Lead Physician Associate

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

We are pleased to share an opportunity to apply for the role of Lead Physician Associate at Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

This is a Trust-wide leadership role supporting the governance, development and safe deployment of Physician Associates across both hospital operating units — City & Weston and Southmead. The post holder will act as a key point of contact between PA colleagues and Trust leadership, helping to strengthen PA governance, support professional development and ensure PA roles are well understood and appropriately supervised across clinical teams.

We are looking for an experienced Physician Associate with current GMC registration, strong clinical credibility and an interest in professional leadership, governance and workforce development. The successful candidate will need to be collaborative, organised and confident working across professional and organisational boundaries.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future development of the PA workforce within BFT at an important time for the profession.

Main duties of the job

The Role Will Include

• Supporting Trust-wide PA governance arrangements, including local SOPs and clinical standards
• Advising services on appropriate PA deployment, supervision and scope of practice
• Contributing to PA recruitment, induction, education and CPD
• Supporting PA appraisal, revalidation and professional development arrangements
• Acting as a communication link between PA colleagues and senior Trust leadership
• Working with clinical, education and workforce colleagues to ensure PA roles support patient care and complement medical training opportunities
• Maintaining a clinical commitment within the post holder’s established specialty
  
  

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. 

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

To read the full job description and main responsibilities of the role, please see document attached to this advert.

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree at 2:1 level or above, and Postgraduate Diploma/Master's in Physician Associate Studies from a GMC-recognised UK training programme (A)
• Current GMC registration as a Physician Associate (A)
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Postgraduate qualification in medical education, leadership or management (A)
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certificate (A)
  
  

Experience

Essential criteria

• Substantial post-qualification experience as a PA in a clinical setting (A)
• Experience working within NHS governance and clinical standards frameworks, including producing or contributing to clinical protocols, SOPs or guidelines (A, I)
• Experience of contributing to or leading recruitment processes (A, I)
• Ability to lead, motivate and develop a multidisciplinary team (A, I)
• Experience of educational development of Physician Associate students and medical students (A, I)
• Experience of clinical care redesign or transformation (A, I)
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Previous PA leadership or coordination role; experience contributing to PA student placements or clinical education (A)
• Experience of governance or quality improvement work at departmental or organisational level; experience working across multiple clinical sites (A, I)
  
  

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

• Working knowledge of national guidance on PA governance, supervision and deployment, and of NHS governance frameworks, including SOP development and clinical risk management (A, I)
• Understanding of the NHS workforce environment, including the role of PAs in multidisciplinary teams, and awareness of postgraduate training structures and the importance of protecting training opportunities for resident doctors (A, I)
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of Equality Impact Assessment processes and the Public Sector Equality Duty (A, I)
  
  

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.
  
  

Important

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.