Job responsibilities
Job
Description
Role: General Practice Assistant - GPA
Salary: Between
£28,750 and £36,150 p.a. for full time 37.5 hrs per week depending on skills
and experience
Reporting to: Principal GP - usually a GP Partner
Job Summary: The
post-holder will provide close administrative and communications support for
principal GPs and salaried GPs within the practice of
Alma Medical Centre. The post-holder will support GPs in the management and
continuity of care for patients including supporting GPs in the co-ordination
of patient care within a multi-disciplinary team.
The post holder
will support GPs, other clinical and admin staff in the delivery of patient
care and will have direct contact with patients. These activities will include
promoting engagement with our services, arranging appointments, supporting
patients through care pathways relevant to their conditions, communicating
outcomes of certain investigations and gathering information from patients to
help inform their assessment and planning of their care.
In addition to
supporting the clinical teams and direct patient care, the post-holder will
provide more general administrative and operational support for the Principal
GP in the delivery of their day-to-day work.
Key
Responsibilities
1:
Clinical, Administrative and operational support
1.1: Arranging
appointments, referrals, tests and follow up appointments for patients.
1.2: Assisting with
arranging simple clinical observations /investigations as directed locally,
such as dipstick urine, taking blood pressure, ECG, phlebotomy.
1.3: Preparing
patients prior to going in to see the GP, taking a brief history
and
basic readings in readiness for the GP appointment. This will particularly
apply to digital encounters in the form of e-consultation. E-consultations and
related activities will be a major element in this role.
1.4: Completing basic
(non-opinion) forms and core elements of some forms for the GP to approve and sign.
1.5: Explaining
treatment procedures to patients.
1.6: Helping the GP
liaise with outside agencies e.g. getting an on-call doctor
on
the phone to ask advice or arrange admission while the GP cancontinue
with their consultation(s). This will also involve signposting to some
community services.
1.7: sorting clinical
post and prioritising for the GP. Signposting some post to other members of
staff.
1.8: Extracting
information from clinical letters that needs coding; adding this to patient
notes. Supporting with QOF reviews
2:
Corporate responsibilities Health,
safety and security
2.1 The post-holder
will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety
and security as defined in the Alma Medical Centre Safety Policy, to include:
2.2 Use the personal
security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines.
Identify the risks involved in work activities and undertake them in a way that
manages the risks.
2.3 Use appropriate
infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so
that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting of any potential
risks identified
2.4 Awareness of and
adherence to the health and safety policies and procedures within the
workplace, including fire procedures, maintaining documentation, monitoring and
maintaining of equipment and furniture within your area of responsibility.
2.5: Participate in an
annual individual performance review
2.6: Track and
record evidence of their experience against the national
competency
framework.
2.7: Inform the lead
GP of any concerns regarding their role and request
professional
development as needed.
2.8: Be aware of
their own professional boundaries and what to do when
they
are reached.
3:
Service improvement
3.1: The post-holder
will contribute to the ongoing evaluation and development of services at Alma
Medical Centre to improve clinical outcomes and patients experience of services
and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency through:
3.2: Work with
colleagues in the team to contribute to the development of current and new
services and other initiatives.
3.3: Receive
feedback (including complaints) from patients, carers and other people involved
in care delivery and to ensure that this is shared internally to inform future
developments.
3.4: Participate in
meetings and other organisational activities that create opportunities to
improve patient care.
4:
Quality
4.1: The post-holder
will strive to maintain quality within the services offered by Alma Medical Centre
and will: Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk in the care of
patients.
4.2: Assess own
performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under
supervision.
4.3: 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.
4.4: Ensure own
actions are consistent with clinical governance systems.
4.5: Work
effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs Enable patients to access appropriate
professionals in the team.
4.6: Know and work
within the Practice's policies available in the Practice Employee Handbook.
4.7: Be able to manage your own time effectively.
4.8:
Support
in the delivery of standards and targets.
5:
Equality and diversity
5.1: The post-holder will support the equality,
diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
5.2: Identify patterns of discrimination and take
action to challenge and overcome this and promote diversity and equality of
opportunity.
5.3: Enable others to promote equality and
diversity in a non-discriminatory culture.
5.4: Support people who need assistance in
exercising their rights.
5.5: Act as a role
model in the observance of equality and diversity good practice.
5.6:
Accept the rights of individuals to choose
their care providers, participate in care and refuse care.
5.7: Assist patients from marginalised groups to
access quality care.
5.8: Undertake any
training required to meet the needs of the Practice. Acting in ways that
recognise the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is
consistent with procedures.
5.9: Respecting the
privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients and carers.
5.10: Understanding basic legal and communication
issues regarding child abuse, family violence, vulnerable adults, safeguarding,
substance abuse and addictive behaviour.
5.11: To act as chaperone for other clinicians in
line with the organisation Chaperoning Policy.
6:
Information processes
6.1: The post-holder will Record information and
activities undertaken with patients and carers in an accurate and timely
fashion using manual or computer systems as appropriate.
6.2: Review and process data using accurate read
codes to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring and
audit processes.
6.3: Manage
information searches using the internet and local library databases.
6.4: Understand
responsibility of self and others to the Practice and primary care trust
regarding the Freedom and Information Act.
6.5: Maintain
confidentiality or information relating to patients, relatives, staff and the
Practice.
6.6: Take the necessary precautions when
transmitting information.
7:
Confidentiality:
7.1: While 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. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly
confidential in line with GDPR regulations and requirements Information
relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the
business of the PCN 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.
The
above is not exhaustive. The post-holder may from time to time be required to
undertake other activities commensurate with the expected
7:
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.