Physician Associate Urgent Care

Job overview

The Mental Health Urgent Care Department (MHUCD), is an innovative service that has been commissioned to provide urgent mental health care in the Mid and South Essex ICS. The service will cater to adults over the age of 18, who are experiencing a mental health crisis and will be based in a new, purpose built department based at the Basildon Mental Health Unit on the Basildon Hospital site. When the service is fully functional it will cover the councils of Basildon, Brentwood, Thurrock, Chelmsford, Braintree and Maldon.

The department will offer a therapeutic mental health setting to assess urgent mental health presentations which might otherwise have been seen in the A+E department. The service will offer a comprehensive assessment and onward care planning through a diverse and highly skilled mental health workforce incorporating support workers, peer coaches, social worker, nurses and doctors. The service will work closely with existing urgent mental health care pathways and other appropriate services in the local health and social care system, including voluntary care sector organisations, to provide holistic and person centred care.

The service will also be working closely with the Basildon A+E department in being able to offer a limited range of physical health interventions in the department itself and if appropriate for onward referral to relevant specialties in the general hospital.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be accountable for ensuring that high quality patient care is delivered at all times. The Physician Associate will be supervised by a designated consultant with regular meetings to support on-going development within the role.

The Physician Associate will attend regular CPD sessions to support on-going development. They will be set clear objectives and will be assessed against them by the end of the first year.

General Requirements

• Physician Associates will be based on the MHUCD at the Basildon site psychiatric inpatient wards at EPUT but may also be asked to undertake work in conjunction with Crisis or other Community teams.
• Physician Associates will be expected to work flexibly and co-operatively with other members of the clinical team and will be required to cover for colleagues during periods of absence. The Physician Associate role will complement other roles in the team and strengthen the multi-disciplinary team.
• They will have continuing responsibility for patients in association with others in the clinical team.
• They will ensure accurate records are maintained. Physician Associates will be supported to undertake mandatory training and other training specific to their role.
• They will undergo an annual PDR or appraisal in relation to the agreed objectives in advance.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Practice under the supervision of a Consultant Psychiatrist or under the supervision of a senior clinician as delegated by the consultant, to contribute towards clinical/risk assessments, development of treatment plans and documentation.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, handovers and other relevant clinical meetings.
• Treat patient and their family members using a high degree of empathy and advanced communication skills.
• Respond in a timely way to requests to assess or review patient’s physical and / or mental health.
• Record clinical notes about patient contacts and provide advice to staff on further management / investigations / interventions within their competence.
• Review and summarise patient notes for the purposes of contributing to discharge summaries and reports.
• Undertake assessment and assistance to staff in the event of medical emergencies in the department.
• Work collaboratively with the relevant team i.e. Psychiatrists, Junior Doctors, Senior Nurses, Nursing Staff, Support Workers, Occupational Therapists, and Psychologists to ensure good working relationships.
• Liaise with primary care and relevant secondary health care providers relating to a patient’s care or treatment.
• Liaise with community teams about a patient’s on-going care and treatment needs Support health promotion activities including those relating to smoking, drugs and alcohol.
• Provide psycho-educational support to patients and carers / families.
• Support proactive screening and interventions with regard to the physical health of patients.
• Liaise with pharmacy regarding issues relating to medication.
• Contribute to the development of physical health competencies in mental health staff in a range of settings.
• Carry out procedures which will include (but not be limited to):
• ECG
• Venepuncture
• IV cannulation
• Interpretation of blood or other investigation results

Service Development:

• The post holder will be willing to participate in research/audit/QI opportunities as they arise.
• Support junior doctors on placement.
• Support the placements of nursing, medical and physician associate students on placement.
• Be responsible for the dissemination of new or updated clinical practices.
• Support the development of skills in the wider team and the organisation.
• Assist with the development of, and implementation of, local and trust wide policies, procedures, guidance and protocols.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.