Job summary
The Anaesthetic Associate (AA) will be a new role in the Department of Anaesthesia at University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) offering an exciting opportunity for those who wish to take on a new and rapidly emerging role in the UK.
The post holder will support anaesthetic services in the delivery of clinical care under the direct supervision of a Consultant Anaesthetist. As a qualified AA, the post holder will assist on the development of the AA service and trainee associates.
The successful candidate must be enthusiastic, keen to learn, and understand the challenges of working in an advanced role which is being introduced into the department for the first time. Strong communication and interpersonal skills will be essential, as will valuing the input of others - both clinicians and theatre team colleagues.
Main duties of the job
- The AA will deliver high quality patient centred care as an integral member of the Anaesthetic Department.
- The AA will deliver anaesthesia for elective and emergency surgical patients using national and local guidance, protocols and procedures.
- The AA will provide anaesthetic services and specialist skills to patients requiring anaesthesia, respiratory care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or other emergency life sustaining services within the theatres environment
- Expected to perform delegated duties - demonstrating a high level of knowledge, skills and appropriate behaviour relevant to the role setting and scope.
- To practice as an Anaesthetic Associate (AA) within own sphere of competence and agreed scope of clinical practice and supervision.
- To collect, develop, evaluate, deliver and modify a planned anaesthetic in collaboration with the supervising consultant.
- To participate in all aspects of the care pathway as appropriate and to perform delegated duties with a high degree of clinical skill and knowledge, working within the speciality-related areas of the hospital.
- The post holder will be supervised by a designated consultant and will have individual mentors to overview their personal professional development.
- To provide support and assist the Consultant group in development of Trainee Assistant Practitioners
- 'Act as a role model to junior colleagues'
About us
The service line for Anaesthesia provides a comprehensive routine and emergency service throughout Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust for a wide range of surgical specialities including the tertiary specialities of neuroanaesthesia and cardiothoracic. The Trust is a designated Major Trauma Centre.
We are committed to improving our patient care and developing our service. This includes comprehensive pre-operative assessment and CPET; use of ultrasound based regional anaesthetic techniques; advanced cardiac output monitoring and funded research sessions. There is strong support for quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, including an active human factors and simulation programme.
Oversight and leadership for our AAs employed within the Anaesthetic department resides with our Director of Medical Education supported by the Chair of the Advancing Roles Oversight Group
You will be encouraged to expand your scope of practice which will be assessed appropriately in line with local and national guidance.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical / professional
- Perform the clinical duties expected of a qualified Anaesthetic Associate
- Manage patients according to legal, ethical and professional guidance, corporate and clinical policies, local/national guidelines, acting within an agreed scope of practice and predetermined level of supervision.
- Perform initial patient assessment and examination, request and interpret investigations, formulate an appropriate anaesthetic care plan and discuss with supervising anaesthetic consultant.
- Implementation of anaesthetic care plan subject to agreed scope of practice and local governance arrangements.
- Perform diagnostic/therapeutic procedures (core* and extended skills**) subject to agreed scope of practice and local arrangements.
- Induction and reversal of anaesthesia can be supervised directly or can be indirect under prior agreement that there are no specific patient concerns.
- Initiate, evaluate and modify a range of interventions which may include administration of fluids, blood products and medications during anaesthesia.
- Initiate and communicate a comprehensive plan of care for recovery staff to follow.
- To interpret and utilise data obtained from the effective use of current invasive and non invasive monitoring equipment.
- To administer drugs as prescribed and use prescribing mechanisms as permitted by medicines legislation for your primary registered registration.
- To use a broad variety of techniques, anaesthesia agents, drugs and equipment in providing anaesthesia care.
- To be available for any postoperative concerns that may occur. To hand over any concerns to the on-call Anaesthetist at the end of the shift.
- Facilitate productive team working by communicating effectively within the multidisciplinary team and internal and external stakeholders to facilitate productive team working
- Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation and electronic anaesthesia records consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.
- To understand when a patients care is beyond own clinical limitation and to liaise with senior members of the team, or other health professionals for advice.
- Work in partnership with individuals, families and carers to promote person-centred approaches in health and care.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills to promote shared decision making to enable patients to make informed choices with planning care and consenting to treatment
- Effectively communicate with and support patients and families receiving complex information or bad news.
- Anticipate barriers to communication recognising the need for alternative methods to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating.
- Act as an advocate for patients and carers.
- Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (e.g. PALS) provide information in an acceptable format to patients and carers recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate
- To ensure that the required details are submitted to the Managed Voluntary register of Anaesthetic Associates and that registration is maintained at all times upon qualifying.
