Salford Care Organisation

Job Description & Person Specification

Choose to make a Difference

Be developed  Be supported  Be inspired  Be empowered  Be rewarded  Make a difference
We’re thrilled
you’re thinking
of joining us!
Our new Northern Care Alliance NHS
Group unites five local hospitals to
deliver high quality care across the
North East of Greater Manchester.
The Alliance provides the benefits of
scale but delivers this locally through
multiple hospital sites which make up
four new Care Organisations –
Bury/Rochdale, North Manchester,
Oldham and Salford. Using our mantra
of ‘Saving lives, Improving lives’, the
aim is for our Care Organisations to
work closely with the communities they
serve to deliver safe, high quality and
reliable care, which are trusted,
connected and pioneering.
Our Care Organisations are designed
to operate within our group
arrangement of hospitals, community
and healthcare services which bring
together over 17,000 staff and the
services of The Pennine Acute
Hospitals NHS Trust and Salford Royal
NHS Foundation Trust. Our size and
geographical reach means we are
creating an environment each
individual will be inspired and
empowered by to be the best they can
be. This is a really exciting time to join
our new team.
Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
was rated an ‘Outstanding Trust’ for
the second time by the Care Quality
Commission (CQC) in 2018. This
achievement marked Salford Royal as
the only NHS acute and community
Trust in the UK to be rated as
Outstanding on two consecutive
occasions.
The Trust is consistently rated as one
of the best places to work in the NHS
and here are just a few of the reasons
why:
 Major teaching hospital for the
Universities of Salford &
Manchester.
 Recent investment of £200 million
to develop our main hospital site.
 Leading Major Trauma Centre for
Greater Manchester, largest
Dermatology Centre in Europe,
leading UK centre for
Neurosciences, leading centre for
clinical trials and other studies.
 Identified as a Global Digital
Examplar, a key part of the NHS
Driving Digital Maturity
programme.
The Trust has many nationally and
internationally renowned clinicians who
are pioneering the latest techniques
and treatments. The Trust has an
excellent reputation for quality and
innovative clinical services, teaching
and research.
In Salford the NCA was proud to be
able to develop one of the country's
first integrated health and social care
services. This joins up the best of
health, social care and support within
the integrated care division of Salford
Care Organisation. Focussing on
person centred approaches for better
outcomes, improved service user
experience and utilising local
resources to support people to live
independently and with the highest
possible quality of life.
Our Values
We have four core values which are a
focus for how our staff and volunteers
work with each other to provide care
for our patients and service users. We
think of our values as a set of guiding
principles to refer to when making
decisions and interacting with people
and they help us to work together to
continuously improve the organisation
and ourselves.
These core values form part of the
Organisations Performance
Framework which regularly reviews
how staff are performing.
Patient & People Focus
This value enables us to place the
patient and service user first with
everything we do.
All staff are required to demonstrate
that they:
 Communicate effectively with
patients, service users, families
and colleagues
 Pro-actively personalise the
service, connecting with patients
and carers
 Adopt and practice the ‘safe, clean,
personal’ ethos.
Continuous Improvement
This value ensures that the
organisation including individual staff
are always moving forwards and
improving the ways things are done.
All staff are required to demonstrate
that they:
 Look at ways of measuring and
auditing improvements
 Pro-actively develop goals and
objectives in support of the Trust’s
vision
 Identify opportunities to reduce
waste and inefficiency.
Accountability
This value enables us all to recognise
our own part in keeping our
organisation ‘safe, clean and personal’
in the way we care for people.
All staff are required to demonstrate
that they:
 Are transparent and results
focused
 Display personal accountability
towards problem-solving
 Recognise and accept
accountability beyond job role.
Respect
This value is about respecting patients
and colleagues alike, and also the on-
going reputation of the organisation.
All staff are required to demonstrate
that they:
 Are supportive and empower staff
involvement
 Are consistent and understanding
of others and their needs
 Job Description
Job Title: Physician Associate

Band: 7

Reports to: Consultant Neurologist

Responsible to: Clinical Director, Neurology

Base/Department: BTU (Brooke Treatment Unit), SRFT

Main purpose of the job:

