Issa Medical Centre

Sessional GP

The closing date is 17 August 2025

Job summary

Job Title: General Practitioner (24 sessions) Location: St Werburgh's Practice for the Homeless and Special Allocation Service (SAS), Chester.

St Werburgh's Practice for the Homeless and Special Allocation Service (SAS) is seeking a compassionate and flexible General Practitioner to join our small and dedicated team in central Chester. We provide specialist primary care services to some of the most vulnerable members of our community, including those experiencing homelessness and patients registered under the SAS.

About the Practice: We are a unique, inclusive health service within Cheshire West Integrated Care Board (ICB) and part of the Chester Central Primary Care Network (PCN). Our work focuses on delivering high-quality, person-centred care to patients with complex health and social needs. These often include homelessness, mental health difficulties, substance misuse, trauma, and challenging social circumstances.

  • Primary care for individuals experiencing homelessness or social exclusion
  • GP services for patients registered under the Special Allocation Service (SAS)
  • Trauma-informed, non-judgemental care for people with multiple disadvantages
  • A flexible, personalised approach to meet people where they are
  • Strong emphasis on mental health, addiction, safeguarding, and holistic care
  • Multidisciplinary team (MDT)

Main duties of the job

What Were Looking For: We are looking for a GP who is:

  • Person-centred and trauma-aware in their clinical practice
  • Comfortable working with uncertainty and adapting to the needs of a complex population
  • Skilled at or interested in developing expertise in addiction, mental health, safeguarding, and social complexity
  • A team player who values collaborative working with a range of agencies
  • Compassionate, resilient, and committed to reducing health inequalities

What We Offer:

  • A highly supportive and experienced team, passionate about inclusion health
  • Opportunities to develop special interests in addiction, mental health, or complex care
  • The chance to make a real difference to peoples lives
  • Flexible working arrangements (24 sessions)
  • Regular MDTs, clinical supervision, and peer support

About us

A rare opportunity to deliver care where its needed most.

St Werburgh's Practice for the Homeless and Special Allocation Service (SAS) is seeking a compassionate and flexible General Practitioner to join our small and dedicated team in central Chester. We provide specialist primary care services to some of the most vulnerable members of our community, including those experiencing homelessness and patients registered under the SAS.

About the Practice: We are a unique, inclusive health service within Cheshire West Integrated Care Board (ICB) and part of the Chester Central Primary Care Network (PCN). Our work focuses on delivering high-quality, person-centred care to patients with complex health and social needs. These often include homelessness, mental health difficulties, substance misuse, trauma, and challenging social circumstances.

