Apprenticeship training course

Physician associate - integrated degree (level 7)

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Information about Physician associate - integrated degree (level 7)

Working alongside registered doctors providing medical care as an integral part of a wider healthcare team.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • The critical principles, methods and requirements of a patient centred and medically based assessment
  • The patient presentations specified in the Department of Health Matrix and Competency and Curriculum Framework (www.fparcp.co.uk)
  • How to structure and conduct evidence based consultations to obtain patient concerns, expectations and understanding
  • How to take a patient history and it’s practical application to complex interacting psychological, physiological and social factors
  • The range of evidence based examinations and assessments you are required to perform
  • How to draw on a diverse range of knowledge and critical thinking in your decision-making to determine an individual medical management plan
  • The criticality of clinical decision making processes in order to safeguard the delivery of high quality care
  • Critical analysis of complex findings from investigations and how to apply this specialised insight to deliver a high quality care outcome for the patient
  • How to assess and determine follow-up investigations using specialised investigation criteria
  • How to assess and determine the direction of patient management to address many interacting factors
  • The relevant national and local guidelines to apply to the formulation and delivery of a justifiable diagnosis
  • How, and when, to consult with your dedicated medical supervisor
  • The range of specialised procedural skills and clinical procedures that you are required to perform
  • The range of specialised therapeutic interventions relevant to your role
  • The therapeutic and prescription medications used in the clinical setting (within medical delegation clauses)
  • How to confidently and competently write prescriptions and apply British National Formulary (BNF) and local formularies
  • Your responsibility for patient concordance for the proposed drug regime as prescribed by the supervising clinician
  • How to critically evaluate and adapt patient management strategies/treatment in response to changing conditions
  • The development and implementation of management plans that takes into account complex interacting factors
  • Different theoretical and evidence based approaches to building and sustaining the clinician-patient relationship
  • Informed patient choice and negotiated care decisions
  • Specialised engagement and communication methods that support the clinician-patient relationship
  • How to enable the patient to assess options and make choices within the context of many interacting factors
  • The practical and conceptual delivery of patient education and health promotion relevant to the clinical condition and patient needs
  • The specialised assessment, observation techniques and medical judgement that are required across the patients’ life span
  • How to apply national and local guidelines, and legal requirements relevant to your area of practice (including challenging and reporting poor practice)
  • The guiding principles, evidence based practice and latest developments in the NHS (incl clinical governance) in relation to your area of practice
  • The boundaries of clinical competence for the role and when to escalate for senior medical assistance
  • Safeguarding and the management of risk
  • Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning
  • The application of teaching and learning theories and models
  • How to evaluate and meet learning needs for health care
  • Legal and organisational requirements for record keeping and information governance
  • Your responsibility for producing clear, legible and contemporaneous records
  • Your responsibility towards fulfilling and maintaining Information governance policy

  Skills

  • Interpret the findings from a patient centred consultation and assess the need for further investigation, patient management and referral
  • Formulate a diagnosis based on complex objective and subjective data
  • Apply specialised clinical decision making techniques to select a diagnosis based on the available insight
  • Critically evaluate and justify clinical decisions in cases with complex needs that involve many interacting factors
  • Consult with your dedicated medical supervisor to inform clinical decision making where required
  • Perform an extensive range of specialised procedural skills
  • Perform specialised clinical procedures using knowledge of the complex indications, contraindications, complications and techniques
  • Critically evaluate and assess changes in a patient’s condition and adapt patient management strategies/treatment within a timeframe suitable to the changing conditions
  • Determine and implement appropriate specialised therapeutic interventions and/or prescriptions using clinical decision making techniques and medical judgement
  • Formulate and implement a management plan with the patient, carers and healthcare professionals that takes into account complex interacting factors
  • Build and sustain a clinician-patient relationship to foster informed patient choice and negotiated care decisions
  • Communicate and engage effectively with all patients and carers regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, social class, disability etc
  • Actively involve patients and carers in their care and support them in managing their own health, wellbeing and illness
  • Provide health promotion and disease prevention advice to patients and carers
  • Design, implement and critically evaluate specialised assessment and observation techniques, and apply medical judgement across the patients’ life span
  • Escalate matters to a senior doctor when a clinical situation is outside the boundaries of clinical competence for the role
  • Manage the safety of patients, carers and other individuals through safeguarding and management of risk
  • Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to review and improve medical practice within the scope of the role
  • Work collaboratively to evaluate and meet the learning and development needs of other health professionals
  • Act as a role model and mentor
  • Produce clear, legible and contemporaneous records regarding patient consultations and all aspects of clinical and non-clinical work
  • Complete patient records and justify the management plan and outcomes of the clinical decision making process(es)
  • Adhere to all aspects of information governance requirements
  • Perform specialised medically based assessments to inform the development of an individual medical management plan
  • Design and deliver patient centred consultations which enable the patient and carers to express their concerns, expectations and understanding
  • Take, and critically evaluate, a patient history relevant to the clinical situation and apply this insight to assessing complex interacting psychological and social factors
  • Perform the full range of evidence based examinations and assessments tailored to the demands of the clinical situation

  Behaviours

  • Consistently behave with integrity and sensitivity.
  • Behave as an ambassador for the role, acting professionally and behaving considerately towards other professionals and patients.
  • Recognise and work within the limits of your professional competence and scope of practice, and within the scope of practice of your supervising medical practitioner.
  • Maintain effective relationships with colleagues from other health and social care professions.
  • Inform patients, carers and others of the nature of your clinical role.
  • Contribute to the effectiveness of a clinical learning environment.
  • Maintain confidentiality at all times
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Health and science
• Qualification level: 7; Equal to master’s degree
• Course duration: 30 months
• Maximum funding: £17,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Physician associate

View more information about Physician associate - integrated degree (level 7) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.