Core procedural skills: Venepuncture, peripheral cannulation, blood culture sampling, arterial blood gas sampling, injections, peak flow examinations, administration of medicines, ECG, urethral catheterisation (male and female), nasogastric tube insertion, initiation of basic and advanced life support. Anaesthetic related critical emergencies
** Extended skills: central lines, chest drains, lumbar puncture, spinal anaesthesia, nerve blocks, Other procedures subject to agreed scope of practice and local governance arrangements
Education
- Promote and support a culture of organisational and interprofessional learning
- Develop competence as an AA educator by teaching and training AA students, junior doctors, multidisciplinary staff and undergraduate/postgraduate health care students
- Act as mentor and/or supervisor/ assessor for student and newly qualified AAs and other learners
- Facilitate, influence and develop a supportive learning environment for AA students
- Participate in the sharing of quality improvement initiatives or research at local, regional or national level by presenting at conferences and through publication
- Assist in the development and review of patient information ensuring that information is based on evidence
Management and Leadership
- To role model the values of the organisation
- Promote and develop the role of AAs within the organisation and externally to key stakeholders
- Maintain effective communication and working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Contribute to the administration of the department and the efficient management of resources
- Prioritise own workload and manage time effectively
- Manage risks within sphere of responsibility
- Identify, constructively challenge others and report clinical issues and incidents that reduce the quality of care
- Engage with relevant clinical incident investigations and assist with making recommendations to avoid recurrence and support improvements
- Assist with ensuring that concerns and complaints are responded to, investigated and acted upon appropriately and in a timely manner
- Recognised, prevent and diffuse potential areas of conflict and where required take a key role in the management of outcome
- Be willing to constructively challenge others, escalating concerns that affect individuals, families, carers, communities and colleagues safety and well-being
- Act on professional judgement about when to seek help, demonstrating critical reflection on own practice, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and openness to change
- To monitor and maintain a safe, clean and therapeutic environment for patients, staff and visitors, initiating appropriate action to achieve this.
- To use resources appropriately in order to ensure high quality and cost effective service.
Quality improvement and research
- Critically evaluate research findings and promote the use of evidence-based practice
- Participate in reviewing and developing speciality related policies, protocols and clinical guidelines, ensuring they are evidence based to promote safe, high quality and efficient patient care
- Participate with quality improvement projects including the organisation and completion of projects, collection and analysis of data, presentation of findings and implementing improvements where required
- Participate in clinical governance and other clinical meetings
- Assess effectiveness and quality of care delivery through self and peer review, formulating and implementing strategies to act on learning and make improvements
- Support and participate in shared learning across the practice area and wider organisation arising from patient complaints, clinical incidents and near-miss events
- Participate in agreed departmental research activities
- In partnership with other clinical teams, collaborate on improving the quality of health care responding to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate
Professional conduct and development
- Maintain own professional portfolio, continuing professional development (CPD) and recertification requirements as set out by the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and to remain on the AA Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR)
- Practise in compliance with future Code of Conduct for Anaesthesia Associates and within their agreed scope of practice, being responsible and accountable for decisions, actions and omissions at this level of practice
- Maintain and develop specialist and generalist knowledge with a high standard of clinical skills
- Expand scope of practice according to legal, ethical and professional guidance, and by complying with local governance arrangements
- Critically reflect to identify and prioritise areas for self-development to advance professional clinical knowledge and skills
- Keep up to date with recommendations from professional bodies
- Attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary and educational meetings to improve knowledge and clinical practice
- Take an active role in professional networks to ensure the exchange of knowledge and ideas, both locally and nationally
- Ensure all mandatory training is completed in accordance with the organisation policy/guidance
- Actively participate in an annual appraisal and the development of an ongoing personal professional development plan
Communication
- Provide, receive and present highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, barriers to understanding, communicating service related information to senior managers, patients and clients, carers, external agencies, requiring negotiating, persuasive, motivational and reassurance skills. Communicate effectively with patients and carers as part of the clinical duties of a PA
- Analytical and Judgement Skills
- Help with the collection, analysis and interpretation of clinical and other data that informs the planning and evaluation of PA development
- Offer advice and leadership to departments seeking to diversity their workforce teams with PAS.
- Represent the interests of the PA profession locally and on occasion at regional and national stakeholder meetings and events.
- Identify innovate projects for supporting the growth of the PA workforce.
