Job Description

An new opportunity has risen to work as an Physician Associate within a committed team across MDC PCN within Bromley. MDC PCN consists of 2 General Practices working across 4 sites. You will work collaboratively with the PCN & Practice team to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures.

The candidate will be allocated a specific PCN member practice to work from thereby providing dedicated support and continuity.
Main duties of the job

The PA will work within their scope of clinical practice and provide first point of contact care for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, utilising history-taking, physical examinations and clinical decision-making skills to establish a working diagnosis and management plan in partnership with the patient. Provideface to face, telephone and online consultations for emergency or routine problems, as determined by the Practice, including management of patients with long-term conditions. Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services in the Practices as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP(s), for example, Learning Disabilities Annual Health Checks.

The successful candidate will also undertake medical histories, carry out physical examinations, update records, make diagnoses, analyse test results, triage patients, and deliver treatment as appropriate. Working to a professional code of ethics you will be able to demonstrate flexibility in the role, and have a calm and caring attitude towards patients.
About us

MDC PCN is a forward thinking group of 2 Bromley Practices which in 2019 was formed to benefit patients by offering improved access and extending the range of services available to them, and by helping to integrate primary care with wider health and community services. This PCN consists of The Woodlands Practice, The Chislehurst Medical Practice and The Links Medical Practice (Mottingham and Downham) covering over 37,000 patients.

Job description
Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

• Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services in the Practice as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP(s).

• Provide direct clinical care to patients using established clinical guidelines.
• Consult and refer patients to physicians, medical specialists and other health professionals as indicated.
• Interview patients, take medical histories, perform physical examinations, analyse, diagnose and explain medical problems during surgery consultations and home visits.
• Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment.
• Request and interpret results of laboratory investigations when necessary.
• Perform specialised diagnostic physical exams and treatment procedures.
• Instruct and educate patients in preventative health care.
• Conduct telephone consultations which may involve discussing the result and implications of laboratory investigations with patients as well as dealing appropriately with routine and emergency complaints
• Order laboratory tests as required and agreed under supervising GP(s).
• Fully document all aspects of patient care and complete all required paperwork for legal and administrative purposes.
• Contribute to the clinical development of the Practice by developing a special interest and to help establish appropriate systems to manage common chronic medical conditions, ensuring compliance with NSF guidelines.
• Participate fully in the clinicians duty rota including the provision of home visits when appropriate.
• Formulate diagnoses and treatment plans, in consultation with or referring to Supervising doctor(s) as appropriate.
• Give clinical instructions to nursing staff and Primary Care Team as required.
• Communicate when necessary with colleagues in Primary Care and hospital specialists in order to discuss or refer specific patients, plan and co-ordinate activities or exchange information in order to improve the quality of patient care.
• Deal regularly with community hospitals, consultants and other health care 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.

TRAINING / EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Ensure continuing education, training and development is undertaken to meet clinical governance guidelines for Continuing Professional Development and a Personal Development Plan.
• Keep up to date with relevant medical research, technology and evidence-based medical practice by attending continuing education courses and professional meetings, reading journals etc.
• Undertake 50 hours of continuing medical education (CPD) every year. A minimum of 25 hours must be in accredited direct learning programmes.
• Take and pass the national re-certification exam every 6 years in accordance with the requirements of the PA Managed Voluntary Register and as recommended 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 when in place.
• Perform a variety of research and analysis tasks associated with improvement of clinical care, medical diagnosis and treatment where appropriate using the following means:

• Audit of clinical practice.
• Review of relevant literature.
• Research unusual symptoms and treatment options, through consultation with physicians and other medical specialists.
• Provide literature reviews and the like review, analyse and determine the significance of a variety of diagnostic test results
• Assist in clinical instruction and supervision of medical and nursing students as well other learners that may periodically be attached to the practice, including the educational development and mentoring of Physician Associate students.
• Attend regular multi-disciplinary meetings organised by the Practice in order to discuss and learn from recent significant events relating to clinical practice occurring within the Practice.
• Attend regular educational meetings organised by the practice in order to update clinical knowledge, practice policy and guidelines and disseminate other useful information relevant to the provision of adequate healthcare for patients.
• Regularly reflect on own practice (and keep a record of learning encounters) in order to identify learning needs and encourage self-directed lifelong learning and continued professional development.

ADMINISTRATION

• Send and receive written information on behalf of the Practice regarding matters of insurance, housing and other issues relating to the physical and social welfare of patients.
• 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.
• Attend regular multi-disciplinary meetings organised by the Practice in order to discuss the health and social needs of particular patients.

Scope and Purpose of

Other Information:
General

The duties of this post are a guide to the range of responsibilities that may be required. These may change from time to time to meet the needs of the service and/or the development needs of the post holder. This job description will be revised regularly to take account of changes within the organisational structure and the practice business plan.

Other duties

The post holder will be required to undertake any other duties according to the needs of the service. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of activities, but rather an outline of the main areas of responsibility. Any reasonable changes will be discussed and agreed with the post holder before any variations to the job description are made.

Travel to other sites

The post holder may be required to travel.

The below is essential to this employment:

• The candidate has completed a post-graduate physician associate course (either PG Diploma or MSc)
• The candidate has maintained professional registration with the Faculty of Physician Associates and/or the General Medical council following implementation of statutory regulation, working within the latest code of professional conduct (CIPD)
• Passed the UK Physician Associate (PA) National Re-Certification Exam, which needs to be retaken every six years
• Participates in continuing professional development opportunities by keeping up to date with evidence-based knowledge and competence in all aspects of their role, meeting clinical governance guidelines for continuing professional development (CPD), and
• The candidate is working under supervision of a doctor as part of the medical team

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• If UK Trained:
• Degree at 2:2 level or above
• PG Dip in Physician Associate Studies from a UK PA programme
• Current and valid certification or re-certification by the UK Physician Associate National Examination
• Member of the Faculty of Physician Associates at the RCP, which includes registration on the PA Managed Voluntary Register
• If US Trained:
• Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
• Member of the Faculty of Physician Associates at the RCP, which includes registration on the PA Managed Voluntary Register

Desirable

• MSc Degree in Physician Associate Studies, Physician Assistant Studies or Medical Sciences

Experience
Essential

• Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively.
• Ability to exercise sound judgements when faced with conflicting pressures.
• Ability to motivate and develop the multi-disciplinary team.
• Sound IT knowledge, including internet, Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Experience of conducting clinical audit.
• To assist in the development of the Physician Associate role in the UK.
• Assist in the educational development of Physician Associate students through student shadowing and/or teaching.

Desirable

• Experience of working within a medicine environment.
• Experience of preventative medicine and chronic disease management.
• An awareness of current developments and initiatives in health care.

Personal Qualities
Essential

• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of patients.
• Energy and enthusiasm and the ability to work under pressure.
• An enquiring and critical approach to work.
• Empathetic, kind and caring
• Commitment to Continuing Professional Development.
• Confident & able to inspire and motivate others
• Flexible and cooperative

Employer details
Employer name

The Woodlands Practice
Address

11 Red Hill

Chislehurst

Kent

BR7 6DB

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

A0257-23-0012

British Medical Journal