Physician Associate

Job summary

Expansion of St George's Hospital Oncology Department has provided an opportunity to offer this prestigious appointment. As part of its programme to maintain high quality care, the oncology department has developed a full time post for a physician associate to work alongside the nurses, doctors and other professionals. These will include a band 8A physician associate PA and band 5 inpatient coordinator, both of which are new posts in the department.

The PA role is to work alongside the oncology doctors. They will be trained to assess and examine oncology patients, present them, initiate, and interpret investigations, and recommend treatment. They will be expected to liaise with other professionals and specialities as required and complete necessary documentation relating to their patients.

They will be supervised by a designated consultant and will also have individual mentors to overview their career development.

It is expected that the PA will become involved in the activities of the Oncology Department, including review of patients, including inpatients, acute admissions (including through Emergency Department ED and Ambulatory Unit) and performance of practical procedures. It would be envisaged that the role would be developed flexibly over time in accordance with the appointee's interests.

PAs will represent the department at local and external meetings as appropriate

Main duties of the job

The post-holder is expected, after suitable training and with appropriate supervision:

• To exercise a high degree of personal autonomy when assessing, managing, and planning care for oncology patients.
• To develop extensive specialist knowledge and experience in oncology, acting as a resource to the clinical team, nursing staff and allied health professionals
• Providing support to the Acute Oncology Service at St George's NHS Trust in which oncology patients will be seen and assessed by a member of the oncology team within 24 hours.
• Activities that are undertaken within the Oncology Department include review of inpatients, assessment of acute admissions / post take ward rounds including through ED and the ambulatory unit and outpatient clinics. It would be envisaged that the role would be developed flexibly over time in accordance with the appointee's interests.
• To work closely with Band 8A PA and Band 5 inpatient coordinator
• To support our work related to audits.
• To support recruitment into clinical research being carried out in the department.

About us

A thriving Foundation Trust at the heart of an integrated healthcare system. One that delivers improved patient care at a community, hospital and specialist setting, supported by a unique and nationally recognised programme of research, education and employee engagement.

We expect all our staff to share the values that are important to the Trust, being Excellent, Kind, Responsible & Respectful, and behave in a way that reflects these.

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expects that all staff will share in this commitment. The Trust is clear that all staff have a responsibility to be aware of children and adult safeguarding policies and procedures and that each member of staff, clinical and non-clinical, will attend child or adult safeguarding training that is provided at an appropriate level to suit their role. The Trust has the additional expectation that all staff will be able to identify concerns and know what action to take.