An opportunity has arisen for an ANP/ACP/ECP to join our friendly and supportive General Practice Team. We are looking for a self-motivated, flexible individual with good organisational and communication skills who can work effectively within our clinical team to undertake patient assessment, diagnosis, and clinical management.
You will need to have the ability to work in demanding and ever-changing situations. You will work autonomously within your professional scope of practice adhering to the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice, leadership and management, education and facilitation of learning, and evidence, research, and development.
You will need to demonstrate safe, clinical decision-making and expert care, including assessment and diagnostic skills for patients within the general practice setting.
Collaborative working with the practice team is essential to meet the needs of patients and support the delivery of policies and procedures.
Main duties of the job
1. Assess and examine patients, diagnose, plan, treat, and review/evaluate.
2. Assessment may be face to face or via telephone, as part of a triage care team, and will include patients presenting with an undifferentiated diagnosis.
3. Diagnose and manage patients presenting with both acute and chronic conditions based on a management plan which includes a medication plan and other interventions.
4. Identify health priorities and make timely and appropriate interventions to support patients presenting with complex or acute needs.
5. Identify patients at risk of developing a chronic illness and develop a plan for minimising the risk of worsening.
6. Help to support patients with advice and education, promoting understanding, self-care, healthy lifestyle choices, and sources of support and compliance with a treatment plan and medication.
7. Other responsibilities include ensuring all clinical-generated administration is completed in a timely manner.
About us
Our main site is in the middle of Taunton overlooking the cricket ground and we have a branch surgery at Norton Fitzwarren which is a smart modern purpose-built facility. The postholder will work out of both sites.
We have a highly experienced GP team. We are a GP Training Practice (we have just been assessed as excellent for this and we usually have a F2 doctor from the hospital for 4 months at a time on rotation. We also have student doctors in the practice. Our Practice Nursing Team includes mentors, so we do take nursing students on placement.
We have a strong Practice Nurse Team providing a full suite of chronic disease management care and the usual treatment room functions, plus vaccinations etc.
We try to make the best use of clinical IT and have a specialist team handling issues such as clinical coding, data quality, templates, protocols, screen pop-ups, hot keys, searches, audits, recalls. Examples of recent successes have been the reduction in workflow items being sent to clinicians, including the diversion of prescription-related items to our prescribing desk function.
We are all supported by our Patient Services Team (used to be called Receptionists) who handle thousands of contacts per week.
The Practice is part of the Taunton Central Primary Care Network.
You can read all about us on our website www.stjamesmedicalcentre.co.uk
Job responsibilities
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title
Post reference number
AP/03
Date of this job description
Reviewed 27/12/2024
Reviews
At appraisal / learning plan interviews
Postholder name
Weekly hours
37.5 hours
A. MAJOR PURPOSE OF THE POST
To deliver a high standard of patient care as Advanced Care Practitioner/Emergency Care Practitioner in general practice, using advanced autonomous clinical skills and a broad and in-depth theoretical knowledge base.
To manage a clinical caseload, dealing with presenting patients' needs in a primary care setting.
To develop the clinical services offered by the practice.
To provide clinical leadership within the practice with sphere of expertise.
B. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The postholder is an experienced health care professional, who acting within their professional boundaries, will provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of their care. They will demonstrate safe, clinical decision-making and expert care for patients within the general practice. They will work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary general practice team to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures, and providing professional support to colleagues within the practice as required. In order to work at this level, Department of Health (2010) requirements for advanced practice must be met.
CLINICAL ROLE:
1. Undertake home visiting of patients.
2. Provide the choice of direct access to an ACP/ECP, both in the Practice and over the telephone, for the general practice population.
3. Make professionally autonomous decisions for which he/she is accountable.
4. All patients are triaged by the duty team to the ACP/ECP. The ACP/ECP provides clinical support 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.
5. Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings/reports.
6. Where the postholder is an independent prescriber: to prescribe safe, effective, and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework.
7. Provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care.
8. Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate an ongoing plan of care/support, with an emphasis on prevention and self-care.
9. Promote health and well-being through the use of health promotion, health education, screening, and therapeutic communication skills.
10. Refer patients directly to other services/agencies as appropriate.
11. Work with the multi-disciplinary team within the Practice, and across the wider healthcare community, to promote integrated and seamless pathways of care.
12. Contribute to the practice achieving its quality targets to sustain the high standards of patient care and service delivery.
13. Participate in identification of community health needs and develop patient/family-centered strategies to address them.
14. Help develop and set up new patient services and participate in initiatives to improve existing patient services.
15. Be aware of and contribute to planning and delivery of practice-based commissioning.
TEACHING AND MENTORING ROLE:
1. Promote a learning environment for patients, nurses, and other health professionals.
2. Contribute to the planning and implementation of the teaching for existing staff, such as medical students, nurse students, GP registrars, Health Care Assistants, within the Practice.
