Physician Associate

Job overview

CNWL are looking for a Physician Associate to join our Adult community Mental Health Team based at Mill House, Hillingdon .

The Physician Associate will work collaboratively with psychiatrists, mental health nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, GPs and other professionals to provide safe, person-centred and recovery-focused care.

Main duties of the job

This role will entail working as part of a multidisciplinary Community Mental Health Team Hub, providing assessment, clinical management and ongoing support to adults experiencing a range of mental health conditions.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical assessment and management

• Undertake comprehensive psychiatric and physical health assessments under appropriate supervision.
• Obtain and document detailed clinical histories, including psychiatric, medical, medication, substance misuse and social histories.
• Created clinic letters to a good standard for sharing with other professionals in timely manner as per trust policy.
• Interpret relevant investigations within scope of practice and act as appropriate.
• Contribute to formulation, diagnosis and treatment planning under appropriate clinical supervision.
• Monitor patients’ mental and physical health and identify deterioration or emerging risks.
• Contribute to medication reviews and prescribing-related decisions in collaboration with the responsible prescriber.
• Recognise and appropriately escalate clinical deterioration, adverse medication effects and safeguarding concerns.
• Participate in crisis assessment and management within the team’s agreed pathways and scope of practice.
• Conduct home visit when appropriate.
• Support the physical health clinic staff when appropriate.

Multidisciplinary working

• Work effectively as a member of the Community mental health Hub , multidisciplinary team.
• Attend and contribute to MDT meetings, zoning meetings, clinical reviews, handovers and care planning meetings.
• Liaise with GPs, acute hospitals, psychiatric inpatient teams, crisis teams, social care, voluntary-sector organisations and other relevant services.
• Support continuity of care between primary, secondary and inpatient mental health services.

Risk and safeguarding

• Undertake and contribute to ongoing assessment and management of risks, including suicide/self-harm, violence, neglect, vulnerability and substance misuse.
• Recognise and escalate safeguarding concerns in accordance with local policies.
• Contribute to safety planning and risk management plans.
• Understand and work within relevant Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act frameworks, according to role, competence and supervision.

Physical healthcare

• Promote physical health assessment and health-promotion interventions for people with severe mental illness.
• Monitor cardiovascular, metabolic and other physical health risks associated with mental illness and psychotropic medication.
• Liaise with primary care and other medical services where physical health concerns require further investigation or treatment.
• Work very closely with the physical health clinic and Clozapine clinic .
• Work in close liaison with physical health lead nurse and the physical health monitoring team.

Communication and patient-centred care

• Develop therapeutic and professional relationships with patients and carers.
• Involve patients in shared decision-making and recovery planning.
• Communicate complex and potentially sensitive clinical information clearly and compassionately.
• Work in a culturally sensitive and non-stigmatising manner.

Professional development

• Maintain professional competence and undertake continuing professional development.
• Participate in clinical supervision and reflective practice.
• Keep accurate and contemporaneous clinical records.
• Contribute to clinical audit, quality improvement, education and service development, research project.
• Be regular and up to date with appraisal process as per trust policy.
• Work within the PA scope of practice, local governance arrangements and the supervision framework.
• Provide colleague cover during annual or study leave, where practicable
• Use Trust IT systems efficiently for documentation, communication, and data management.
• Complete and maintain all mandatory training requirements in accordance with Trust policy.
• Proactive approach in teaching training the staff around physical health care of patients with mental illness.

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.