Deputy Lead Practice Nurse Development to Lead Nurse

Job responsibilities

The Deputy Lead Practice Nurse will be required to support the Lead Nurse with duties as delegated. This may include the management of the practice nursing team, which may consist of nurses, TNAs, HCAs and Phlebotomists.

The Deputy Lead Practice Nurse will, in conjunction with the Lead Nurse, oversee a number of clinical areas such as child and adult vaccination programmes, health promotion, chronic disease management, well women and well man clinics, IPC, as well as actively supporting the practice management team in the reviewing and delivery of clinical policy and procedure.

The Deputy Lead Practice Nurse, alongside the Lead Nurse, will assist in the implementation of processes for the effective management of patients with long-term conditions using evidence-based practice including care for elderly and housebound patients.

Working as a senior member of the practice multidisciplinary team, the post holder will ensure nursing services are delivered effectively to the registered practice population.

Main Responsibilities

1.Patient Support and Clinical Services

The following are the core responsibilities of the Lead Practice Nurse.The Deputy Lead Nurse will be expected to be involved with all aspects of the Lead Nurse Role to develop the knowledge, skill and expertise to initially deputise for the Lead Nurse in their absence and ultimately in future fully take on the Lead Nurse Role.

There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

To act as the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) lead and to work to the IPC Policy ensuring the implementation of audits, coaching and training, and evidence of compliance to the Practice Manager

To produce the IPC annual statement

To develop, implement and embed an effective care management programme for the frail and elderly patients registered at the practice

To assess the needs of patients ensuring the provision of healthcare is appropriate, incorporating evidence-based practice

To develop, implement and embed health promotion and wellbeing programmes

To implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for chronic disease patients that promote health and wellbeing

To identify, manage and support patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects to patients health

As required, to provide routine nursing care to patients in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF

To manage vaccination campaigns & as part of the team administer vaccines and immunisations to patients in accordance with PGDs and own scope of practice

To review patient medications to enhance compliance

To provide guidance to patients in the use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications regarding side effects and dosages

To co-ordinate the provision of travel medicine services

To perform phlebotomy services at the request of the GPs and in accordance with practice policies

To provide chronic disease clinics, delivering patient care as necessary

To maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation

To ensure relevant codes are used effectively by all members of the nursing team

To ensure the appropriate maintenance and use of chronic disease registers

To develop, implement, embed and participate in well woman clinics, including cervical cytology

To develop, implement, embed and participate in well man clinics

To ensure compliance with the practice chaperone policy

To assist GPs with minor surgery when required

To prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately

To support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies

To recognise, assess and refer patients presenting with mental health needs

To support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines

To liaise with external services/agencies to ensure the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients etc.)

To delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately (ensuring safe practice and the task is within the scope of practice of the individual)

To support the clinical team with all safeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies

To understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately

To deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

To ensure clinical equipment is fit for purpose in line with statutory requirements

To keep up to date with CQC requirements, supporting the whole team to implement and maintain standards as appropriate

2.Systems and Administrative Support

In consultation with the Management Team, continually review, plan and implement protocols, both clinical and non-clinical. Support necessary changes within the nursing team, enhancing the provision of services to patients

Ensure accurate data is recorded on the patients computer records and that paper notes are kept in chronological order as per protocol.

Embrace, support and be innovative with advancements in Information Technology

To receive incoming and initiate outgoing communications in order to facilitate timely and appropriate exchanges with others, taking messages and dealing with enquiries.

Support all members of the nursing team, providing guidance when necessary, conducting appraisals and training needs analyses as required

Coordinate the nursing team rota, ensuring sufficient staff are available to meet patient needs

Liaising with and assisting members of the nursing and administrative team

Support and participate in shared learning within the practice in order to improve patient care

Continually review clinical practices, responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate

3.Team-working

We are a small team with a big remit, so we consider teamwork a core part of our job role. We support each other and our patients, so we ask of each other:

All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working and understand their own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time. Staff are to prioritise their own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team.

Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments and the post holder is to work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working and work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery

Support the whole practice team with the reviewing and implementation of practice policies and protocols, ensuring conformance to extant legislation

Participate in the review of significant and near-miss events applying a structured approach, i.e., root cause analysis (RCA)

To recognise the importance of effective communication within the team

To communicate effectively with patients, carers, and other team members

All staff should delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence.

To attend practice and other meetings as required

To, as part of valuing diversity and maintaining a great team, recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

4.General Duties

To support others by maintaining filing and administrative systems so that written or electronic information is easily accessible and secure.

Open and secure premises as required

Qualifications

Essential

• NMC Registered Nurse

Desirable

• Mentor or teaching qualification
• Post graduate diploma or degree (Chronic Disease Management)
• Nurse prescriber
• Completed or working towards infection prevention and control training
• Family planning qualification

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills & telephone manner
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Strong IT skills and competent in clinical IT systems
• Clear, polite telephone manner

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and co-operative
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
• Motivated, forward thinker, innovative
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• Effectively utilise resources

Clinical Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Wound care/removal of sutures and staples
• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• New patient medicals
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Understanding the importance of evidence-based practice
• Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
• Chaperone procedure
• Womens health (cervical cytology, contraception, etc.)
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Chronic disease management in Diabetes, Asthma, Stoke, Heart Disease

Desirable

• Travel medicine
• Spirometry
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• Experience of working as a practice nurse
• Experience of chronic disease management
• Experience of working autonomously
• Experience of infection prevention and control measures
• Experience of Clinical IT Systems

Desirable

• Experience of leading a nursing team in a primary care environment
• Experience of training and managing people
• Experience of managing elderly patients

Other

Essential

• Ability to deal with all matters confidentially and an understanding of GDPR and its application in a healthcare setting
• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Occupational Health clearance
• Meet the requirements and produce evidence for nurse revalidation
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) commensurate with the role of a Practice Nurse

Desirable

• Sound understanding of individual and team contributions and impact on business objectives and performance.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) commensurate with the role of a Lead Practice Nurse

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).