Physician Associate

Job overview

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are seeking enthusiastic Physician Associates to play a key role in the management of patients and to support the effective functioning of community teams and contribute to wider service developments. 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.

Main duties of the job

• Conduct initial psychiatric assessments, take patient histories and perform physical examinations
• Establish differential diagnosis, making appropriate treatment plans under supervision of Consultant Psychiatrist.
• 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•
• Record clinical notes about patient contacts and provide advice to staff on further management / investigations / interventions
• Work collaboratively with the relevant team
• 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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Physician Associate roles are likely to include, but not be limited to the following:

• Practice under the supervision of the Clinical Director.
• Conduct initial psychiatric assessments, take patient histories and perform physical examinations
• Establish differential diagnosis, making appropriate treatment plans under supervision of Consultant Psychiatrist.
• 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
• Review and summarise patient notes for the purposes of contributing to discharge summaries and reports.
• Undertake assessment and assistance to ward staff in the event of medical emergencies
• Work collaboratively with the relevant team i.e. Psychiatrists, Junior Doctors,

Senior Nurses, Nursing Staff, Support Workers, Occupational Therapists,

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 results
• Mental state examination
• Cognitive assessment
• The post holder will be willing to participate in research/audit/QI opportunities as they arise
• Be responsible for the dissemination of new or updated clinical practices
• Support the placements of nursing, medical and physician associate students on placement
• Participate in undergraduate teaching
• Support junior doctors on placement
• 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