Role Summary
We are looking for enthusiastic and highly motivated Physician Associates (PA) to join our team and help us run our CMDU Covid Medicines Delivery Unit and work on Torridge Ward and join our Parkinson’s Team.
About the Role
For more information on the Job Description and Responsibilities please click the link below.
More detail about the role
We have a range of roles which initially will support our COVID work and also longer term be part of our Hospital wide rotations. You will join our established PAs rotations and for more experienced PAs, develop these roles into career progression posts through developing sub-speciality interests. Our PAs rotate across the Hospital in Medicine (Respiratory, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Healthcare for Older Adults, Neurology, AMU, Infections/COVID), and Surgery, Paediatrics and Gynaecology.
This post is more focused on CMDU, Torridge Ward (General Medical, Infection Control and Healthcare Older People) and Parkinson’s Disease.
These posts have arisen as our established PAs have taken on extra roles running Parkinson’s clinics and working on research studies reflecting career development here.
The posts will support our PA run and Consultant supervised COVID Medicine Delivery Unit (CMDU). This ambulatory pathway is based on our Infectious Diseases and Infection Control Ward. This busy post has been running since December 2021 and staffed by PAs working within our Consultant led team. The role involves assessing and treating immunocompromised patients with anti-virals and IV infusions of nMABS, to prevent deterioration to severe COVID related disease. This will give you a huge range of general medical skills and broaden your pharmacology knowledge preparing you for when PAs can prescribe. You will care for patients with transplants, renal failure, immunodeficiency, oncology and haematological disorders. You will learn consulting skills and enjoy face to face care, as well as developing team working skills and interactions with arrange of speciality teams. You will work closely with our Pharmacy and Nursing teams.
It seems inevitable that the demand and roles of CMDUs will change and reduce as we go forward, so these posts will adapt and longer term become part of our overall PA programme. Our approach is to train our PA students, then when qualified undergo a very broad two-year rotation around the whole Hospital in both medicine and surgery, but also in other areas like paediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatry, and acute medicine while also spending time in medical subspecialties like gastroenterology, cardiology, stroke and respiratory medicine. Then PAs will move into career development posts within individual departments with a very wide range of possibilities through competitive recruitment process depending on post availability at the time.
Applicants should apply though knowing that the funding is there to underpin our PD and our CMDU service primarily so other rotations will be dependent on COVID rates and our wider PA staffing pool. So there is an expectation that CMDU is the priority but we will aim to make this a wider rotation as finances and staffing and COVID rates permit. The CMDU post is embedded within Torridge Ward (Infection and General Medicine Ward) so as peaks and troughs of COVID rates vary we will include you within our ward clinical team. So these two posts are more aimed at newly or more recently qualified PAs.
The PD Outreach team work will involve a range of skills that are primarily aimed at admission avoidance, reducing our length of stay, looking at alternate pathways to acute Hospital admission
- Augmenting and working alongside our existing PD Nurse Specialists (Hospital Based) in providing daily reviews of all the PD patients across the Hospital.
- Piloting and then supporting our addition of PD to AHAH (Acute Hospital at Home) and Virtual Ward Teams. (This is not to go out to patient’s own homes as there are other teams who do that).
- Supporting existing base ward Nurses, Therapist and other staff with facilitating Get it on Time for PD Drugs, promoting and facilitating efficient discharges home, managing delirium and common issues like constipation and postural hypotension.
- Piloting and then supporting admission avoidance and earlier discharge of PD related psychosis.
Longer term we will be looking at developing clinics in a range of PD sub speciality areas so the above job plan is only an indication and will alter with time.
- PD and syndromes
- PD Dementia/ LBD
- Advanced Therapies Clinics
The appointee would be expected to be GCP trained and help us recruit tour NIHR research PD portfolio, promote research and in a flexible manner support the research teams with PD trial work.
We need a PA to support us recruiting and assessing patients through our NIHR PD Research Pipeline. There may also be opportunities to do sessions linked to our PRC Patient Recruitment Centre.
We run a range of PD clinics in the Hospital and the Community.
You would see new referrals and follow ups and after reviewing them you would present to the supervising Consultant.
The PA profession has grown over the last few years with a dedicated PA leadership team. We believe a key component of the role is a clear idea of a career progression with consultant supervision and mentoring. We have regular PA specific teaching sessions which are not only beneficial for ongoing CPD requirements, but also help create a warm and welcoming PA community.
We take career development and lifelong learning seriously and current PAs have done ALS courses, Mental Health 1st Aid Champions courses, GCP, been involved in innovative projects like major COVID vaccine studies, CMDU COVID Medicine Delivery Unit set up and more. Our PAs are learning to do ultrasound guided procedures.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a team which will focus on supporting and developing your skills and knowledge.
We are a friendly and caring team who pride ourselves on our commitment to high quality care. You will join a team of medical professionals working through all clinical areas ensuring a first class service and experience.
Working Pattern: 26 hours per week
Interview Date: To be confirmed
For further information please contact: Dr Ray Sheridan, Consultant, on ray.sheridan@nhs.net or Dr Aisha McClintock, Consultant on aisha.mcclintock@nhs.net
This is an internal vacancy for Royal Devon employees, therefore Bank workers are currently not eligible to apply for this vacancy.
This is a fixed term contract until June 2026. For current NHS employees this post could be a secondment opportunity.
As an inclusive employer, the Royal Devon values diversity and is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We believe in fostering a sense of belonging and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. We recognise the advantages of having a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
Preference will be given to staff with ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reserves the right to close vacancy when sufficient applications have been received.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was established in April 2022, bringing together the expertise of both the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.
About Us
Stretching across Northern, Eastern and Mid Devon, we have a workforce of over 15,000 staff, making us the largest employer in Devon. Our core services, which we provide to more than 615,000 people, cover more than 2,000 square miles across Devon, while some of our specialist services cover the whole of the peninsula, extending our reach as far as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
We deliver a wide range of emergency, specialist and general medical services through North Devon District Hospital and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). Alongside our two acute hospitals, we provide integrated health and social care services across a variety of settings, including community inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and within people’s own homes. We also offer primary care services, a range of specialist community services, and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC).
Our state-of-the-art equipment, leading technologies and strong links to local universities put us at the forefront of research and innovations, enabling us to provide world-class care to our local communities.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do, click here to find out more
It has never been a more exciting time to join the Royal Devon, as you will help to shape our services as we continue along our integration journey.
Benefits
Looking after you is important to us.
We strive to help our staff create a healthy work-life balance through flexible working schemes and our family friendly policies.
If you are starting out in the NHS, you’ll start with 27 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 33 days plus bank holidays.
You will benefit from access to our own comprehensive occupational health services, including counselling, onsite wellbeing activities and groups.
We will work together to maintain a culture that develops and supports you and your team.
This might include funding for a care certificate, a degree or leadership qualifications. Or it might include days off to study, engage in CPD or rotational placements to help you hone your skills. Wherever you are heading in the NHS, we will help you get there.
Salary is not the only financial benefit
You will have access to an extensive range of staff discounts on shopping, fitness and leisure options and you can spread the cost of technology and home appliance purchases from major retailers. You will also have access to other benefits including:
- National discount services such as the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts.
- Salary sacrifice options including our OFSTED rated outstanding nursery onsite at Exeter
- Car lease schemes.
- The NHS Pension scheme (one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK).
- Cycle to work scheme
These are just a few of the benefits available – if the role is something you are interested in, we would love to hear from you.
