PCN Paramedic

Job responsibilities

Our PCN Paramedic has the following key responsibilities in delivering health services to our patients:

a. Working as part of the multidisciplinary team, support the delivery, and continue the development, of the on the day patient service in the practice and PCN;

b. Accurately triage, assess and prioritise patients, including face to face same day and telephone triage, demonstrating the use of a variety of techniques to elicit the history of an event/illness, including past medical and drug history;

c. Proactively respond to referrals and provide assessment and diagnosis at first point of contact, according to patients needs either in the practice or patient homes;

d. Undertaking home visits for the practice or PCN;

e. Evaluate the clinical information from examination and history taking and initiate appropriate treatment (including prescribing medications following national or practice/PCN policy, patient group directives, national and local clinical guidelines and local care pathways) or make necessary referrals to other members of the primary care team;

f. Review the effectiveness of the treatment provided, making changes where necessary to improve patient outcomes;

g. Communicate effectively with patients, and where appropriate family members and their carers, where applicable, complex and sensitive information regarding their physical health needs, results, findings, and treatment choices;

h. Advise patients on general healthcare and promote self-management where appropriate, including signposting patients to the PCNs social prescribing service, and where appropriate, other community or voluntary services;

i. Be able to:

i. perform specialist health checks and reviews within scope of practice and in line with local and national guidance;

ii. perform and interpret ECGs;

iii. perform investigatory procedures as required; and

iv. undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs, and other samples within scope of practice, and within line of local and national guidance;

j. Maintain accurate and contemporaneous health records appropriate to the consultation, ensuring accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patients healthcare and registration with the practice;

k. Support the delivery of anticipatory care plans;

l. Where appropriate, ensure a frailty score is calculated and recorded, treatment escalation/admission avoidance plans are generated, including rescue medicines and out of hours special messaging are in place;

m. Where appropriate, support the development of discharge and contingency plans with relevant professionals to arrange ongoing care in care homes and in community settings;

n. Communicate at all levels across organisations ensuring that an effective, person-centred service is delivered;

o. Communicate proactively and effectively with all colleagues across the multidisciplinary team, attending and contributing to meetings as required;

p. Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the PCN.

q. Ensure delivery of best practice in clinical practice, caseload management, education, research and audit to achieve corporate PCN and local population objectives.

r. Participate in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events.

s. Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes.

t. Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance.

u. Always maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area.

Skills

Essential

• Ability to follow clinical, legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct.
• Able to work within the parameters within skills and knowledge, to recognise the limitations of practice and to work within the boundaries of training and capability to make clear decisions with confidence.
• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with people at all levels by telephone, email and face to face.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing, negotiation and organisation skills with the ability to constructively challenge the view and practices of patients, managers and clinicians.
• Knowledge of IT systems including the ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports.
• Effective time management (planning and organising).
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure.

Desirable

• Clear, polite telephone manner.
• Good clinical system IT knowledge of EMIS/SystmOne/Vision.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of five years working as a registered Paramedic.
• A broad and sound knowledge of complex and common conditions in primary care in both adults and children.
• Ability to effectively assess, plan, treat and refer patients appropriately and evaluate patient care confidently.
• In-depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare.
• An appreciation of the nature of general practice.
• An appreciation of the NHS landscape including the relationships between individual practices, PCNs and the commissioners.

Desirable

• Experience of being a paramedic in a primary care setting.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity.
• Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals.
• Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance and health and safety.
• Undertake a range of administrative tasks such as ensuring stock levels are maintained and securely stored and equipment is kept in good working order.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level in paramedicine or equivalent experience.
• Is registered with the Health and Care Professional Council as a paramedic.
• If level 7 capability has not been attained, must be prepared, within six months of commencing post, to work towards developing Level 7 capability in paramedic areas of practice.

Desirable

• Attained Level 7 capability in paramedic areas of practice.
• Completed ENP/ ECP Minor Injuries and Minor Illness course Level 6
• Is an ALS/APLS provider.

Other Requirements

Essential

• Evidence of working autonomously or as part of a team.
• Understanding and knowledge of healthcare provision in GP surgeries, QOF and enhanced services.
• Knowledge of national standards that inform general practice (e.g. NICE guidelines).
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home.

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).