Advanced Care Practitioner

Job responsibilities

The post-holder will undetake a variety of duties including:

Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions and care for patients presenting unscheduled with undifferentiated diagnosis either in the Practice or in patients homes/care homes.

Independently treat patients, including the prescribing of medicines as appropriate and within scope of practice (if you are a prescriber)

Refer patients for investigations or to the appropriate specialist

Undertake and interpret diagnostics and take appropriate action to manage patient care, distinguishing between abnormal and normal findings to relate them to a possible diagnosis

Refer patients to appropriate care setting, within locally agreed health care pathways

Ensure that practice clinical database is updated promptly and accurately with information relating to patient records, as required for clinical accuracy and for practice recording requirements under QOF and Enhanced Services

Reporting to: Lead Practice Nurse (clinically)

Practice Manager (administratively)

Job Summary:

The post-holder will deal with a wide range of health needs in a primary care setting, ensuring the highest standards of care for all registered patients.

Clinical Responsibilities:

In accordance with the Practice timetable, as agreed, the post-holder will make him/herself available to undertake a variety of duties including:

• Surgery consultations
• Telephone consultations and queries
• Home visits
• Dealing with queries, paperwork and correspondence in a timely manner
• Making professional, autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, whether self-referred or referred from other health care workers within the organisation.
• Assessing the health care needs of patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems.
• Screening patients for disease risk factors and early signs of illness.
• In consultation with patients and in line with current Practice disease management protocols, developing care plans for health.
• To assist in the establishment of appropriate systems to manage common chronic medical conditions.
• Completion of clinically related administrative and non clinical duties needed for the delivery of the service.
• Providing counselling and health education.
• Refer patients for further opinions and interventions according to Practice protocols
• Recording clear and contemporaneous consultation notes to agreed standards.
• Compiling and issuing computer-generated acute and repeat prescriptions.
• Prescribing in accordance with the Practice prescribing formulary whenever this is clinically appropriate.
• In general the post-holder will be expected to undertake all the normal duties and responsibilities associated with an Advanced Care Practitioner working within primary care.

Maintaining, monitoring and updating computer database and management of medical records and practice audits

• Ensure that practice clinical database is updated promptly and accurately with information relating to patient records, as required for clinical accuracy and for practice recording requirements under QOF and Enhanced Services.
• Appropriate use of read codes.
• Participating in the collection and collation of statistics towards the preparation of practice reports, performance monitoring and audits
• Participating in the auditing of practice activity

Practice Organisation

• Attendance at in-house meetings, significant event audit meetings and others as deemed necessary
• Awareness and compliance with all relevant guidelines e.g. data protection, confidentiality and health and safety
• Maintain current CPR and anaphylaxis certification

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 practice 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 Practice Health & Safety Policy to include:

• Providing information regarding immune consent with particular regard to Hepatitis B status.
• 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 needlestick injuries, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards.
• Ensuring that all accident or dangerous accidents are reported and investigated, and follow up action taken where necessary.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the quality, 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 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.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills - written and oral
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• EMIS user skills
• Effective time management - planning and organising
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Experience with clinical risk management

Experience

Essential

• Previous primary care experience, specifically working within a GP practice nursing team
• Experience of NHS IT System EMIS.
• Good level of communication skills both verbal and written which can be tailored to a wide range of stakeholders.
• Good level of ICT knowledge and skills.
• Good organisational skills and time management.
• Professional calm and efficient manner.
• Self-motivated, can work well independently and within a team.
• Works safely and effectively when working autonomously and in conjunction with other health care professionals

Desirable

• Experience of clinical audit evaluation research and implementation of evidence based practice
• Understanding of national and local guidelines
• Understand clinical governance and risk management

Qualifications

Essential

• Hold one or more acedemic Level 6 diploma or postgraduate certification in long-term conditions care and or public health initiatives.
• Registered with the NMC and maintains revalidation in line with NMC requirements.
• Working at Registered Nurse Level Practice as described in the Primary Care and General Practice Nursing Career and Core Capabilities Framework.
• Enhanced DBS check.

Desirable

• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development.
• Valid UK driving licence.

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).