This is a 12-month Physician Associate post in the Mental Health Urgent Care Department, a service for adults in mental health crisis run by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. The work centres on assessing urgent presentations that might otherwise reach A&E, with onward care planning and a limited range of physical health procedures, under consultant supervision. The service sits within a wider multidisciplinary team, linking with crisis teams and voluntary sector partners. Candidates need a PA qualification, GMC registration and two years' secondary care PA experience.
What the job involves
- Assess urgent mental and physical health presentations, including clinical and risk assessments and treatment plans
- Respond promptly to requests to assess or review patients
- Assist staff in medical emergencies in the department
- Carry out ECGs, venepuncture and IV cannulation, and interpret investigation results
- Take part in multidisciplinary meetings, handovers and clinical meetings
- Liaise with primary care, secondary care, community teams and pharmacy about patient care
- Keep clinical notes and summarise records for discharge summaries and reports
- Support physical health screening and interventions, and develop physical health skills in mental health staff
- Provide psycho-educational support to patients and carers, and health promotion including smoking, drugs and alcohol
- Cover for colleagues during absence and work flexibly within the team
- Support junior doctors and students on placement and disseminate updated clinical practice
- Take part in research, audit and quality improvement, and help develop local and trust policies
Qualifications
- PGDip or MSc Physician Associate studies
- Membership of UKAPA
Registration & licences
- Current GMC registration
Experience
- Minimum 2 years working as a PA in secondary care
- Minimum 1 year working in a mental health setting
- Clinical work in an autonomous role
- Development of policy and practice change
Skills & knowledge
- Psychiatric history taking, risk assessment, mental state examination and presenting findings to a consultant
- Awareness of current mental health developments and theoretical and clinical approaches
- Understanding of the challenges of PA roles and PA training
- Understanding of the National PA agenda, policies, frameworks and CPD requirements
- Knowledge of Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act, information governance, GDPR, Equality Act and confidentiality
Awareness of equality and valuing diversity principles
Nice to have
- Passed and completed 1 year post graduate preceptorship
- Experience of working with mental health patients from different cultural backgrounds
- Experience of working in an A&E setting
- Experience of working in geriatric services
- Understanding of public sector and NHS policy across primary, secondary and community care
What’s offered
- 27 days holiday plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service
- Pension of up to 14.5% of pensionable pay
- £8K relocation package to move to Essex (terms and conditions apply)
- Interest-free season ticket loans for travel
- Flexible working available from day one for most roles
- Job share applications welcomed
- Bank shifts to supplement income and develop skills
- Mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling
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Contact Details:
The Methodist Church in Britain Recruitment Team