- Gives formal presentations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical / professional
- Perform the clinical duties expected of a qualified Anaesthetic Associate
- Manage patients according to legal, ethical and professional guidance, corporate and clinical policies, local/national guidelines, acting within an agreed scope of practice and predetermined level of supervision.
- Perform initial patient assessment and examination, request and interpret investigations, formulate an appropriate anaesthetic care plan and discuss with supervising anaesthetic consultant.
- Implementation of anaesthetic care plan subject to agreed scope of practice and local governance arrangements.
- Perform diagnostic/therapeutic procedures (core* and extended skills**) subject to agreed scope of practice and local arrangements.
- Induction and reversal of anaesthesia can be supervised directly or can be indirect under prior agreement that there are no specific patient concerns.
- Initiate, evaluate and modify a range of interventions which may include administration of fluids, blood products and medications during anaesthesia.
- Initiate and communicate a comprehensive plan of care for recovery staff to follow.
- To interpret and utilise data obtained from the effective use of current invasive and non invasive monitoring equipment.
- To administer drugs as prescribed and use prescribing mechanisms as permitted by medicines legislation for your primary registered registration.
- To use a broad variety of techniques, anaesthesia agents, drugs and equipment in providing anaesthesia care.
- To be available for any postoperative concerns that may occur. To hand over any concerns to the on-call Anaesthetist at the end of the shift.
- Facilitate productive team working by communicating effectively within the multidisciplinary team and internal and external stakeholders to facilitate productive team working
- Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation and electronic anaesthesia records consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.
- To understand when a patients care is beyond own clinical limitation and to liaise with senior members of the team, or other health professionals for advice.
- Work in partnership with individuals, families and carers to promote person-centred approaches in health and care.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills to promote shared decision making to enable patients to make informed choices with planning care and consenting to treatment
- Effectively communicate with and support patients and families receiving complex information or bad news.
- Anticipate barriers to communication recognising the need for alternative methods to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating.
- Act as an advocate for patients and carers.
- Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (e.g. PALS) provide information in an acceptable format to patients and carers recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate
- To ensure that the required details are submitted to the Managed Voluntary register of Anaesthetic Associates and that registration is maintained at all times upon qualifying.
Core procedural skills: Venepuncture, peripheral cannulation, blood culture sampling, arterial blood gas sampling, injections, peak flow examinations, administration of medicines, ECG, urethral catheterisation (male and female), nasogastric tube insertion, initiation of basic and advanced life support. Anaesthetic related critical emergencies
** Extended skills: central lines, chest drains, lumbar puncture, spinal anaesthesia, nerve blocks, Other procedures subject to agreed scope of practice and local governance arrangements
Education
- Promote and support a culture of organisational and interprofessional learning
- Develop competence as an AA educator by teaching and training AA students, junior doctors, multidisciplinary staff and undergraduate/postgraduate health care students
- Act as mentor and/or supervisor/ assessor for student and newly qualified AAs and other learners
- Facilitate, influence and develop a supportive learning environment for AA students
- Participate in the sharing of quality improvement initiatives or research at local, regional or national level by presenting at conferences and through publication
- Assist in the development and review of patient information ensuring that information is based on evidence
Management and Leadership
- To role model the values of the organisation
- Promote and develop the role of AAs within the organisation and externally to key stakeholders
- Maintain effective communication and working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Contribute to the administration of the department and the efficient management of resources
- Prioritise own workload and manage time effectively
- Manage risks within sphere of responsibility
- Identify, constructively challenge others and report clinical issues and incidents that reduce the quality of care
- Engage with relevant clinical incident investigations and assist with making recommendations to avoid recurrence and support improvements
- Assist with ensuring that concerns and complaints are responded to, investigated and acted upon appropriately and in a timely manner
- Recognised, prevent and diffuse potential areas of conflict and where required take a key role in the management of outcome
- Be willing to constructively challenge others, escalating concerns that affect individuals, families, carers, communities and colleagues safety and well-being
- Act on professional judgement about when to seek help, demonstrating critical reflection on own practice, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and openness to change
- To monitor and maintain a safe, clean and therapeutic environment for patients, staff and visitors, initiating appropriate action to achieve this.
- To use resources appropriately in order to ensure high quality and cost effective service.
