Paramedic / Practitioner NOT a home visiting service

Job responsibilities

Job summary:

• The role will provide a Paramedic Practitioner resource for health care professionals and service users, working in collaboration with other members of the Multidisciplinary Team.
• To work within the community, as an autonomous, accountable, Paramedic Practitioner, in the provision of a holistic approach for individuals including assessment, diagnosis and treatment, to deliver quality patient services.
• To assess, diagnose, treat, refer or signpost patients/service users who attend surgery with undifferentiated or undiagnosed condition relating to minor illness or minor injury.
• The post holder will use advanced clinical skills to provide education to service users, promoting self-care and empower them to make informed choices about their treatment.
• The post holder must own vehicle for home visits with expensed remunerated in overall financial package.

Key responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• Triage when appropriate and treat patients wishing to see a health care professional, making any necessary referrals to other members of the primary health care team
• Patients with problems needing referral to secondary care should be discussed with the registered GP before making such referral.
• Ensure clinical practice is safe and effective and remains within boundaries of competence, and to acknowledge limitations.
• Advise patients on general health care and minor ailments, with referral to other members of the primary and secondary health care team as necessary.
• Works from the surgery and within communities as an autonomous practitioner caring for patients and families.
• Works as an autonomous practitioner, in accordance with the Health Professions Council. Ensure that personal and professional clinical standards are maintained.
• To undertake assessment for patients within the community and those attending the surgery, using diagnostic skills and initiation of investigations where appropriate.

• Prescribe/issue medications as appropriate following policy, patient group directives and local pathways.
• Undertake completion of care plans for patients on various at risk registers with associated read coding and template submission
• To formally and informally impart knowledge and skills to colleagues promoting peer review and best practice within the work environment.
• To communicate at all levels within the team ensuring an effective service is delivered.
• To maintain accurate, contemporaneous healthcare records appropriate to the consultation.
• Ensure evidenced-based care is delivered at the highest standards ensuring delivery of high quality patient care.
• Works with local policies and procedures.
• Enhance own performance through Continuous Professional Development, imparting own knowledge and behaviours to meet the needs of the service.
• To achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development in order to meet the needs of the service.
• To participate in the audit process, evaluation and implementing plans and practice change in order to meet patient need.
• Contribute positively to the effectiveness and efficiency of the team and work colleagues.

• Undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs etc. Perform investigatory procedures requested by the GPs.

Administration and professional responsibilities

• Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team.
• Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes.
• Ensure the clinical computer system is kept up to date, with accurate details recorded and amended.
• Ensure appropriate items of service claims are made accurately, reporting any problems to the practice administrator.
• Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice
• Ensure collection and maintenance of statistical information required for regular and ad hoc reports and audit.
• Attend and participate in practice meetings as required.
• Restocking and maintenance of clinical areas and consulting rooms.

Training and personal development

• Training requirements will be monitored by yearly appraisal and will be in accordance with practice requirements. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the practice. It is the individuals responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments.

• Participate in the education and training of students of all disciplines and the introduction of all members of the practice staff where appropriate
• Maintain continued education by attendance at courses and study days as deemed useful or necessary for professional development, ensuring PREP requirements are met.
• If it is necessary to expand the role to include additional responsibilities, full training will be given.
• Develop and maintain a Personal Learning Plan

Team Working

• As well as the nursing team, there is a need to work closely with reception, office to ensure the smooth running of the practice, reporting any problems encountered to the relevant person and ensuring everyone is aware of the different roles within the nursing team
• There is also the need to establish and maintain good liaison with other surgeries and agencies, including secondary care
• It will be necessary to attend and contribute to various practice meetings as requested. The only reason for not attending will be annual, study or sick leave.

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 policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

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 practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Learning and development:

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

Management of Quality and Risk:

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 enhance 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.

Contribution to the 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.

Qualifications

Essential

• The post holder should have a good general education, with evidence of formal qualifications at GCSE/A level or above. The post holder should hold a recognised higher education qualification for example Bachelors Degree/Diploma in Paramedic Science, Paramedic Studies or Paramedic Practice or have the BTECH Level 4 Paramedic qualification or have completed the IHCD Paramedic qualification. DipHE/PGDip/BSc/MSc Higher Education Award relevant to area of specialist practice recognised as suitable for attracting specialist paramedic designation.
• Completion (in post) of the College of Paramedics Examination and OSCEs
• Evidence of undertaking regular update training and continuous personal/professional development.
• Full valid EU driving licence. No more than 3 penalty points at the time of application.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of two years post registration qualification as a paramedic (or equivalent relevant experience equating to 3,500 hours in front line ambulance or acute or chronic care).

Other

Essential

• He/she must be registered as a Paramedic with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and have current registration. Professional registration is the sole responsibility of the PP, and failure to remain on the register may lead to suspension from duty.
• A commitment to personal and professional development is essential and membership of the College of Paramedics or similar professional body is desirable.

Skills

Essential

• Strong listening and communication skills.
• Ability to empathise with and reassure patients and their family members/friends in crisis situations.
• Strong team worker with a collaborative style.
• Able to take and follow instructions.
• Ability to assess, minimise and manage risks and to defuse stressful situations and aggressive patients and to have well developed personal stress management techniques.
• Confident to work independently and make own judgements.
• Willing and able to learn and use paramedic skill set.
• Professional attitude and appearance.
• Literate and numerate
• Committed to personal and professional development.
• Personal insight.
• Ability to pass Higher Education modules.
• Understanding and commitment to equal opportunities.
• Commitment to clinical review and evidence-based practice.
• Good self-management, i.e. self-starter, good time management and able to deliver against set objectives.
• Persuasive advocacy skills able to develop packages of care for patients
• Reliable and conscientious.
• Physically fit and able to manoeuvre patients as required.
• Commitment to maintaining patient confidentiality, empowerment and the right to self-determination.
• Successful experience of developing initiatives in team settings.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).