PROFESSIONAL ROLE:
1. Promote evidence-based practice using the latest research-based guidelines and the development of practice-based research.
2. Monitor the effectiveness of their own clinical practice through the quality assurance strategies such as the use of audit and peer review.
3. Maintain their professional registration.
4. Participate in continuing professional development opportunities to ensure that up-to-date evidence-based knowledge and competence in all aspects of the role is maintained.
5. Work within the latest HCPC/NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
6. Record accurate consultation data in patients' records in accordance with the latest HCPC/NMC guidance and other pertinent standards.
7. Keep up to date with pertinent health-related policy and work with the practice team to consider the impact and strategies for implementation.
8. Work collaboratively with colleagues within and external to the practice.
9. Pro-actively promote the role of the ACP/ECP within the Practice, and externally to key stakeholders and agencies.
C. SUPERVISION EXERCISED
The postholder has no direct line management responsibility but is empowered to use professional skills and judgments to advise, train, and where necessary instruct, other members of the team in clinical and safety matters.
D. SUPERVISION RECEIVED
For line management purposes the postholder reports to the Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
E. DECISIONS EXERCISED
The postholder is responsible for a wide range of clinical care and will usually work unsupervised. The postholder is required to exercise judgment and take decisions about the care provided to patients. Decisions will be taken in accordance with national, local, and practice guidelines and protocols. Decisions should only be exercised within the postholder's professional competencies.
F. CREATIVITY
There is a good deal of scope for creativity. The postholder is responsible for the assessment of patient care needs and the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs of care. Key inputs are made in conjunction with the GPs over the introduction of new protocols and working practices. The ongoing development of evidence-based medicine; clinical governance and continuing professional development also afford opportunities for creativity.
G. CONTACTS
The postholder has contact with a wide range of people, including patients, GPs, Practice Manager, Practice Nurses, Receptionists, Community Staff, Hospital Staff, NHS England, and Commissioners.
H. EDUCATION
The postholder will be a qualified Paramedic with current HCPC registration or Advanced Nurse Practitioner and will work towards gaining modules in Advanced Practice including prescribing.
I. SPECIAL CONDITIONS
The post-holder is required to travel independently between practice sites (where applicable), and to attend meetings etc. hosted by other agencies.
The post-holder will have contact with body fluids i.e. wound exudates, urine etc. while in clinical practice.
J. OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Knowledge of Health and Safety guidelines including infection control.
Knowledge of CQC requirements.
Ability to work with minimum supervision and to organise own workload.
Ability to contribute effectively to the Primary Health Care Team.
An understanding of the main requirements of the GP contract and enhanced services.
K. GRADE
St James scale. There are no collective agreements in place.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* ESSENTIAL
* Qualifications:
* Registered General Nurse (Currently registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council) or Paramedic Registered with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
* Recognised NP qualification at Masters level or equivalent.
* Experience:
* Minimum of 2 years post-registration experience including 2 years in Primary and Community Care.
* Experience in management of long-term conditions e.g. asthma, COPD, diabetes, CHD.
* Evidence of appropriate continuing professional development activity to maintain up-to-date knowledge and ongoing competence in all aspects of the ACP role.
* Proven ability to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of their own clinical practice.
* Knowledge:
* Understanding and knowledge of policy developments related to the delivery of primary care services including General Practice, the GMS contract, Clinical Governance, Quality & Outcomes Framework.
* Understanding of systems to gain an understanding of the health needs of the Practice population as they relate to primary care.
* Understanding of evidence-based practice.
* Knowledge of national standards that inform practice (e.g. National Service Frameworks, NICE guidelines etc.).
* Understanding of their accountability arising from the NMC/HCPC Code of Professional Conduct and medico-legal aspects of the Nurse Practitioner role including Safeguarding.
* Understanding of equal opportunity and diversity issues.
* Skills:
* Ability to assess and manage patient risk effectively and safely.
* Well-developed word processing/data collection/IT skills.
* Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
* Time management and ability to prioritise workload.
* Able to analyse data and information, drawing out implications for the individual patient/impact on care plan.
* Able to establish and maintain effective communication pathways within the organisation, the local CCG, and with key external stakeholders.
* Self-motivated.
* Organisational skills.
* Car driver/access to car.
* DESIRABLE
* Teaching/Mentoring experience and/or qualification.
* Independent prescribing.
* 3-5 years post-registration experience.
* Interpreting and implementing local and National policy agendas for health.
* Evidence of working autonomously and as part of a team.
* Experience of use of a medical software package.
* Proven record of effective use of networking and influencing skills.
* Ability to think strategically.
* Experience of presenting information to a wider audience.
* Ability to work flexible hours when required.
* Sickness level below 5%.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Depending on experience £18.75-£26.50 dependent on experience, skills, and qualifications.
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