Job Description

Job summary

Are you a Physician Associate who is keen to work within primary care with a passion to deliver an excellent service within general practice? If so, we want to hear from you.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Physician Associate to join our multi-disciplinary team working at Welling Medical Practice, Clocktower PCN. Experience of GP Primary Care will be beneficial together with either part or full completion of CPPE

The role plays a pivotal part within the community service, supporting GPs throughout the PCN in the diagnosis and management of patients, while seeking to improve the quality of care and operational efficiencies across the PCN.

We offer a variety of opportunities including supervision with GP, peer support from wider MDT and shared learning to enable continuous development in the role and support ongoing professional development.

The successful candidate will have opportunity to work flexible hours including out of hours.
Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

As a Physician Associate (PA), the role will work alongside doctors, physicians, GPs and surgeons to provide medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. PAs will provide first point of contact care for the patients they are providing care to, from taking initial medical history, completing clinical assessments, through to diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of care, whilst working within the professional boundaries.

Through delivering excellent patient care, PAs will demonstrate critical thinking in the clinical decision-making process, including assessment and diagnostic skills, leading to the delivery of safe care for all patients, in consultation with the duty GP.
About us

Overview of your organisation

Bexley Health Neighbourhood Care (BHNC) is a GP Federation supporting the 21 Bexley Practices / 4 PCNs who are working collaboratively to enhance the health and wellbeing of Bexley residents, covering over 246,000 patients.

The goals of BHNC are to work strategically with all Bexley PCNs, to help secure the best services for patients whilst working together, to support the member practices in the challenges of a changing NHS.

BHNC aims to improve the morale of PCNs / general practice in Bexley, by sharing expertise, services and supporting its workforce. BHNC will make a positive impact on medical services in Bexley, by working closely with the ICB, local NHS trusts, local providers and patient groups, to improve the delivery of healthcare to the local population

Job description
Job responsibilities

Clinical and Patient Client Care

Provide first point of contact for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems by taking medical history, preforming physical examination, using problem-solving and clinical decision-making skills to establish a diagnosis and management plan, working in partnership with patients, under appropriate supervision.

Undertake surgery-based consultations for emergency or routine problems, including management of long-term conditions.

Undertake telephone consultations and home visits, participating with the duty rota.

Participate in all treatment and preventative healthcare services in the practices as delegated and agreed by the supervising GP/s.

Formulate diagnoses and treatment plans, in consultation with or referring to Supervising GP, as appropriate.

Give clinical instructions to nursing staff and primary care team as required.

Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment, referring patients directly to other services or agencies using the appropriate referral pathways.

Provide health/disease promotion and prevention advice, alongside analysing and actioning diagnostic test results.

Request and interpret results of laboratory investigations when necessary.

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

Work directly with members of the practice primary health care team and support integrated patient centred care through appropriate working, with wider PCN and integrated care networks.

Send and receive written information on behalf of the practice relating to the physical and social welfare of patients.

General

Actively works toward developing and maintaining effective working relationships both within and outside the PCN.

To develop and facilitate a good working relationship with GP practice workforces across the PCN to support the delivery of excellent patient care.

Foster and maintain strong links with all services across the PCN and neighbouring networks.

Utilise clinical guidelines and promote evidence-based practice.

To manage resources required for key duties under this , ensuring value for money at all times and maintain budget management responsibility allocated to the job holder in line with the scheme of delegation, develop, where required, cost-benefit analysis for spending and initiatives.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Essential criteria
• Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Physician Associate from an accredited UK University, Bachelors degree in Life Science/Biomedical/Nursing or Allied Health Science, Member of Faculty of Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR) and/or the General Medical Council, Valid national certification and recertification every six years stipulated by PAMVR, For USA trained candidates: Current and valid certification with the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
• QualificationsEssential criteria
• Demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of related medical conditions, treatments and pharmacology, Experience of supporting doctors in clinical decision making, Ability to work autonomously within the scope of supervised practice, Detailed knowledge of maintaining confidentiality and implementing data protection legislation requirements including information governance, Ability to manage high pressure situations e.g. clinical crisis.

Desirable

• Desirable criteria
• Basic or advanced life support training, Equal Opportunity training, Evidence of continual learning and development.
• Desirable criteria
• Experience working as a Physician Associate in hospital or in a community setting, Experience of general practice and/or secondary care, Understanding current issues within the specialty and the future direction of the specialty, Understanding current issues within the wider NHS.

Experience
Essential

• Skills and Abilities
• Essential criteria
• Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload and co-ordinate staff including when under pressure and meeting deadlines, Adaptable, self-motivated, able to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative to deliver clinically and cost effective healthcare, Ability to exercise sound judgement when faced with conflicting pressures and recognises priorities when problem solving, Ability to obtain and analyse complex technical data and information, Ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol, Capable of producing timely and informative reports, Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiation, written and verbal communication skills, Demonstrable ability to clearly communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients), Ability to work as a member of a team, both through communication and sharing workload, Evidence of willingness to participate in a multi-disciplinary team environment to provide and integrated service for patients, Able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary, Understands the impact of own behaviour on others.

Desirable

• Desirable criteria
• Critical appraisal skills, Evidence of knowledge of different research methods.

Employer details
Employer name

Bexley Health Neighbourhood Care CIC
Address

Welling Medical Practice

2 Danson Crescent

Welling

Kent

DA16 2AT

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

B0027-23-0043

British Medical Journal