Advanced Clinical Practitioner/Nurse Practitioner/Paramedic

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

The Clinical Practitioner will be responsible for providing routine and acute medical services to patients who wish to be seen by a health care professional. You will assess, diagnose, treat, and write prescriptions as required. You will triage and refer patients appropriately, making any necessary referrals for investigations in the appropriate manner including to Secondary Care.

Primary responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the Clinical Practitioner.

You will work within your own scope of clinical practice to:

• Assess patients presenting with acute illness.
• Diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions and care for patients presenting with an undifferentiated diagnosis within the boundaries of competence.
• Evaluate patients' medical conditions and determining the appropriate medications to prescribe. The individual will be responsible for writing prescriptions, ensuring the correct dosage and instructions, and monitoring patients' responses to the medications.
• Clinically examine and assess patients needs from a physiological and psychological perspective, and plan clinical care accordingly.
• To undertake home visits, primarily for acute conditions, as assessed by the duty doctor, and within the boundaries of professional qualifications.
• Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings/reports.
• Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate interventions/treatments for patients with complex needs or liaise on patient care with the most appropriate member of the clinical team as required.
• Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition.
• Diagnose and manage both acute and chronic conditions, integrating both drug and non-drug based treatment methods into a management plan.
• Ensure continuity of care, arranging follow-up consultations or reviews as necessary
• Support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines (within own scope of practice)
• Liaise with external services/agencies to ensure that the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients, etc.
• Ensure that they adhere to the relevant patient group directives and local clinical pathways at all times
• Maintain accurate clinical records in line with legislation, ensuring read codes are used correctly
• Fully participate in the clinical administration within the practice, signing prescriptions, reviewing medication, reviewing patient letters/discharges, responding to queries.
• Prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence based practice and national and practice protocols and formularies.
• Work with patients and their carers in order to support compliance with and adherence to prescribed treatments.

• Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication on medication regimes, side-effects and interactions.
• Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care.
• Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles, and apply principles of self-care.
• Support and manage the needs of patients presenting for family planning or sexual health consultations, including the prescribing of contraceptive medication or LARC.
• Assess, identify and refer patients presenting with mental health needs in accordance with the NSF for Mental Health.

• Contribute to the practice achieving its quality targets to sustain the high standards of patient care and service delivery.
• Help develop and set up new patient services and participate in initiatives to improve existing patient services.
• Help develop and review clinical protocols.
• Attend the review of significant and near-miss events meetings ensuring learnings and actions are undertaken and followed up within the Practice
• Ensure you are up to date with the latest local and National clinical guidance

Secondary responsibilities

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Clinical Practitioner may be requested to:

• Support the Data Quality and Patient Support team managers with patient/process improvement initiatives
• Partake in undertaking audits when necessary
• Support and participate in shared learning across the Practice and with PCN colleagues
• Take personal responsibility for own learning and development

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

For full details please see the attached job description and person specification

Clinical knowledge and skills

Essential

• Ability to effectively triage, assess and diagnose
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Understands the importance of evidence-based practice
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding of when to refer to GPs

Desirable

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Asthma
• CHD
• Immunisations
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
• Knowledge of health-promotion strategies
• Understands the requirement for PGDs and associated policy

Personal Qualities

Essential

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

Skills

Essential

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

Desirable

• SystmOne user skills
• Understanding of the audit process
• Understanding of clinical risk management

Other Requirements

Essential

• Flexibility to work outside core office hours
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Occupational Health clearance
• Registration with appropriate professional body

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered NMC Nurse or current HCPC Registration
• Minor Illness Qualification
• Qualified Independent Prescriber

Desirable

• Registered ACP
• Master's degree level in relevant area of expertise

Experience

Essential

• Experience in triage
• Experience of dealing with a range of clinical conditions

Desirable

• Experience of working as a Advanced Clinical practitioner
• Experience of working in a primary care environment

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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