CORE TASKS AND FUNCTIONS The post-holder will: Make professionally autonomous decisions for which they are accountable. Provide a first point of contact within the Practice for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, making use of skills in history taking, physical examination, problem-solving and clinical decision-making, to establish a diagnosis and management plan. Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings/reports. As an independent prescriber: to prescribe safe, effective, and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework. Provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care. Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate an on-going plan of care/support, with an emphasis on prevention and self-care. Promote health and well-being using health promotion, health education, screening and therapeutic communication skills. Refer patients directly to other services/agencies as appropriate. Take the Practice lead in developing and delivering specialist primary care services, such as long term disease management (diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease and hypertension) Work with nursing, medical and health care assistant colleagues to ensure that National Service Frameworks (e.g. Coronary Heart Disease/Older People/ Diabetes /Mental Health) are being delivered. Contribute to the practice achieving its quality targets to sustain the high standards of patient care and service delivery. Participate in identification of community health needs and develop patient/family-centered strategies to address them. Help develop and set up new patient services and participate in initiatives to improve existing patient services. Other responsibilities with the Practice: Awareness of and compliance with all relevant practice policies/guidelines, e.g. prescribing, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, supporting annual Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)Assessment of the Practice. A commitment to life-long learning and audit to ensure evidence-based best practice. Contributing to evaluation/audit and clinical standard setting within the organisation. Contributing to the development of computer-based patient records. Attending training, internal meetings and events organised by the practice or other agencies, where appropriate. Meet all tight timescales/deadlines to ensure that the Practice meets quality standards and receives the designated funding (e.g. Quarterly Enhanced Services returns, annual QOF audit etc.) Confidentiality While 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. Health & Safety The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, to include: Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines. Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks. Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills. Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards. Reporting potential risks identified. Equality and Diversity The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include: Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation. Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues. Personal/Professional Development In addition to maintaining continued education through attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary to ensure that professional development requirements are met, the post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include: Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development. Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work. Quality The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will: Alert other team members to issues of Clinical Governance issues, quality and risk; participate in Significant Event Analysis reviews. Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision. Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources and also contribute to the overall team-working of the Practice putting the needs of the Practice first. Communication The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to: Communicate effectively with other team members. Communicate effectively with patients and carers. Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly. Contribution to the planning and implementation of services The post-holder will: Apply practice policies, standards and guidance. Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work. Participate in audit where appropriate. Work with the Partners and Management Team to achieve standards of quality, performance standards, budgets and targets without compromising levels of patient healthcare. Contribute towards the development and implementation of new standards, policies and procedures that are/will be required of GP Practices now and in the future. This Job Description is not comprehensive and the post holder will be expected to undertake any duties delegated by the Practice Manager or Partners that are commensurate with their grade.