Quality improvement and research
- Critically evaluate research findings and promote the use of evidence-based practice
- Participate in reviewing and developing speciality related policies, protocols and clinical guidelines, ensuring they are evidence based to promote safe, high quality and efficient patient care
- Participate with quality improvement projects including the organisation and completion of projects, collection and analysis of data, presentation of findings and implementing improvements where required
- Participate in clinical governance and other clinical meetings
- Assess effectiveness and quality of care delivery through self and peer review, formulating and implementing strategies to act on learning and make improvements
- Support and participate in shared learning across the practice area and wider organisation arising from patient complaints, clinical incidents and near-miss events
- Participate in agreed departmental research activities
- In partnership with other clinical teams, collaborate on improving the quality of health care responding to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate
Professional conduct and development
- Maintain own professional portfolio, continuing professional development (CPD) and recertification requirements as set out by the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and to remain on the AA Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR)
- Practise in compliance with future Code of Conduct for Anaesthesia Associates and within their agreed scope of practice, being responsible and accountable for decisions, actions and omissions at this level of practice
- Maintain and develop specialist and generalist knowledge with a high standard of clinical skills
- Expand scope of practice according to legal, ethical and professional guidance, and by complying with local governance arrangements
- Critically reflect to identify and prioritise areas for self-development to advance professional clinical knowledge and skills
- Keep up to date with recommendations from professional bodies
- Attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary and educational meetings to improve knowledge and clinical practice
- Take an active role in professional networks to ensure the exchange of knowledge and ideas, both locally and nationally
- Ensure all mandatory training is completed in accordance with the organisation policy/guidance
- Actively participate in an annual appraisal and the development of an ongoing personal professional development plan
Communication
- Provide, receive and present highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, barriers to understanding, communicating service related information to senior managers, patients and clients, carers, external agencies, requiring negotiating, persuasive, motivational and reassurance skills. Communicate effectively with patients and carers as part of the clinical duties of a PA
- Analytical and Judgement Skills
- Help with the collection, analysis and interpretation of clinical and other data that informs the planning and evaluation of PA development
- Offer advice and leadership to departments seeking to diversity their workforce teams with PAS.
- Represent the interests of the PA profession locally and on occasion at regional and national stakeholder meetings and events.
- Identify innovate projects for supporting the growth of the PA workforce.
- Gives formal presentations.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- PGDip/MSc PA (Anaesthesia)/Anaesthetic Associate studies
- PA-MVR registration
Desirable
- Additional post graduate qualification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience in role of PA(Anaesthethesia)/Anaesthetic Associate
- Evidence of PA (anaesthesia)/Anaesthetic Associate training and education
- Experience in delivering clinical education and training
Knowledge/skills/competence
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Advanced Clinical Reasoning skills
- Evidence of supervising or managing teams
- Strong leadership skills
- Understanding of Professional Code of Ethics
- Evidence of maintaining professional boundaries
- Ability to initiate projects and undertake project management.
- IT skills
- Demonstratable presentation experience and skills
- Understand and actively promote evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of lecturing or presenting externally
- Knowledge of development of the Anaesthetic Associate role in UK and other countries
Behaviours and values
Essential
- Motivation and enthusiasm
- Ability to set and meet deadlines and targets
- Committed to personal, team and role development
- Able to work with others within the team and with external agencies
- Able to manage their own time effectively and support others in the same
- Flexibility in shift/working patterns to meet the needs of the service.
- Able to act as an ambassador for the role and the employer organisation
- Ability to understand and interpret government policies and guidance.
- Willing to accept additional responsibilities as delegated by senior team.
- Displays Trust values
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- PGDip/MSc PA (Anaesthesia)/Anaesthetic Associate studies
- PA-MVR registration
Desirable
- Additional post graduate qualification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience in role of PA(Anaesthethesia)/Anaesthetic Associate
- Evidence of PA (anaesthesia)/Anaesthetic Associate training and education
- Experience in delivering clinical education and training
Knowledge/skills/competence
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Advanced Clinical Reasoning skills
- Evidence of supervising or managing teams
- Strong leadership skills
- Understanding of Professional Code of Ethics
- Evidence of maintaining professional boundaries
- Ability to initiate projects and undertake project management.
- IT skills
- Demonstratable presentation experience and skills
- Understand and actively promote evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of lecturing or presenting externally
- Knowledge of development of the Anaesthetic Associate role in UK and other countries
Behaviours and values
Essential
- Motivation and enthusiasm
- Ability to set and meet deadlines and targets
- Committed to personal, team and role development
- Able to work with others within the team and with external agencies
- Able to manage their own time effectively and support others in the same
- Flexibility in shift/working patterns to meet the needs of the service.
- Able to act as an ambassador for the role and the employer organisation
- Ability to understand and interpret government policies and guidance.
- Willing to accept additional responsibilities as delegated by senior team.
- Displays Trust values
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