Details

Date posted

23 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A4240-25-0004

Job locations

St. Werburghs Practice

George Street

Chester

CH1 3EQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

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

  • Key Clinical Responsibilities
  • In accordance with the practice timetable, as agreed, the post-holder will make him/her-self available to undertake a variety of duties including surgery consultations, telephone consultations and queries, visiting patients at home, checking and signing repeat prescriptions and dealing with queries, paperwork and correspondence in a timely fashion
  • Share responsibility with other GPs for local outreach service
  • Participate in MDT meetings with a range of providers supporting our patients with homelessness
  • Making professional, autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, whether self-referred or referred from other health care workers within the organisation or external organisations
  • Assessing the health needs of patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems
  • Screening patients for disease risk factors and early signs of illness
  • Contributing to QOF requirements and recording data appropriately
  • In consultation with patients and in line with current practice disease management protocols, developing care plans for health-related illnesses
  • Screening patients for health education
  • Admitting and discharging patients to and from the caseload and referring to other care providers as appropriate
  • Recording clear and contemporaneous consultation notes to agreed standards
  • Collecting data for audit purposes and contributing to the Practice audit programme as required
  • Compiling and issuing computer-generated acute and repeat prescriptions
  • Prescribing in accordance with the accepted prescribing formulary (or generically) whenever this is clinically appropriate
  • Take responsibility for some aspects of the clinical work within the team, for example: co-ordinating aspects of governance, QOF, enhanced services, CPD and keeping clinical protocols up to date
  • In general the post holder will be expected to undertake all the normal duties and responsibilities associated with a GP working within primary care, as set by Royal College of General Practitioners, General Medical council, all other Royal colleges and councils applicable to the staff within the practice, Department of Health, Primary Care Trusts and all other regulatory and standard setting organisations.
  • 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 enhance the teams performance and service expansion
  • Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
  • Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
  • Prescribe safe and effective medicines management which conforms to:
  • NICE guidance and DH directives
  • Good Prescribing Practice as defined by British National Formulary (BNF) guidance from Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on safe and secure handling of medicine
  • Operate safe management and regular review for all patients receiving repeat prescriptions
  • Controlled Drugs legislation
  • Shared protocols agreed between the CCG and other NHS providers
  • Comply with targets set within the Prescribing Incentive Scheme
  • Contribute to the team's approach which ensures that referrals are made for patients to see other medical service providers, ensuring that adequate information is given to personnel to whom the patient has been referred for proper assessment to be made
  • Be supportive of any complaints policy and procedure to ensure proper investigation and appropriate follow-up action in the event of a complaining being made about any aspect of the service provided or any personal provider of the service
  • Other Responsibilities within the Organisation:
  • Contributing to service development and implementation of contract
  • Awareness of and compliance with all relevant Practice policies/guidelines/procedures, e.g. prescribing, child protection, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, discipline
  • A commitment to life-long learning and audit to ensure evidence-based best practice
  • Contributing to individual case discussions at clinical meetings and bring examples of cases for group discussion
  • Contributing to the organisational development of the Practice by contributing to the development of ideas, strategies and policies which will promote efficiency and well-being of the practice
  • Contributing to evaluation /audit and clinical standard setting with the organisation
  • Contributing to the development of computer-based patient records
  • Contributing to the summarising of patient records and Read-coding patient data
  • Attending training events organised by the practice and other agencies, where appropriate
  • Attending team meetings and other meetings as may be necessary
  • Training & Education
  • To provide appropriate health education and advice to patients to enable self- management and choice.
  • To undertake and complete appraisal process on yearly basis.
  • To undertake appropriate training to meet personal and mandatory educational
  • need
  • To undertake Personal development, in line with CPD objectives and record activity.
  • Clinical Governance/Audit
  • To work collaboratively with the GP Clinical Lead and the entire team to ensure that effective clinical governance is incorporated into day-to-day practice.
  • To undertake appropriate clinical audit in practice to identify clinical quality issues and markers and define processes to improve clinical outcomes.
  • To develop and implement as appropriate guidelines, policies and procedures as required.
  • To utilise latest available evidence to shape and organise services to reflect needs of population.
  • Communication
  • To develop and maintain high levels of communication with patients, ensuring effective care delivery.
  • To promote effective communication processes between all team members to enable good working practices.
  • To maintain communication processes with acute and other colleagues and partners in care to ensure care delivery.
  • 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 the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
  • Health and Safety:
  • The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health and safety and security as defined in the Practice Health and Safety Policy, to include:
  • Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
  • Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
  • Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
  • Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
  • Reporting potential risks identified
  • Equality and Diversity:
  • The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
  • Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and 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-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.
  • The main duties and responsibilities shown above are not exhaustive but should merely be regarded as a guide. The post-holder will be expected to conduct any reasonable activities according to the practice needs at that time. These will be subject to periodic review and may be amended to meet the challenging needs of the practice. The post-holder will be expected to participate in this process and the practice would aim to reach agreement to changes.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

