Job responsibilities
In accordance with the practice timetable, as agreed, the
post-holder will make themselves available to undertake a variety of duties and
responsibilities typical of working in Primary Care.
Making professional, autonomous decisions in relation to
presenting problems, whether -self referred or referred from other health care
workers within the organisation.
Assessing the healthcare needs of patients with
undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems.
Screening patients for disease risk factors and early signs
of illness.
Developing care plans for health in consultation with
patients and in line with current practice disease protocols.
Providing counselling and health education.
Admitting or discharging patients to and from the caseload
and referring to other care providers as appropriate.
Recording clear and concise consultation notes to
agreed standards.
Collecting data for audit purposes.
Compiling and issuing computer-generated acute and repeat
prescriptions (avoiding handwritten prescriptions whenever possible).
Other responsibilities within the organisation include but
are not limited to:
Awareness of and compliance with all relevant practice
policies / guidelines, e.g., prescribing, confidentiality, data protection,
health and safety.
A commitment to life-long learning and audit to ensure
evidence based best practice.
Contributing to evaluation / audit and clinical standard
setting within the organisation.
Contributing to the development of computer-based patient
records.
Contributing to the summarising of patient records and
coding patient data.
Attending training and events organised by the practice or
other agencies where appropriate.
Personal / Professional development
In addition to maintaining continued education through
attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary the post-holder will
participate in any training programmes implemented by the practice as part of
this employment, such training to include;
Participation in annual individual 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 team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the
team's performance.
Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet
patients' needs.
Effectively manage own time, workload, and resources.
Communication
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective
communication within the team and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members.
Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
Recognise people's
needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Contribution to the implementation of services
The post-holder will:
Apply practice policies, standards and guidance.
Discuss with other members of the team how the policies,
standards and guidelines will affect own work.
Participate in audit where appropriate.
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 & Safety
The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of
promotion and management, their own and others' health and safety and infection
control as defined in the practice health and safety policy, the practice
health and safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and
published procedures.
This will include (but will not be limited to):
Ensuring a good clinical working environment where lack of
facilities is to be escalated as appropriate to the responsible manager.
Safe management of sharps use, storage and disposal.
Maintenance of own clean working environment.
Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining
work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards.
Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or
escalation to responsible management.
Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health
and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised Keeping
own work areas and general / patient areas clean, sterile, identifying issues
and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and
assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness
across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with responsible
managers.
Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum
twice annually).
Correct waste and instrument management including handling,
segregation, and container use.
Maintenance of sterile environments.
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 people's
rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with the 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.