Job summary
Are you a Physician Associate who is keen to work within primary care with a passion to deliver an excellent service within general practice? If so, we want to hear from you.
The role is offered on a full-time basis or part-time may be considered. The appointment will be made on a Fixed Term Contract to March 2024, but a Permanent Contract may be considered.
This is an exciting opportunity
for a Physician Associate to join our multi-disciplinary
team working at Northumberland Heath Medical Centre within North Bexley PCN.
The role plays
a pivotal part within the community service, supporting GPs throughout the PCN in
the diagnosis and management of patients, while seeking to improve the quality
of care and operational efficiencies across the PCN.
We offer a
variety of opportunities including peer support and shared learning to enable continuous
development in the role and support ongoing professional development.
Main duties of the job
As a Physician Associates (PA), the role will work alongside doctors, physicians, GPs and surgeons to provide medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. PAs will provide first point of contact care for the patients they are providing care to, from taking initial medical history, completing clinical assessments, through to diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of care, whilst working within the professional boundaries.
Through delivering excellent patient care, PAs will demonstrate critical thinking in the clinical decision-making process, including assessment and diagnostic skills, leading to the delivery of safe care for all patients, in consultation with the duty GP.
About us
Bexley Health Neighbourhood Care (BHNC) is a GP Federation supporting the 21 Bexley Practices / 4 PCNs who are working collaboratively to enhance the health and wellbeing of Bexley residents, covering over 246,000 patients.
Organisational Values / Objectives
The goals of BHNC are to work strategically with all Bexley PCNs, to help secure the best services for patients whilst working together, to support the member practices in the challenges of a changing NHS.
BHNC aims to improve the morale of PCNs / general practice in Bexley, by sharing expertise, services and supporting its workforce. BHNC will make a positive impact on medical services in Bexley, by working closely with the CCG, local NHS trusts, local providers and patient groups, to improve the delivery of healthcare to the local population.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical and Patient Client Care
Provide first point of contact for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems by taking medical history, preforming physical examination, using problem-solving and clinical decision-making skills to establish a diagnosis and management plan, working in partnership with patients, under appropriate supervision.
Undertake surgery-based consultations for emergency or routine problems, including management of long-term conditions.
Undertake telephone consultations and home visits, participating with the duty rota.
Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services in the practices as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP/s.
Formulate diagnoses and treatment plans, in consultation with or referring to Supervising GP, as appropriate.
Give clinical instructions to nursing staff and primary care team as required.
Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment, referring patients directly to other services or agencies using the appropriate referral pathways.
Provide health/disease promotion and prevention advice, alongside analysing and actioning diagnostic test results.
Request and interpret results of laboratory investigations when necessary.
Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes.
Work directly with members of the practice primary health care team and support integrated patient centred care through appropriate working, with wider PCN and integrated care networks.
Send and receive written information on behalf of the practice relating to the physical and social welfare of patients.
General
Actively works toward developing and maintaining effective working relationships both within and outside the PCN.
To develop and facilitate a good working relationship with GP practice workforces across the PCN to support the delivery of excellent patient care.
Foster and maintain strong links with all services across the PCN and neighbouring networks.
Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice.
To manage resources required for key duties under this Job Description, ensuring value for money at all times and maintain budget management responsibility allocated to the job holder in line with the scheme of delegation, develop, where required, cost-benefit analysis for spending and initiatives.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical and Patient Client Care
Provide first point of contact for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems by taking medical history, preforming physical examination, using problem-solving and clinical decision-making skills to establish a diagnosis and management plan, working in partnership with patients, under appropriate supervision.
Undertake surgery-based consultations for emergency or routine problems, including management of long-term conditions.
Undertake telephone consultations and home visits, participating with the duty rota.
Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services in the practices as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP/s.
Formulate diagnoses and treatment plans, in consultation with or referring to Supervising GP, as appropriate.
Give clinical instructions to nursing staff and primary care team as required.
Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment, referring patients directly to other services or agencies using the appropriate referral pathways.
Provide health/disease promotion and prevention advice, alongside analysing and actioning diagnostic test results.
Request and interpret results of laboratory investigations when necessary.
Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes.
Work directly with members of the practice primary health care team and support integrated patient centred care through appropriate working, with wider PCN and integrated care networks.
