Clinical responsibilities In accordance with the Practice/PCN rota, as agreed, the post-holder will make themself available to undertake a variety of duties including surgery consultations, telephone consultations and queries, visiting patients at home and in Care homes, checking and signing/authorising repeat prescriptions and dealing with queries, paperwork, and correspondence in a timely fashion. o Making professional, autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, whether self-referred or referred from other health care workers within the organisation. o Assessing the health care needs of patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems o Screening patients for disease risk factors and early signs of illness o In consultation with patients and in line with current practice disease management protocols, developing care plans for health. o Providing counselling and health education o Admitting or discharging patients to and from the caseload and referring to other care providers as appropriate o Recording clear and contemporaneous consultation notes to agreed standards. o Collecting data for audit purposes o Compiling and issuing computer-generated acute and repeat prescriptions o Prescribing in accordance with the practice prescribing formulary (or generically) whenever this is clinically appropriate. o The post-holder will be required to visit patients/care homes during surgery time in an emergency if clinically indicated. o The post-holder will undertake a fair % of on call sessions per week as allocated on the PCN rota. o The post-holder will undertake fair share of home visiting sessions per week as allocated. Patient Management Create opportunities to address patients care needs in the most expedient way, taking into account that continuity of care and access to services are often in direct conflict. Encourage patients to be aware of the service pressures within primary care and to manage their expectations of what we can realistically deliver in a manner that is fair and proportionate for all care priorities. Make improved use of the telephone and other technologies. Encourage patients to rely on face-to-face consultation only where there is a clinical need to do so. Communicate and reassure patients of the need to offer alternative care options where appropriate and safe to do so. To immediately highlight any concerns, you may have in respect of safety or quality of patient care to the Clinical Director and Practice Partners. Confidentiality In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential. Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice/PCN policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data. The post-holder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role. The post-holder will comply with the Data Protection Act (1984) and the Access to Health Records Act (1990). Data Protection As your employer, the Practices/PCN needs to keep information about you for purposes connected with your employment. The sort of information we will hold include information for payroll purposes, references, contact names, addresses, and records relating to your career with the PCN. These uses are covered by our notification with the Information Commissioners Office under the Data Protection Act 1998. Managing information Use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in planning, implementation, and monitoring of care, presenting and communicating information. Review and process data using accurate coding to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring and audit processes. Understand responsibility of self and others to the practice and primary care trust regarding the Freedom and Information Act. Makes accurate record keeping in EMIS and makes effective use of the clinical system by ensuring the consistent and accurate entering of data and use of Read / SNOMED Codes. Facilitates the use of up-to-date information technology to collate accurate and timely information as and when required by the practice. Works within the Caldicott and Data Protection principles. Assist in the development of practice protocols for the practice and clinical protocols for the clinical team. Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk. Information Security Under the provisions of the Data Protection act, it is the responsibility of each member of staff to ensure that all personal data relating to patients and members of staff, whether held in manual or electronic format, is always kept secure. Computer passwords must not be shared either between systems or users. The Practices/PCN may monitor email messages, any files stored on the networks or in equipment and usage of Internet, NHS.net and computer systems, irrespective of whether these relaters to PCN or personal use. Access and usage of practices/PCNs computers must be in accordance with the Practices/PCNs Policies. Safe haven procedures are to be used for all electronic transfer of personal data. This is in order to protect the practices, patients and staff, and its reputation and to ensure that it complies with the laws and other guidelines.