Physician Associate

Burlington Primary Care; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS pension scheme

Protected CPD time

Job summary

Burlington Primary Care is expanding its multidisciplinary team with a new Physician Associate post. You will run structured chronic disease clinics under GP supervision, focusing on LTC management and proactive care planning.

Engage in care home visits, frailty support, and MDT collaboration, building depth of expertise in older people care within a lifestyle medicine framework.

Qualifications

• Graduate with a UK-accredited Postgraduate PA programme (Diploma/Masters).
• Demonstrable interest or experience in long-term conditions management.
• Strong clinical assessment and reasoning skills.
• Excellent communication with patients and teams.
• Commitment to supervised clinical model and ongoing development.
• Ability to manage caseload independently within defined scope.

Responsibilities

• Run structured chronic disease clinics for LTCs, following protocols.
• Conduct medication reviews and annual reviews for complex cases.
• Regular care home ward rounds and community visits for continuity.
• Collaborate with nursing team on recall and prevention strategies.
• Contribute to care planning for EHCH framework and pathways.
• Participate in MDT meetings and quality improvement activities.
• Support development of clinical protocols and pathways.
• Deliver group consultation clinics for shared LTC needs.
• Embed lifestyle medicine in LTC reviews (nutrition, activity, sleep).
• Support prevention aims and reduce disease progression risk.

Skills

Long-term conditions management

Clinical assessment

Excellent communication

Caseload management

Team collaboration

Education

Postgraduate Diploma or Masters in Physician Associate Studies

Tools

SystmOne

Job description

Burlington Primary Care are growing our multidisciplinary team and are excited to be creating this new Physician Associate post - a real opportunity to shape the role from the ground up, working closely with experienced GPs and a supportive wider team. This is a new post within our expanding clinical team, offering a Physician Associate the opportunity to build a meaningful, focused caseload centred on long-term conditions (LTC) management in primary care. Working under the supervision and clinical governance of a named GP lead, you will run structured chronic disease clinics within agreed protocols, support frailty and care home patients, and contribute to proactive care planning. Patients are allocated to PA clinics through a GP-led triage and recall system; prescribing decisions remain with the supervising GP throughout. This is a clinically rich and varied role - not a generalist GP cover post, but a purposefully designed LTC-focused position where you will develop genuine depth of expertise. Burlington Primary Care is committed to a lifestyle medicine and prevention-first approach to long-term conditions, and this post sits at the heart of that vision. Prescribing is supported through our GP clinical leads; you will work within a clear supervised model with regular oversight, case review and professional development built in from day one.

What you'll do:

• Run structured chronic disease clinics for patients with one or more long-term conditions, working to national and local QOF and IIF frameworks
• Conduct medication reviews, care planning, and annual reviews for patients with complex multi-morbidity
• Undertake regular care home ward rounds and community visits, providing continuity of care for housebound and frail patients
• Work with the nursing team on recall and proactive management of the LTC register, with a focus on prevention and early intervention
• Contribute to care planning for patients on the Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH) framework
• Liaise with secondary care, community teams and social services as part of a holistic care approach
• Participate in MDT meetings, significant event review and quality improvement
• Support the development of clinical protocols and pathways alongside senior clinicians
• Deliver and support group consultation clinics for patients with shared LTC needs, using a lifestyle medicine and behaviour change framework
• Embed lifestyle medicine principles into routine LTC reviews - addressing nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress and social connection alongside clinical management
• Contribute to our prevention agenda, supporting patients to reduce their risk of disease progression and complications

Conditions you'll manage: Your caseload will span the full breadth of LTC in primary care, including:

• Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) - annual reviews, HbA1c monitoring, foot and eye referral pathways
• Hypertension - BP monitoring, cardiovascular risk assessment, and documented recommendations for GP-authorised medication adjustment
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - spirometry interpretation, exacerbation management, inhaler review
• Asthma - asthma reviews, PAAP updates, step-up/step-down under GP oversight
• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) - eGFR and ACR monitoring, medication safety reviews, referral pathways
• Atrial Fibrillation (AF) - anticoagulation monitoring, stroke risk assessment, and liaison with the prescribing GP on rate or anticoagulation management
• Heart Failure - monitoring, titration of medications under GP supervision, coordination with community cardiology
• Frailty - comprehensive geriatric assessment, falls risk, polypharmacy review
• Dementia - annual reviews, carer support, advance care planning
• Mental Health (SMI register) - physical health checks, metabolic monitoring
• Obesity and metabolic syndrome - lifestyle management, weight management pathway referrals
• Hypothyroidism and other endocrine conditions - monitoring and medication review

Care home & community visiting: This role includes a regular care home and community visiting commitment - a valued part of how we provide continuity for our most vulnerable patients. Home and care home visits are structured and planned; they are not for acute or undifferentiated presentations, which are triaged and managed by a GP first.

• Undertake regular structured ward rounds at our linked care homes, supported by GP clinical leads, focusing on LTC review, medication safety, and personalised care planning
• Conduct anticipatory care planning and RESPECT conversations as part of planned care home visits, working alongside the palliative care team and GP lead
• Carry out planned home visits for housebound patients for routine LTC reviews and vaccinations;
• Work within the Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH) framework, contributing to personalised care and support plans
• Build relationships with care home staff and community nurses to ensure joined-up, person-centred care

This is an exceptional opportunity for a PA who wants to develop real expertise in the care of older people and those with complex needs.

The Team: You will join a growing, friendly and highly skilled MDT that includes GPs, Paramedics, Pharmacists, Practice Nurses, Health Care Assistants, GP Assistant and Care Coordinators.

Registered as a Physician Associate with the General Medical Council (GMC)

• Graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma or Master's in Physician Associate Studies from a UK-accredited programme
• Demonstrable interest or experience in long-term conditions management
• Strong clinical assessment and reasoning skills
• Excellent communication skills - with patients, families and the wider team
• Commitment to working within a supervised clinical model and to ongoing professional development
• Ability to manage a caseload independently within defined scope, escalating appropriately

Desirable:

• At least one year of post-qualification experience in primary care, community, or secondary care (we have limited capacity for intensive induction at this time, so some clinical confidence is important)
• Familiarity with SystmOne clinical systems
• Experience with chronic disease templates, QOF frameworks or care home ward rounds
• Interest in frailty, older people's care or anticipatory care planning

Burlington Primary Care is a busy, forward-thinking GP practice committed to delivering outstanding patient care through innovation, teamwork and a strong multidisciplinary approach. We are proud of our culture of clinical excellence and continuous improvement, and we invest in our team's development at every level.

Salary dependent on experience - please contact us to discuss

• A new, purposefully designed post - genuine opportunity to shape and grow with the role
• A supportive, welcoming MDT in a practice that genuinely values its staff
• Regular protected CPD time and support for continued professional development
• Access to peer support, clinical audit and quality improvement opportunities
• NHS pension scheme eligibility
• A varied, clinically rich caseload with real continuity of patient relationships

Disclosure and Barring Service Check Please note this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.