree prior to undertaking PA program
• On the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register

Experience

Essential

• Experienced or new Physician Associate graduate with associated clinical experience

Desirable

• Experience of working within a primary care environment
• Experience of preventative medicine and management of patients with long term conditions and complex needs
• Experience of seeing, assessing and treating acutely unwell people presenting in primary care

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Woodgrange Medical Practice

Address

40 Woodgrange Road

Forest Gate

London

E7 0QH

Employer's website

https://wmp-gp.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)