Job summary
This advert is for a 12 month fixed term post on Care of Older Adults wards. The post holder will work 09:00 - 17:00 each day Monday to Friday.

The Physician Assistant (PA) plays a vital role in delivering high-quality, patient-centred care across acute and frailty pathways. Working under the supervision of consultants, the PA supports the multidisciplinary team by assessing, diagnosing, and managing a range of medical conditions, with a particular focus on older adults and patients with complex co-morbidities.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will work 09:00 - 17:00 Monday - Friday.

The key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Assess and examine medical patients, order appropriate investigations, interpret investigation findings, form a list of differential diagnoses and recommend management/treatment accordingly
• Attend consultant and/or StR ward rounds and provide continuing care for patients on their ward(s)
• Coordinate patients on ambulatory pathways related to their specialty
• Maintain timely and appropriate documentation
• Perform diagnostic/therapeutic procedures, subject to appropriate training and These include, but not exclusively:
  • Venepuncture
  • Cannulation
  • Arterial blood gases
  • Injections
  • ECG
  • Urethral catheterisation
  • Nasogastric tube insertion
  • Abdominal paracentesis
• Instruct and counsel patients and their relatives with regard to mental and physical health issues
• Have, develop and maintain specialist medical knowledge related to medicine. Keep up to date with current guidelines and maintain best practice
• Contribute to achieving and maintaining performance within the hospital and department
• To contribute to the development of efficient pathways of care in accordance with current best practice and national guidelines
• Develop clinical guidelines within their specialist area for use with the Trust by other staff
• To be accountable for the care given and to comply with the Fitness to Practice and Code of Conduct standard as established by the Faculty of Physician Assistants for the PA MVR (and subsequently the appropriate statutory regulating body, when this is in place).
• To work within the framework of the scope of professional practice
• Work within the multidisciplinary team to ensure effective team working in the provision of acute medical care to patients on a day-to-day basis
• Support and contribute to timely discharge planning including completing discharge summaries and support optimising bed capacity
• Abide by the Clinical and Corporate Governance policies of the Trust
• Take part in the administration of the department and the involvement in the management of resources
• Fully document all aspects of patient care, and complete all required paperwork

About us
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

1. Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development

2. Widening access (anchor institution) and employability

3. Improving the experience of staff with disability

4. Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development

5. Making equalities mainstream

Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential

• 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 UK Physician Associate Register (the PA Managed Voluntary Register)

Desirable

• BLS/ILS/PILS/ALS certification ??Teaching qualification

Experience and Knowledge
Essential

• Clinical training/experience in general medicine.
• Experience of clinical audit.

Desirable

• Experience in specialty related to post applied for. ??Design of audit projects. ??Research experience. ??Experience of teaching.

Skills and Abilities
Essential

• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems
• Ability to take responsibility for clinical care of patients under the supervision of Consultants.
• Demonstrates clinical leadership.
• Ability to drive change. ??Ability to work in teams

Experience
Essential

• Experience on the wards of more than 2 years as PA, after training

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).

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Consultant Physician
Dr Jacqueline Simms
jacquelinesimms@nhs.net
02083333000