Job Description

Healthy Horley Primary Care Network (PCN) have an exciting opportunity to expand their Primary Care Workforce by employing 2 Physician Associates to join their innovative and dynamic Primary Care Network.

Our PCN comprises of 3 practices, covering the Horley Locality and includes Birchwood Medical Practice, Smallfield Surgery and Wayside Surgery. The Practices have a combined population of 31,000 patients. Healthy Horley PCN work closely with Growing Health Together, Alliance for Better Care and the Horley Health Hub, and provide services such as an Anticipatory Care Hub, Extended Access, Bereavement Counselling (in partnership with St Catherines Hospice), Community Garden Projects, Community Wellbeing groups, and many more.
Main duties of the job

Whilst General Practice has some challenging times ahead, this role provides an exciting and innovative opportunity for someone who wants to make a real difference in the communities they serve. You will work autonomously supporting patients across the PCN in settings such as the Anticipatory Care Hub, as well as within practices, under the Supervision of the GP Leads. Providing enhanced clinical assessment and treatment skills to provide first point of contact for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, as well as complex chronic disease. You will work closely with clinicians from all the Practices across Healthy Horley PCN and will play a vital role in increasing capacity. The successful candidate will be provided with excellent support, the opportunity for development in the role, and will be clinically supervised by a General Practitioner.

This exciting role will give you the opportunity to develop your areas of special interest. Healthy Horley PCN is an established PCN with an Education Lead to support the ongoing development of the workforce.
About us

Alliance for Better Care CIC is a GP Federation that unites 47 NHS GP practices across 12 Primary Care Networks in Sussex and Surrey. We support our Primary Care colleagues as well as their patients, to transform how healthcare is managed within the community.

As a membership organisation, our focus is to work in partnership with our members and help them to improve the provision of General Practices in the local area.

We work with and listen to our GP Practices, PCNs, Hospitals, Community Organisations and the Third Sector. These vital partnerships ensure that, together, we deliver a truly integrated approach that offers the support and expertise needed to effectively serve our communities.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Primary duties and areas of responsibility

• Provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking and clinical assessment through to the diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of care.
• Demonstrate critical thinking in the clinical decision-making process, including assessment and diagnostic skills, leading to the delivery of safe care for all patients.
• Work collaboratively with the healthcare team to meet the needs of the patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures.
• Provide a holistic and clinical service, with support from GPs as required, implementing agreed management plans, and following approved protocols as appropriate.
• On a typical day, a Physician Associate would be expected to carry out some home visits and consult with patients who present on the day and via booked appointments. The postholder will also review and act appropriately on blood results and referrals/correspondence regarding their patients.
• Work to deliver with other members of the practice and Primary Healthcare Team, the objectives of the Primary Care 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.

Key attitudes and behaviours

Communication

• Communicate effectively with patients and carers as part of the clinical duties of a Physician Associate.
• Communicate clearly with other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

Analytical and judgment skills

• Support Physician Associate student placements and help to develop them.

Personal and people development

• Help shape and develop the role of the Physician Associate within the network.
• Maintain a high standard of personal development and to conform to Trust policies and procedures including attendance at any required training sessions.
• Attend and present at in-service training programmes, staff meetings, training sessions/courses and conferences (internal and external).
• Review and reflect on own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal in line with local guidance.

Health, safety, and security

• Be aware of the Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including prompt recording and reporting of incidents/accidents/complaints to the Clinical Lead.
• Be responsible for the safe use of equipment used in carrying out duties adhering to Trust and departmental policies and procedures.
• Know all emergency procedures and attend statutory and mandatory training sessions.

Service improvement and development

• Ensure appropriate policies, protocols and clinical guidelines are developed and implemented within your area of work and the wider health care community.
• Work alongside other Physician Associates and other healthcare practitioners on a clinical basis and assist in the further development of the Physician Associate role.

Audit & research

• Participate in relevant clinical governance projects and audits.
• Use appropriate research methodology to evaluate your own clinical effectiveness.

Quality

• Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date professional documentation in line with legal and network requirements.

Freedom to act

• Be responsible as a practitioner to continue to undertake a significant clinical workload.
• Be an advocate of the role of the Physician Associate to the wider healthcare community, to clinical teams and other agencies.

Equality and diversity

• The successful post holder has a responsibility to respect the individuality, values, culture and religious diversity of colleagues and clients and to contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to those needs.

Organisational

• The successful post holder has a responsibility to work as part of the wider professional team within the primary care network.
• The successful post holder has an individual responsibility to treat everybody according to the Primary Care Network values.

Please see full job description for further information.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• BSc level Degree prior to undertaking PA programme
• PG Diploma or Masters in Physician Associate Studies from a UK training programme (or equivalent)
• Valid certification of Physician Associate Revalidation Exam (if applicable)
• Full membership at the Faculty of Physician Associates at the RCP (This is a mandatory condition for employment but those with student membership and awaiting to sit National Exam or awaiting results are encouraged to apply)
• Registration with the UK Managed Voluntary Register (FPA MVR) as full or student member

Desirable

• BLS/ILS/PILS/ALS certification
• Valid certification of Physician Associate National Exam
• (Those registered to sit the National Exam in the near future, or awaiting results are encouraged to apply)

Experience
Essential

• Clinical training and experience in medical specialty
• Ability to take responsibility of clinical care of patients under the supervision of General Practitioners
• Demonstrates clinical leadership

Desirable

• Previous experience in Primary Care

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies
Essential

• Ability to drive change
• Ability to work in teams
• Experience of audit
• Ability to work with other professionals in both acute and community services
• Experience of teaching
• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems

Desirable

• Experience of designing audit projects
• Management course experience
• Recognised qualification in teaching
• Evidence of research experience, e.g. publications

Behaviours and Values
Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates commitment to CPD
• Creates good working relationships
• Demonstrates initiative and drive
• Commitment to the Primary Care Network
• Flexibility in shift/working patterns to meet the needs of the service
• Is able to participate as a team member
• Willing to accept additional responsibilities as delegated by senior staff

Employer details
Employer name

Alliance for Better Care CIC
Address

Horley Health Centre

Kings Road

Horley

Surrey

RH6 7DG

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

B0141-23-0131

British Medical Journal