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

  • Key Clinical Responsibilities
  • In accordance with the practice timetable, as agreed, the post-holder will make him/her-self available to undertake a variety of duties including surgery consultations, telephone consultations and queries, visiting patients at home, checking and signing repeat prescriptions and dealing with queries, paperwork and correspondence in a timely fashion
  • Share responsibility with other GPs for local outreach service
  • Participate in MDT meetings with a range of providers supporting our patients with homelessness
  • Making professional, autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, whether self-referred or referred from other health care workers within the organisation or external organisations
  • Assessing the health needs of patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems
  • Screening patients for disease risk factors and early signs of illness
  • Contributing to QOF requirements and recording data appropriately
  • In consultation with patients and in line with current practice disease management protocols, developing care plans for health-related illnesses
  • Screening patients for health education
  • Admitting and discharging patients to and from the caseload and referring to other care providers as appropriate
  • Recording clear and contemporaneous consultation notes to agreed standards
  • Collecting data for audit purposes and contributing to the Practice audit programme as required
  • Compiling and issuing computer-generated acute and repeat prescriptions
  • Prescribing in accordance with the accepted prescribing formulary (or generically) whenever this is clinically appropriate
  • Take responsibility for some aspects of the clinical work within the team, for example: co-ordinating aspects of governance, QOF, enhanced services, CPD and keeping clinical protocols up to date
  • In general the post holder will be expected to undertake all the normal duties and responsibilities associated with a GP working within primary care, as set by Royal College of General Practitioners, General Medical council, all other Royal colleges and councils applicable to the staff within the practice, Department of Health, Primary Care Trusts and all other regulatory and standard setting organisations.
  • 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 enhance the teams performance and service expansion
  • Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
  • Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
  • Prescribe safe and effective medicines management which conforms to:
  • NICE guidance and DH directives
  • Good Prescribing Practice as defined by British National Formulary (BNF) guidance from Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on safe and secure handling of medicine
  • Operate safe management and regular review for all patients receiving repeat prescriptions
  • Controlled Drugs legislation
  • Shared protocols agreed between the CCG and other NHS providers
  • Comply with targets set within the Prescribing Incentive Scheme
  • Contribute to the team's approach which ensures that referrals are made for patients to see other medical service providers, ensuring that adequate information is given to personnel to whom the patient has been referred for proper assessment to be made
  • Be supportive of any complaints policy and procedure to ensure proper investigation and appropriate follow-up action in the event of a complaining being made about any aspect of the service provided or any personal provider of the service
  • Other Responsibilities within the Organisation:
  • Contributing to service development and implementation of contract
  • Awareness of and compliance with all relevant Practice policies/guidelines/procedures, e.g. prescribing, child protection, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, discipline
  • A commitment to life-long learning and audit to ensure evidence-based best practice
  • Contributing to individual case discussions at clinical meetings and bring examples of cases for group discussion
  • Contributing to the organisational development of the Practice by contributing to the development of ideas, strategies and policies which will promote efficiency and well-being of the practice
  • Contributing to evaluation /audit and clinical standard setting with the organisation
  • Contributing to the development of computer-based patient records
  • Contributing to the summarising of patient records and Read-coding patient data
  • Attending training events organised by the practice and other agencies, where appropriate
  • Attending team meetings and other meetings as may be necessary
  • Training & Education
  • To provide appropriate health education and advice to patients to enable self- management and choice.
  • To undertake and complete appraisal process on yearly basis.
  • To undertake appropriate training to meet personal and mandatory educational
  • need
  • To undertake Personal development, in line with CPD objectives and record activity.
  • Clinical Governance/Audit
  • To work collaboratively with the GP Clinical Lead and the entire team to ensure that effective clinical governance is incorporated into day-to-day practice.
  • To undertake appropriate clinical audit in practice to identify clinical quality issues and markers and define processes to improve clinical outcomes.
  • To develop and implement as appropriate guidelines, policies and procedures as required.
  • To utilise latest available evidence to shape and organise services to reflect needs of population.
  • Communication
  • To develop and maintain high levels of communication with patients, ensuring effective care delivery.
  • To promote effective communication processes between all team members to enable good working practices.
  • To maintain communication processes with acute and other colleagues and partners in care to ensure care delivery.
  • 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 the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
  • Health and Safety:
  • The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health and safety and security as defined in the Practice Health and Safety Policy, to include:
  • Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
  • Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
  • Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
  • Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
  • Reporting potential risks identified
  • Equality and Diversity:
  • The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
  • Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and 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-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.
  • The main duties and responsibilities shown above are not exhaustive but should merely be regarded as a guide. The post-holder will be expected to conduct any reasonable activities according to the practice needs at that time. These will be subject to periodic review and may be amended to meet the challenging needs of the practice. The post-holder will be expected to participate in this process and the practice would aim to reach agreement to changes.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • MBChB or MBBS
  • Inclusion in the GMC Register.
  • On a Medical Performance List.
  • RCGP pt 1 (or willing to undertake)

Desirable

  • RCGP pt 2
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • MBChB or MBBS
  • Inclusion in the GMC Register.
  • On a Medical Performance List.
  • RCGP pt 1 (or willing to undertake)

Desirable

  • RCGP pt 2

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).

Additional information

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Issa Medical Centre

Address

St. Werburghs Practice

George Street

Chester

CH1 3EQ


Employer's website

https://www.issamedicalgroup.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Issa Medical Centre

Address

St. Werburghs Practice

George Street

Chester

CH1 3EQ


Employer's website

https://www.issamedicalgroup.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Business Manager

Brenda Vernon

brenda.vernon@nhs.net

07387101444

Details

Date posted

23 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A4240-25-0004

Job locations

St. Werburghs Practice

George Street

Chester

CH1 3EQ


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