Primary Care Network Physicians Associate

Job responsibilities

Principal duties and responsibilities

Clinical responsibilities

The post-holder will undertake clinical sessions within the Primary Care Network, dependent on patient demand and the needs of a practice. The post holder will be aligned to a maximum of three practices to enable sufficient relationships to be built with their clinical supervisor. Under supervision of a GP, the postholder will be required to:

• Work clinical sessions on a flexible basis in practices within the PCN, consisting of telephone triage appointments and/or face to face appointments, in accordance with the access needs of the practice population and the contractual obligation of the practice

• See a range of patients whose cases vary in complexity, undertaking focused history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of care

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

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

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

• Provide medical support as required to patients referred by other healthcare colleagues

• Organise investigation, treatment, and referral where appropriate, in line with agreed parameters, local policy and guidelines.

• Undertake home visits for patients with acute problems and chronic health conditions that require planned holistic assessment

• Recommend and explain to patients’ appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment.

• Discuss and suggest appropriate choices of medications in line with competencies, local and national guidelines.

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

• Triage incoming pathology results.

• Act upon alerts (e.g. QOF, local enhanced services etc.) and reminders during a consultation.

• Record clear and contemporaneous IT based consultation notes to agreed standards

• Collect data for audit purposes

• Maintain up to date knowledge of clinical guidance i.e. NICE in relevant field of practice, local guidelines, policies and procedures

• Attend meetings as required, such as those around prescribing, palliative care, virtual ward round and Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings.

Other responsibilities

• Supporting the practice staff and responding to requests for advice and assistance from administrative, reception and healthcare colleagues.

• Provide additional enhanced services as required by the practices that meet the needs of the practices’ patient population and maximise the income streams to the practice

• Awareness of and compliance with all relevant practice policies/guidelines, e.g. prescribing, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, annual QOF assessment of the practice.

• Meet timescales/deadlines for audits and written returns to ensure that the practice meets quality standards and receives the designated funding (e.g. Quarterly Enhanced Services returns, annual QOF audit etc.)

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines

Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks

Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills

Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards Reporting potential risks identified

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feeling priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the PCN as part of this employment, such training to include:

Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skill and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Training may need to be undertaken outside of normal practice hours, and off site.

Quality and Governance

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the PCN, and will:

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk

Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.

Work effectively with individuals in other agencies

Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.

In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Other

Essential

• - Clean driving license
• - DBS clearance
• - Right to work in the UK

Management and Administrative Experience

Essential

• - Knowledge and Understanding of the NHS Long Term (10 year) plan
• - Understanding of the current developments and challenges facing primary care
• - Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively
• - Ability to exercise sound judgements when faced with conflicting pressures
• - Excellent record keeping skills
• - Proficient in the use of Microsoft office i.e. Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint
• - Experience of recording patient consultations electronically

Desirable

• - Proficient in use of a GP IT system e.g. EMIS
• - Proficient in the use of web-based applications/programmes
• - Use of DOCMAN or similar software

Experience

Essential

• -Experience working as a Physician Associate either in Primary or Secondary Care or Mental Health

Desirable

• -Recent experience of working in UK General Practice, Urgent Care or -A&E environment
• -Management of patients with complex needs
• -Management of frail, elderly patients with co morbidities
• -Experience in telephone consulting

Qualifications

Essential

• - Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Physician Associate Studies from an accredited UK or USA University/higher education institution AND:
• - Member of the Faculty of Physician Associates at the RCP
• - Registration on the PA Managed Voluntary Register
• - Current and valid certification or recertification by the Physician Associate National Examination
• -Evidence of Continuing Professional Development activities

Desirable

• -Clinical teaching and assessing certificate

Personal Attributes

Essential

• - High level of literacy and numeracy
• - Good verbal and written communication skills and able to communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, relatives or carer
• - Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, OFFICIAL patients, relatives, and agencies.
• - Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the Practices within the PCN.
• - Highly motivated and enthusiastic
• - Ability to work effectively under pressure
• - An enquiring and critical approach to work
• - Caring attitude to patients

Professional and Multi-disciplinary Team Working

Essential

• - Ability to work well with colleagues and within a team

Desirable

• - Awareness of local referral pathways
• - Experience of attendance at MDTs/virtual clinics

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).