Paramedic

Job responsibilities

Primary responsibilities

Assess and triage patients, including same day triage, and as appropriate provide definitive treatment or make necessary referrals to other team members

Advise patients on general healthcare and promote self-management where appropriate, including signposting patients to other community or voluntary services

Be able to:

o perform specialist health checks and reviews

o perform and interpret ECGs; alongside other results as appropriate

o perform investigatory procedures as required

o undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs, etc

o perform investigatory procedures needed by patients and those requested by GPs and the wider PCN

Provide an alternative model to urgent and same day home visits for Chard and undertake clinical audits

Communicate at all levels ensuring effective, patient-centred service

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

Collaborate with doctors, nurses and other AHPs, accepting referrals and referring to them for specialist care

Maintain accurate and contemporaneous health records appropriate to the consultation, ensuring accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice

Prescribe, issue and review medications as appropriate following policy, patient group directives, NICE (national) and local clinical guidelines and local care pathways. This will be done in accordance with evidence-based practice and national and practice protocols, and within scope of practice

Work with patients in order to support compliance with and adherence to prescribed treatments

Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication on medication regimens, side-effects and interactions

Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment, interventions and care for patients presenting with an undifferentiated diagnosis, and patients with complex needs

Clinically examine and assess patient needs from a physiological and psychological perspective, and plan clinical care accordingly

Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care

Diagnose and manage both acute and chronic conditions, integrating both drug- and non-drug-based treatment methods into a management plan

Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles, and apply principles of self-care

Clinical Governance

Identify risk issues that impact on peoples health or social care needs.

Take appropriate action to the significance of the risk and consistent with protection procedures, applying protection procedures, following lone worker procedure.

Demonstrate effective team working inclusive of all relevant professionals.

Report all accidents, incidents, and all ill health, failings in equipment and or environment to line managers.

Contribute towards audit and data collection as required.

Once assessed as competent will be accountable for their own practice within their area of responsibility when identified and agreed with the line manager.

Work with your line manager to undertake continual personal and professional development, taking an active part in reviewing and developing the roles and responsibilities.

Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.

Work with the Clinical Lead to access regular clinical supervision, to enable you to deal effectively with the difficult issues that people present.

Miscellaneous

Work as part of the team to seek feedback, continually improve the service and contribute to business planning.

Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner.

Duties may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.

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 carer(s), 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 & safety

The post-holder must comply at all times with the Practices Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System.

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 recognises 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 that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal - Professional development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, with such training to include:

Participation in an annual appraisal, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

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

Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs

Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

This job description represents an outline of the responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or tasks. It will change and develop in line with organisational needs and may be amended following agreement with the post-holder.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable post-registration experience at a senior grade
• Evidence of working collaboratively with other disciplines and agencies
• Demonstrable understanding of systems in health and social care that are wider than immediate role
• Knowledge and experience of long term conditions management
• Experience of mentoring/teaching
• Able to plan proactively, manage and evaluate own learning, negotiate learning opportunities and establish learning contracts
• A good understanding of the changing NHS environment
• Community experience as a clinician
• Evidence of working in a multidisciplinary team across professional and/or organisation boundaries
• Able to work flexibly and using own initiative

Desirable

• Experience of working in a GP practice or healthcare environment
• Knowledge of current QoF and enhanced services

Personal qualities

Essential

• Strong and inspirational leadership
• Ability to co-ordinate and prioritise workloads able to multi-task as well as be self-disciplined and highly motivated
• Team player
• High degree of personal credibility, emotional intelligence, patience and flexibility
• Ability to cope with unpredictable situations
• Confident in facilitating and challenging others
• Demonstrates a flexible approach in order to ensure patient care is delivered
• Full UK driving license

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc (Hons), FdSc, DipHE in Paramedic Science or similar
• Completion of an FCP taught module OR has received stage one roadmap sign off
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
• Able to operate at an advanced level within the clinical pillar of advanced practice

Desirable

• Independent Non Medical Prescriber
• Roadmap Supervisor

Other requirements

Essential

• Flexibility to work outside core office hours
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Maintains confidentiality at all times

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Proven post registration experience within the field
• Experience in managing a designated caseload using theoretical and practical experience, completing assessments, planning, implementing interventions, and evaluating outcomes aligned to care plans
• Mentorship or supervisory skills training
• Good knowledge of Microsoft and GP practice and prescribing data monitoring working systems
• Ability to write comprehensive clinical notes, implement and evaluate care plans
• Management of patients with complex needs
• Ability to evidence a sound understanding of the NHS principles and values
• Independent thinker with good judgement, problem-solving and analytical skills
• Evidence of working across organisational boundaries within health and social care
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex/ often incomplete information, pre-empt and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues

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).