To assist with the smooth running of the Neurology Brooke Treatment Unit (BTU) as part of a
team consisting of junior, mid-grade and senior doctors, nurses, associated healthcare
professionals and managerial staff. This is a dedicated Neurosciences Investigation and
Treatment Unit ward which is responsible for day case investigations and therapeutic
interventions including intravenous infusions and nerve blocks for patients with a wide variety of
neurological problems. A large part of the role will involve practical procedures such as lumbar
punctures, muscle biopsies, occipital nerve blocks, botulinum toxin injections. The other aspect
of the role will involve the safe and efficient delivery of specialist neurological treatments
including monoclonal antibody drugs, intravenous immunoglobulin and immunosuppressive
medications. This is a new role with great opportunities to develop of a varied professional
portfolio and to become involved with audit, research, quality improvement and clinical
governance activities.
The role will involve an element of cross cover with the PA on our regional Acute Neurology
inpatient unit.
Main Tasks & Overview of Responsibilities

Contribute to the development, delivery and production of performance monitoring reports.

 Working as a member of the BTU team.

 Working competently under appropriate supervision.
 Preparation and delivery (non-prescribing) of intravenous infusions according to
well defined protocols
 Ensuring Governance-based protocols are followed and documented (regarding
blood monitoring etc for patients having infusions)
 Collection and evaluation of patient information
 Helping to ensure important investigation results are documented and acted upon
 Insertion of peripheral cannula
 With appropriate training, performing diagnostic and therapeutic lumbar
punctures.
 Venesection
  Professional documentation
 Liaison with other medical staff (eg radiology, neurophysiology)
 Liaison with relatives and friends
 Cross-cover with colleagues on the Acute Neurology Unit
 For appropriate candidates there should be the opportunity to develop other
procedural skills (eg muscle biopsies, occipital nerve blocks, botulinum toxin
injections, administration of plasma exchange) under a programme of training
and supervision

The practitioner is accountable for his/her own professional actions whilst working under
the supervision of a Consultant Neurologist. The practitioner will ensure they work within
his or her own competences.
The practitioner is accountable for his/her own professional actions whilst working under the
supervision of a Consultant Neurologist. The practitioner will ensure they work within his or her
own competences.

Responsibility for Patient Care (including monitoring, diagnostics +

investigations)

 Assessment and care of patients on PIU and (possibly in the future, in

conjunction with the team) outlying wards
 Providing specialists skills as required
 Referring people to other practitioners when needs and risks are beyond one’s
own scope of practice or competence
 Liaison with the multidisciplinary team, co-ordinating and participating in case
discussions as required
 Providing support for patients/carers encouraging them to promote their own
health and wellbeing and to express their interests and concerns
 Undertaking interventions consistent with evidence-based practice, transferring
and applying knowledge and skills to meet patient’s needs
 Providing support and care for the patient and family respecting their need for
privacy and dignity
 Monitoring and auditing the effectiveness of care to adjust programmes of care
where indicated, within own competences
 Utilisation of highly developed physical skills e.g. IV access, lumbar punctures,
and possibly extended procedural roles as above
 Ensuring that practice is evidence based
 Planning, delivering, evaluating and modifying care to ensure the highest
standards of clinical care within own sphere of practice
 Maintainance of accurate written records of care
 Provision of effective feedback to evaluate the overall care plan
 Identification any specific precautions or contraindications to the proposed
intervention / treatment and taking appropriate action
 Preparation for, undertaking and recording interventions / treatments correctly in
line with legislation, policy, procedure and / or established protocols
  Supporting and monitoring care, promptly alerting the relevant person where
there are unexpected changes in the patient’s condition
 Responding to, recording and reporting any adverse events / incidents relating to
the intervention or treatment with an appropriate degree of urgency.

Responsibilities for Policy/ Service Development

 It will be expected that you would participate in service development relevant to
your area of work. These would primarily involve the BTU but also ANU, and
input to other areas of the hospital including the Intensive Care Unit, medical
wards, the Emergency Assessment Unit etc. Any developments would be agreed
with the Clinical Director of Medical Neurosciences and/or other senior members
of staff
 Participating in service improvement plans both for the Directorate and the Trust
 Participating in audit activities
 Participation of staff surveys
 Working with the Directorate Management team to develop action plans to
facilitate continuous improvement in patient processes, care and outcomes.

