Clinical Responsibilities In general the post-holder will be expected to undertake all the normal duties and responsibilities associated with a Lead Nurse within primary care including: Making professionally autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, and provide safe, evidence based, cost effective, and individualised patient care. Where necessary, evaluate patient test results in conjunction with the patients and their GP and ensure the appropriate course of treatment is initiated. Make appropriate referrals to other members of the primary, community and secondary care teams. Help the practice develop and deliver specialist primary nurse led services including chronic disease management. Initiate the role of diagnosis for patients suspected to have a chronic disease such as diabetes, COPD, asthma and CHD, referring to other clinicians as appropriate. Provide comprehensive travel health advice for patients prior to travel including malaria prophylaxis, safe sex, sun protection, food hygiene, first aid and emergency medication, health insurance and vaccinations. Administer child and adult immunisations and vaccinations in accordance with national and local programmes. Competent in anaphylaxis and resuscitation techniques. Ensuring safe storage, rotation and disposals of vaccines and drugs and that adequate stock levels are maintained Be able to undertake procedures including: venepuncture, BP management, urinalysis, peak flow, spirometry/FeNO testing, pregnancy testing, cytology. Provide support and chaperoning to the doctors for minor surgery and other procedures Promote health and wellbeing, giving general education advice on diet, contraception, smoking chronic disease management, exercise etc. Initiate and carry out programmes of health screening as agreed with the practice clinical team Enables supports and encourage individuals, families and groups to address issues which affect their health and social wellbeing Contribute to the practice achieving its GMS contract obligations. Records clear and contemporaneous consultation notes to agreed standards. Ensures appropriate use of read codes. Ensure all data protection requirements are met when gathering, recording and storing patient data. Complies with all relevant clinical governance, polices and protocols. Completes clinically related administrative and non clinical duties needed for the delivery of the service. Demonstrates commitment to lifelong learning, and audit to ensure evidence based best practice. Provides active input to the wider primary healthcare team in the process of health needs research/base line data collection/clinical audit. Networks with other agencies (both statutory and voluntary) and develops appropriate links to further the work of the practice and Sunderland GP Alliance. Participates in the collection and collation of statistics towards the preparation of practice reports, performance monitoring and audits. Attends in-house meetings, significant event audit meetings and other meetings as deemed necessary. Leadership Ensure services adhere to performance targets, taking remedial action where appropriate, including QOF, public health targets (such as smoking cessation and vaccinations), and contractual commitments to the commissioners Ensure that internal and external quality standards are met and maintained, including standards laid down by the Care Quality Commission and commissioners. Ensure that all registered nurses know and understand the procedures for documenting health records. Support the Lead ANP in the development of clinical protocols that safeguard the wellbeing of patients and address public health, prescribing and other related NHS requirements. Promptly review significant events or complaints related to the nursing team, and recognise, promote and implement learning outcomes. Promote and support partnership working internally and externally to benefit patients, carers, staff, volunteers and the wider community. Hold regular nursing staff meetings to promote communication and information sharing. To act as a positive role model which promotes team working, respect, innovation and excellence. To ensure there is appropriate leadership in place for Infection Control Human Resources Promoting a work environment conducive to harmonious work relationships and high staff morale. Be responsible for the appointment, management, support, appraisal, development and discipline of nursing staff. Ensure that staffing levels and skill mix are appropriate, operating appropriate induction processes for new starters, including locums. Operate systems for staff support, appraisal, development and clinical supervision in accordance with regulatory guidelines and the Alliances policies and procedures. Undertake any training and development required for the effective performance of the role. Support other staff by working with them to identify their training and development needs and supporting with practical experience and mentorship where appropriate. 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, Alliance staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Alliance as a business organization. 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 Alliance may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Alliances policies and procedures relating to confidentiality, and the protection of personal and sensitive data. Health & Safety The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Alliances Health & Safety Policy to include: Identifying the risk involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks. Using appropriate infection control procedures particularly those relating to needle stick injuries, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards. Ensuring that all accidents or dangerous accidents are reported and investigated, and follow up action taken where necessary. 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 recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with current legislation. Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues. Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgemental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights. Quality The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will: Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk. 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 enhanced the teams performance. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources. 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.