Send and receive written information on behalf of the practice relating to the physical and social welfare of patients.
General
Actively works toward developing and maintaining effective working relationships both within and outside the PCN.
To develop and facilitate a good working relationship with GP practice workforces across the PCN to support the delivery of excellent patient care.
Foster and maintain strong links with all services across the PCN and neighbouring networks.
Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice.
To manage resources required for key duties under this Job Description, ensuring value for money at all times and maintain budget management responsibility allocated to the job holder in line with the scheme of delegation, develop, where required, cost-benefit analysis for spending and initiatives.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of related medical conditions, treatments and pharmacology,
- Experience of supporting doctors in clinical decision making,
- Ability to work autonomously within the scope of supervised practice,
- Detailed knowledge of maintaining confidentiality and implementing data protection legislation requirements including information governance,
- Ability to manage high pressure situations e.g. clinical crisis.
Desirable
- Experience working as a Physician Associate in hospital or in a community setting,
- Experience of general practice and/or secondary care,
- Understanding current issues within the specialty and the future direction of the specialty,
- Understanding current issues within the wider NHS.
Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Physician Associate from an accredited UK University,
- Bachelors degree in Life Science/Biomedical/Nursing or Allied Health Science,
- Member of Faculty of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR) and/or the General Medical Council,
- Valid national certification and recertification every six years stipulated by PAMVR,
- For USA trained candidates: Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
Desirable
- Basic or advanced life support training,
- Equal Opportunity training,
- Evidence of continual learning and development.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload and co-ordinate staff including when under pressure and meeting deadlines,
- Adaptable, self-motivated, able to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative to deliver clinically and cost effective healthcare,
- Ability to exercise sound judgement when faced with conflicting pressures and recognises priorities when problem solving,
- Ability to obtain and analyse complex technical data and information,
- Ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol,
- Capable of producing timely and informative reports,
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiation, written and verbal communication skills,
- Demonstrable ability to clearly communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients),
- Ability to work as a member of a team, both through communication and sharing workload,
- Evidence of willingness to participate in a multi-disciplinary team environment to provide and integrated service for patients,
- Able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary,
- Understands the impact of own behaviour on others.
Desirable
- Critical appraisal skills,
- Evidence of knowledge of different research methods.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of related medical conditions, treatments and pharmacology,
- Experience of supporting doctors in clinical decision making,
- Ability to work autonomously within the scope of supervised practice,
- Detailed knowledge of maintaining confidentiality and implementing data protection legislation requirements including information governance,
- Ability to manage high pressure situations e.g. clinical crisis.
Desirable
- Experience working as a Physician Associate in hospital or in a community setting,
- Experience of general practice and/or secondary care,
- Understanding current issues within the specialty and the future direction of the specialty,
- Understanding current issues within the wider NHS.
Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Physician Associate from an accredited UK University,
- Bachelors degree in Life Science/Biomedical/Nursing or Allied Health Science,
- Member of Faculty of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR) and/or the General Medical Council,
- Valid national certification and recertification every six years stipulated by PAMVR,
- For USA trained candidates: Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
Desirable
- Basic or advanced life support training,
- Equal Opportunity training,
- Evidence of continual learning and development.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload and co-ordinate staff including when under pressure and meeting deadlines,
- Adaptable, self-motivated, able to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative to deliver clinically and cost effective healthcare,
- Ability to exercise sound judgement when faced with conflicting pressures and recognises priorities when problem solving,
- Ability to obtain and analyse complex technical data and information,
- Ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol,
- Capable of producing timely and informative reports,
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiation, written and verbal communication skills,
- Demonstrable ability to clearly communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients),
- Ability to work as a member of a team, both through communication and sharing workload,
- Evidence of willingness to participate in a multi-disciplinary team environment to provide and integrated service for patients,
- Able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary,
- Understands the impact of own behaviour on others.
Desirable
- Critical appraisal skills,
- Evidence of knowledge of different research methods.
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).
Additional information
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Bexley Health Neighbourhood Care CIC
Address
Northumberland Heath Medical Centre
Hind Crescent
Northumberland Heath
Erith
Kent
DA8 3DB
Employer's website
https://www.bhnc.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
