Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

Purpose of the role

To provide safe, effective, person centred nursing care to the registered practice population. To deliver evidence based treatment room services, vaccination and screening programmes, long term condition (LTC) reviews, and health promotion; and to contribute to quality improvement, audit and governance across the practice and Primary Care Network (PCN).

Professional accountability

Maintain professional registration and practise in line with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code: prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety, and promote professionalism and trust.

Adhere to practice policies, national guidance and legal frameworks (e.g., Patient Group Directions (PGDs), consent, information governance, safeguarding).

Work autonomously within scope of competence, seeking support/escalation when required, and participate in clinical supervision and appraisal.

Key responsibilities

1) Clinical care and treatment room services

Undertake evidence based nursing assessments; plan, implement and evaluate care for patients across the life course.

Provide core treatment room services: wound and ulcer management (including Doppler and compression), suture/clip removal, aural care (in line with local protocol), ECGs, venepuncture, blood pressure and urinalysis, peak flow and oximetry.

Support womens and mens health: cervical cytology (if trained), contraception support within competence, sexual health screening, HRT and prostate health monitoring as per local protocols.

Assist GPs with minor surgery and IUD/implant procedures (preparation, chaperoning, post procedure care, documentation).

Recognise the deteriorating patient and escalate according to practice emergency procedures; provide immediate life support within training.

2) Long-term condition (LTC) management and QOF

Deliver structured LTC reviews (e.g., diabetes, respiratory, CVD, CKD) in line with NICE guidance and practice protocols.

Undertake opportunistic case-finding and risk management (hypertension, AF, NDH, obesity, smoking), contributing to QOF achievement and personalised care adjustments as appropriate.

Provide self management education and behaviour change support (e.g., smoking cessation, weight management, physical activity).

3) Immunisations and vaccination programmes

Assess, administer and record routine immunisations for children and adults, seasonal programmes (e.g., influenza, COVID19 per current guidance), and travel vaccines where provided.

Work under authorised PGDs, National Protocols or Patient Specific Directions (PSDs), ensuring cold chain integrity and vaccine safety; provide pre and post vaccine advice and manage AEFIs including anaphylaxis.

4) Screening and health promotion

Provide and support national screening programmes including cervical screening and NHS Health Checks (where commissioned).

Deliver targeted health promotion and brief interventions tailored to local population needs (e.g., cardiovascular risk reduction, mental health signposting).

5) Infection prevention and control (IPC)

Apply standard infection control precautions (hand hygiene, PPE, safe sharps, waste segregation) and maintain a clean, safe clinical environment.

Contribute to IPC audits, incident reporting and implementation of action plans.

6) Medicines management

Administer and supply medicines within legal frameworks (PGD/PSD/prescription) and competence; provide medicines information and adherence support.

Undertake vaccine and emergency drugs stock checks; maintain logs and expiry monitoring.

7) Safeguarding

Identify, respond to and escalate child and adult safeguarding concerns in line with the RCGP safeguarding standards and local policies.

Maintain role appropriate safeguarding training (Level 3 for registered clinicians in general practice) and contribute to multi agency information sharing.

8) Communication and record keeping

Use sensitive, inclusive communication; obtain and record informed consent and chaperone use as required.

Maintain accurate, contemporaneous clinical records to medicolegal standards; use templates/coding to support QOF and audit.

9) Teamwork, leadership and supervision

Work collaboratively within the MDT and PCN; contribute to meetings and service development.

Support, mentor and/or supervise HCAs, students and new starters within competence.

10) Quality improvement and governance

Participate in audits, significant event reviews, complaints learning and QI projects aligned to practice priorities and CQC quality statements.

Contribute to policy/protocol development and implementation (e.g., IPC, cold chain, anaphylaxis, chaperone, PDG governance).

Learning and development

Maintain revalidation portfolio and CPD; engage in annual appraisal, clinical supervision and a Personal Development Plan (PDP).

Complete mandatory training (e.g., BLS/ILS, anaphylaxis, safeguarding, IPC, information governance) and role specific competencies (e.g., cytology, immunisation).

Person specification (summary)

Registered Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration; evidence of recent primary care experience desirable.

Training/competence in core treatment room skills; immunisation and cytology training desirable (or willingness to achieve).

Knowledge of primary care quality frameworks (e.g., QOF), safeguarding, IPC and PGD governance.

Excellent communication, organisation and digital record keeping skills; commitment to person centred, inclusive care.

Note: This job description outlines key duties and may be amended following consultation to reflect service needs and professional developments. The practice is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to making reasonable adjustments.

Skills

Essential

• Skills
• Essential
• Ability to provide good, quality care to enable positive patient outcomes.
• Clinical examination.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills - both written and verbal.
• Experience in using IT in Primary Care setting.

Experience

Essential

• Experience
• Essential
• Recent and relevant experience of working in Practice Nurse role within Primary Care.
• Recent and relevant experience of long term condition management.
• Maintenance of up-to-date skills, knowledge and on-going competence of the Practice Nurse role.
• Evidence of capacity to work successfully, both as an autonomous clinician and as part of a team.
• Proven ability to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of own practice.
• Interpreting and implementing local and national policies.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration.
• Commitment to continuing professional development of self and others.
• A flexible and adaptable approach to maintain the consistent delivery of high quality services.
• Good team player.
• A commitment to anti-discriminatory practices in service delivery.
• Complies with GDPR & Data Protection Act.
• Adheres to confidentiality policy.
• Flexibility in working hours

Desirable

• Recent primary care experience.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge
• Essential
• Understanding and knowledge of policy developments related to the delivery of primary care services.
• Understanding of systems to gain an understanding of the health needs of the Practice population.
• Understanding evidence based practice.
• Knowledge of national standards that inform practice (e.g National Service Frameworks, NICE guidelines etc.)
• Accountability of own role in line with NMC Code of Professional Conduct (2015) and medico-legal aspects of the Practice Nurse role.
• Understanding of equal opportunity and diversity issues.

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).