General Practice Assistant Trainee

Job description

Job responsibilities

General Practice Assistant Trainee

Job title: General Practice Assistant Trainee (GPAT)

Hours:37.5 hours per week

Responsible for: No line management responsibilities

Accountable to: Named GP mentor who can guarantee regular tutorials and Practice Manager.

Main purpose:

The role of the General Practice Assistant Trainee (GPAT) is to support the GP Surgery with routine administration tasks working as a personal assistant to the GPs and basic health care assistant clinical duties. The GPAT will be required to complete a six to nine month practice course, delivered in practice by a named GP mentor.

The framework covers five domains (two clinical and three non-clinical).

• Care Certificate (clinical)

• Clinical (clinical)

• Communications (non-clinical)

• Administration (non-clinical)

• Managing Health Records (non-clinical)

Trainees will be expected to dedicate one day a week for study. A half day working with their GP mentor and the rest studying competencies on the online training portal.

Upon completion of all five domains, the GPA will be awarded with a certificate GP Assistant Skills Certificate which is equivalent to 10 credits at a Level 4. More information about qualification levels

Main duties:

• Sorting all clinical post and prioritising it.

• Extracting all information from clinical letters that needs coding.

• Dealing with all routine clinical post directly e.g. did not attend (DNA) letters, two week wait referrals (2WW)etc.

• Arranging appointments, referrals and follow up appointments of patients.

• Preparing patients prior to going in to see the GP, taking a brief history and basic readings in readiness for the GP appointment.

• Dipping urine, taking blood pressure, ECGs and phlebotomy

• Completing basic (non-opinion) forms for the GP to approve and sign including, but not limited to, insurance, mortgage and Department for Work and Pensions forms (IB113,HAAS etc)

Main duties (continued):

• Explaining treatment procedures to patients including arranging follow up appointments

• Helping the GP liaise with outside agencies i.e. getting a non call doctor on the phone to ask advice or arrange admission while the GP can continue with their consultation(s)

• Support the GP with immunisations and wound care

• Sterilising equipment

• Restocking consulting rooms

• Take blood samples

• Lead on health promotion and education work

General

Present a professional image and always promote the Practice

To co-ordinate the organisation, administration and effectiveness of the Primary

Health Care team

To share skills and expertise with other staff members

To delegate such responsibilities and give appropriate authority to competent members of staff as is necessary for efficient management

To review and modify these responsibilities from time to time as needs of the Practice demand

To keep up to date and informed of national, regional and local developments which may affect the Practice, primary care, finance, computing, employment law and premises

To carry out such other duties, as reasonably requested, may be required from time to time.

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 their 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

• All employees are subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and must maintain strict confidentiality in respect of patient, client and staff records.

Equality and Diversity

The Practice is committed to promoting equal opportunities to achieve equity of access, experience and outcomes and to recognising and valuing peoples differences. This applies to all activities as a service provider and employer. The post holder is required to:

• Act 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

• Respect the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

• Behave 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 individual performance review, 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

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 peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Smoking

The Practice has a no smoking policy throughout its premises, including buildings and grounds.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Practice is seeking to promote the employment of disabled people and will make any adjustments considered reasonable to the above duties under the terms of the Equality Act 2010 to accommodate a suitable disabled candidate.

This job description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibility of a General Practice Assistant. It is not exhaustive. It will be subject to regular review and amendment as necessary in consultation with the post holder.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A good level of literacy and numeracy.
• Functional skills test.
• A high level of skill in good patient care and working with the public.
• Experience in recording medical details.
• Experience of analysing test results.
• Experience in referring to senior colleagues where appropriate.
• Good communication skills, including listening and writing.
• Organisation skills.
• Observational skills.
• Knowledge of how to prepare a safe, hygienic and secure environment for patient assessment.
• Able to modify practice and approach according to patients needs.
• A good understanding of data protection, GDPR and patient confidentiality.
• A strong interest in health and social care.
• Committed learner with the dedication to self-directed learning for a minimum of 1 day per week for 6-9 months.
• Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
• Maintains confidentiality at all times.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Old School Surgery

Address

The Old School Surgery

Rectory Fields

Cranbrook

Kent

TN17 3JB

Employer's website

https://www.oldschoolsurgerycranbrook.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)