Responsibilities for Human Resources

 Taking a personal responsibility to develop professionally to enable services to
meet the needs of patients, staff and the public
 Maintaining competence through proactive engagement in professional
development
 Demonstrating high levels of personal conduct
 Participating in the training, supervision and mentorship of junior colleagues
 Acting with honesty and integrity at all times and is a positive ambassador for the
Trust
 Understanding and taking consideration of customs, values and spiritual beliefs
of patients and colleagues
 Valuing and respecting patients, colleagues and members of the public
 Demonstrating commitment to working within a team
 Contributing to the development of others enabling them to develop and apply
their knowledge and skills in practice providing timely feedback
 Generating and share clinical knowledge and expertise with all members of the
multi professional team, utilizing any new knowledge feedback to inform and
change practice
 Being an active member of the continuing education in-house programmes by the
attendance and presentation at staff meetings, tutorials, training sessions, journal
clubs, external courses, clinical supervision and reflective practice and to keep an
active CPD portfolio
 Being involved in the appraisal system and Trust Development Programmes
Undertaking annual mandatory training updates and other relevant courses inline
with Trust and local policies
 Supporting the development of a learning organisation alerting managers to
resource issues which may affect this
 Taking shared responsibility for the delivery of training and development
 programmes for the multidisciplinary team
 Identifying and contributing to the ongoing clinical and service developments in
order to enhance quality care
 Supporting the co-ordination of staff induction, ensuring their skills are adequate
to meet the needs of the patients and carers and multidisciplinary team
 Co-ordination and delegation of work related activities within the team.

Responsibilities for physical and financial resources

 Being responsible for equipment used in carrying out clinical duties, and adhering
to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the
safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of
practice.

Communication and leadership

 Communicating effectively with a wide range of people in a manner consistent
with their level of understanding, culture and background and preferred ways of
understanding
 Communication skills including explanation and gaining informed consent will be
used with a wide variety of patients. Barriers of effective communication will
regularly be evident e.g. altered conscious level, sensory loss, altered perception,
pain, fear, and severe psychosocial problems
 Gaining valid informed consent and having the ability to work within a legal
framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment
 Exploring complex issues and to make complex decisions encouraging the
effective participation of all involved
 Being empathetic and reassuring when communicating highly sensitive condition
related information and advice to patients, carers and relatives
 Competently receiving highly sensitive information concerning patients’ medical
conditions
 Maintaining comprehensive and accurate assessment and treatment records in
line with legal and directorate requirements, and communicating assessment and
treatment results where necessary.

Planning and organising

 Deciding priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and
professional demands, and ensuring that these remain in accordance with those
of the service as a whole
 Demonstrating a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk
Management and the ability to apply these to a work situation
 Attending staff meetings and participation in discussions concerning the running
of the service
 Active contribution to and support for agreed developments and directorate/trust
objectives
 Prioritising the care requirements for identified patients
 Monitoring progress of work, recognising changing priorities and implementing
 corrective actions within own limits and informing the relevant people
 Assisting with the management and organisation of work as required
 Organising and monitoring the work and performance of junior colleagues
providing constructive feedback, advice and on-going support
 Organising (in conjunction with Clinical Director and rotamasters) the day to day
and long term working patterns to best serve the needs of the service.

Partnership working

 Working within the multidisciplinary team to ensure efficient service provision and
patient safety.

Analysis and data management

 Analysis and interpretation of highly complex information gained during clinical
examination and history taking
 Identifying and agreeing the appropriate data to be collected by self and others
within the team
 Effective use of the agreed systems/methods for obtaining data collection
 Collation and analysis of the information obtained using the appropriate methods
 Timely reporting the data and information obtained
 Supporting the team in collating and analysing the information obtained in relation
to their area of responsibility and encouraging timely reports of the data and
information obtained
 Analysis and presentation of clinical and non-clinical data for audit and
presentation purposes
 Compliance with Trust policy on patient confidentiality, Information Governance
and the Data Protection Act.

Research, Development and Audit

 Acting as a role model ensuring one’s own actions promote quality and identify
and manage any risks
 Keeping up to date and acting consistently with quality standards and guidelines
within one’s own clinical area and associated areas
 Alerting others to new developments and leading them in understanding how
their practice should change to improve quality
 Assessment and monitoring the quality of work in one’s own area
 Raising quality issues and related risks with relevant people and following this up
to address poor performance as per Trust policy e.g. complaints, incidents, poor
communication
 Informing and influencing Clinical Governance Issues
 Leading in the promotion and implementation of evidence based care ensuring
that Good Practice is disseminated locally and nationally
 Undertaking the measurement and evaluation of one’s work and current
  practices through the use of audit and outcome measures, and leading others in
doing so. Making recommendations for and leading change
 Keeping up to date with developments within one’s own specialised field,
dissemination of information, and ensuring that practice is based on best
available evidence
 Demonstrating involvement in and utilisation of critically appraised research
 Facilitating the process of audit within the directorate & Trust wide practice
 Undertaking research and leading clinical audits in one’s own specialist area.

