Physician Associate

Job description

Job responsibilities

Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services across Your Health Partnership as delegated and agreed by the Lead PA, Partners and a Supervising Physician.

Provide direct clinical care to patients using established clinical guidelines. To consult and refer patients to physicians, medical specialists and other health professionals, as indicated. To interview patients, take medical histories, perform physical examinations, analyse, diagnose and explain medical problems.

Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment. Organise any diagnostic tests you deem appropriate within your scope of practice as a PA and then interpret and act upon any result you receive to the highest standard.

Perform specialised diagnostic physical examinations and treatment procedures. Instruct and educate patients in preventative health care. Confer with patients on the telephone to convey test results, hear emergency complaints and deal with similar situations and issues.

Perform a variety of research and analysis tasks associated with medical diagnosis, treatment and the running of the practice.

Work collaboratively with practices to ensure continuity of care is maintained on specific services/projects.

Undertake certain chronic disease review clinics within the remit of the post-holders clinical competence.

Give guidance to nursing staff and the primary care team, as required.

Confer regularly with Partners, Supervising Physician and other healthcare staff, referring specific patients, plan and co-ordinate activities, exchange information, investigate and resolve problems.

In exceptional circumstances to provide additional services on an emergency basis under the direction and responsible supervision of a Physician, as are within the post-holders clinical competence and which would not jeopardise the delivery of PMS to patients.

Audit/Research/Quality improvement

Work to deliver, with other members of the practice and primary healthcare team, the objectives of the GMS Contract including the terms of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF) and the Primary Care Commissioning Framework (PCCF) along with all other aspirations of YHP including audit.

Administration

Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes to the satisfaction of the Supervising Physician.

Deal regularly and professionally with community hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers, insurance companies and other community organisations to refer/consult on specific cases, participate in community service and education projects and activities and the like which relate to the physical and social welfare of our patients.

Continuing Professional Development

Continue professional development by researching unusual symptoms and treatment options through consultation with physicians and other medical specialists, literature review and the like; review, analyse and determine the significance of a variety of diagnostic test results; formulate diagnoses and treatment plans, in consultation with or referring to the Supervising Physician, as appropriate.

Be a member of the PA managed voluntary register prior to commencement of employment and maintain membership on the register throughout the tenure of this employment by completing the required 50 CPD hours and passing the national re-certification exam every 6 years in accordance with the recommendations by the National Examination Sub Committee of the UKUBPAE (UK Universities Board of Physician Associate Education) and subsequently as required by the statutory regulating body once in place.

Keep up to date on relevant medical research, technology and related issues by attending continuing education courses and professional meetings, reading journals, etc. To ensure continuing education, training and development is undertaken to meet clinical governance guidelines for Continuing Professional Development and a Personal Development Plan, to be discussed at an annual appraisal along the lines of a general practitioners appraisal.

Professional Responsibilites

Encourage and ensure good working relationships with all members of the primary healthcare team including all YHP staff.

Assist in clinical instruction and supervision of medical, nursing and physician associate students.

Meet as appropriate with Partners and primary healthcare team on a regular basis to report on progress and contribute to the systematic development of local primary care provision.

Assist in the development of UK home-grown Physicians Associates, and the development of the role in the NHS.

To work within the policies and procedures of YHP and other healthcare bodies (CCG, CQC, NHSE)

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree at 2:1 level or above
• MSc Physician Associate or Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Physician Associate from an accredited UK University following Bachelor Degree in Life Science/Biomedical/Nursing or Allied Health Science
• Member of Faculty of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR) and valid national certification
• Basic or Advanced Life Support
• Maintained CPD requirements of 50 hours per year (25 Type 1 and 25 Type 2)

Other

Essential

• Have a driving license and access to a vehicle

Experience/Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Experience in UK General Practice or equivalent
• In depth knowledge of related medical conditions, treatments, and pharmacology
• Knowledge in requesting pathology tests and processing the results
• Experience of supporting doctors in clinical decision making
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
• Detailed knowledge of maintaining confidentiality and implementing data protection legislation requirements, including Information Governance
• Knowledge and experience of chaperoning process and procedure
• Ability to teach others
• High standard of clinical skills and experience, with the ability to adapt to different situations
• Knowledge of audit principles, and evidence of participation in audits/Quality Improvement projects
• Experience of applying evidence in clinical practice
• Evidence of knowledge of research methodology
• Knowledge of public health issues and health promotion strategies in the local area

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust

Address

SWB NHS Trust- YHP

Sandwell & West Birmingham

B18 7QH

Employer's website

https://www.swbh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)