Transcript Document

The Physician Associate
Jeannie Watkins PA-R
Senior Lecturer & Clinical Placement Lead
St Georges’ University of London
Physician Associate (PA)
O What is a PA?
O What can they do?
O PA Education and Training
O Benefits of PAs to the medical team
O Regulation
O Employment
O Salary
O Closing Thoughts……
O Questions
What is a Physician Associate?
A physician assistant is a healthcare professional
trained in a medical model who works as part of a
medical team with doctors to provide medical care.
What can they do?
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Take medical history
Physically examine a patient
Diagnose with possible differentials
Diagnostic tests/procedures
Treatment and Management Plans
Referrals accept and receive
Medications*
O All with physician supervision*
The Physician Associate Role
O The Doctor-PA Relationship
O Trust
O Competence
O Centrepiece
O Context for extension of care
O From within the Doctor-PA relationship the PA
exercises autonomous medical decision making to
extend healthcare to the doctor’s patients.
Examples of Conditions PA’s See
90
80
81
70
66
70
60
50
40
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20
10
0
45
4346
31
30
30
22
16
1 2
21
7
3
cardiovascular
Dermatology
Endocrinology
Mental Health
ENT
Female Health
Haematology
Infectious Disease
Respiratory
Gastrointestinal
Musculoskeletal
Neurology
Opthalmology
Renal-GU
Supervision Required
Out of a total of 391 patients seen
23
367
6
None
Brief
Extended
Education
PA Programmes
Curently 5 Programmes
 Aberdeen University
 Brimingham University
 St George’s University of London
 Wolverhampton University
 Worcester University
Starting 2015
 Plymouth, Reading
At least 5-6 others planning programmes for
2015/2016 starts
Prospective Students
 First degree
 Healthcare experience
 Self funding
 Clear about career pathway
 Motivated
SGUL PgDip PA Studies
Course Outline
O 2 year full-time programme (92 weeks)
Theoretical & Clinical elements
O Year 1
Induction period
80%/20% theoretical/clinical
Clinical Placements: GP
O Progression Point
O Year 2
20%/80% theoretical/clinical
Clinical Placements: 1600 hours over 2 years
*Students must pass all elements of programme both 1st and 2nd yr to
progress to national exam
SGUL PgDip PA Studies
O Theoretical Elements
O Foundations in Clinical Medicine
O Evidence Based Medicine
O Pharmacology
O Personal and Professional Development
O Research Methods
SGUL PgDip PA Studies
Clinical Placements
Core Placements
O General Practice
O General Medicine
O A&E
O OBGYN
O Paediatrics
O Mental Health
O Surgery
Min Hours
300 (120 yr1) (180 yr2)
360
180
90
90
90
90
Electives:eg.
Cardiology, GI, Renal, GUM 270 (total for electives)
PA are trained to be:
O Aware of the limits of their competence
O Team players
O Lifelong learners
Benefits of a PA
Flexible
O Complement the medical team
O Do not deplete existing workforce
O See a variety of undifferentiated patients
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with a range of problems
Outpatients
Ward work
On-take MAU/A&E
Home visits GP
Covering Nursing homes etc
Benefits of a PA
Stable and Consistent
O No rotation
O Increase access to healthcare
O Provide capacity in the team
sick patients, juniors training, cover for
sickness and leave
O Familiar with patients - can trouble shoot
Regulation
O Currently no Statutory Regulation
O unable to prescribe
O unable to request ionising radiation
O Established Managed Voluntary Register
O Public protection and safety
O PAs sign up to:
O Code of Conduct and Scope of Practice
50 hours CPD per year
O Recertification exam every 6 years (SBA’s)
O Fitness to Practice Mechanism
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O UKAPA – Professional body – Faculty of PAs at RCP
Employment
O 220 PAs working across the Country in over
20 specialties
O Demand is currently outstripping supply
O We will only accept PAs who are UK and US
trained as demonstrable and comparable
standards of training and education
O Employers must check if PA on the MVR
O PAs must pass their University Exams and the
PA National Exam to practice – cannot
practice without both of these
Salary
Currently AFC banding in NHS
O New Graduate - £30k + (band 7 AFC)
O *Internship (one year of closely supervised
training following qualification)– £26-£30K
(band 6) – then band 7
O More experienced PAs 3-5yrs £35-£40K
O 5 years + £40k -£55K
NB: Can be negotiated if in GP
Closing Thoughts……..
O PAs are coming to a town near you
O Complementary part of medical workforce
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not replacements for medical staffing
Properly introduce into the workforce
They will not be right for every post you have
vacant
Will not solve all of the problems in the
NHS……..but are definitely part of the
solution
Consider PA student placements!
Questions?