Equality and Diversity

Recognising and promoting the importance of people’s rights and interpreting them in a
way that is consistent with Trust procedures, policies and legislation

Acting in a way that acknowledges and recognises people’s expressed beliefs

preferences and choices (e.g. how people like to be addressed and spoken to)

Respecting people’s diversity and valuing them as individuals

Challenging behaviour that undermines the rights of others

Identifying and taking action where necessary to address discrimination

Upholding the Trust’s commitment to equality and diversity and facilitating public and
patient information

Participation in the development of a culture that promotes equality and values diversity.

Health & Safety

Being aware of the Health and Safety aspects of one’s work and implementing any
policies which may be required to improve the safety of the work area, including the
prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment
used is safe

Compliance with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and
involvement in their reviewing and updating as appropriate

Monitoring and maintaining health, safety and security of self and others in one’s own
work area

Identification of and assessment of potential risks in work activities and proposing how to
manage these risks appropriately

Working within legislation and Trust procedures on risk management

Taking immediate and appropriate action in relation to adverse incident reporting
utilising the hospital incident reporting system.

You have a personal responsibility to support your department/ward/clinic in reducing

hospital acquired infection. You must comply with the Trust’s policies on infection,
prevention and control and maintain your competency to effectively discharge your
responsibilities. You must bring deficiencies to the attention of your manager

Making Every Contact Count

Front line staff are in an ideal position to offer support and advice on how to improve
health and well-being Staff should use their interactions with the public to give them
additional advice on health and wellbeing Staff will be given training and support to help
them to signpost people to other services which may improve their health and wellbeing.

Electronic Staff Record

Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust uses an Electronic Patient Record (EPR). All
Clinicians must use EPR as the primary patient record. It supports delivery of Safe,
Clean and Personal patient care. Paper is used only for clinical record components (e.g.
fluid charts) that do not at present have an EPR replacement.

The majority of clinical documentation is entered directly on the EPR including health
issues, case histories and continuation notes, condition specific structured records and
risk assessments. EPR also provides systems for prescribing, requesting most tests and
some services, and for viewing results, a local integrated record and correspondence.

Access to this comprehensive EPR is via a unique login and password. All Clinicians
working at Salford Royal must receive EPR training.

Freedom to Act
Works within limits of own competence and responsibility and refers issues beyond
these limits to supervising anaesthetist or other appropriate person.

Work to national and local policies and protocols as appropriate.

Person Specification

Essential Desirable
Registration On the voluntary Affiliate of the RCoA
register held by the APA
(A)

Essential Qualifications PgDip – Physician’s Further postgraduate

Assistant (Anaesthesia) study

ILS trained ALS trained

Knowledge, Skills and Qualified PA(A) with Regional anaesthesia
Experience recent relevant skills
experience within
hospital environment Has participated in
research / audits
Good communication
skills both written and Leadership qualities
spoken English

Legible handwriting

Basic computer skills

Problem solving

Understands purpose of
role and works to
protocol

Understanding of the
RCoA PA(A) guidelines

Understands basic
principles of research,
literature searching,
appraisal and reviewing
evidence

Ability and demonstrate

willingness to undertake
CPD and Audits relevant
to practice

Able to work within a

team

Able to manage own

time and prioritise
workload
 Flexible and adaptable

Functions successfully
under pressure

Has initiative,
enthusiasm and
common sense

Able to exercise and

maintain patient
confidentiality at all
times
Trust values Patient & Customer
Focus
Continuous
improvement
Accountability
Respect
Physical & Mental State whether the post
Requirements holder will have to how
often they are;
 Required to
handle heavy
object and / or
patients? –
frequently

 Required to
undertake
prolonged
concentration ? –
frequently

 Exposed to
emotionally
distressing or
traumatic
situations - ?
occasionally to
frequent

 Exposed to
unpleasant
working
conditions or
hazards ? –
occasionally