GP Liaison & Flow Practitioner

Job responsibilities

Professional/Clinical

Co-ordinate timely access for all emergency referred patients to the hospital, contributing to the clinical prioritisation of emergency patients, deciding on appropriate admission arrangements to match the activity within the Emergency Department and overall demand on available capacity within the Trust.

A knowledgeable practitioner, operating agreed procedures for the safe and effective use of the Trusts Emergency Department capacity, as well as supporting specialist departments such as the Acute Medical Unit (AMU), Acute Assessment Unit (AAU), Ambulatory Emergency Care AEC), Frailty Assessment Area (FAA) & Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU) capacity.

Understand the Trust capacity in Emergency / Fast-Track clinics, identifying issues which prevent the safe and effective management of emergency referrals, planning, negotiating and agreeing access

Early identification of frail patients referred by GPs and community teams and alert the frailty team of possible emergency admissions.

Highly developed communication skills enabling maintenance of high quality service and ensuring timely management and resolution of unexpected events and situations. Timely referrals and safe handover to other health professionals as required.

Proactively act as a resource for staff, coaching others and providing expert advice on the admissions and transfer process, ensuring that clinical governance is embedded in practice.

A knowledgeable leader, supporting staff, service and policy development within a defined area/speciality.

Responsible for identifying and assessing complex clinical and non-clinical issues, implementing resolutions and monitoring/auditing outcomes.

Responsible for education and development of staff and service in an identified area.

Utilise and ensure others utilise IT systems to secure accurate and timely patient, workforce and resource data available. Produce reports and utilise data to inform, predict and evaluate.

Regularly manage expected and unexpected clinical events requiring high but unpredictable levels of physical effort according to patient dependency/clinical need.

Support patients, carers and staff during difficult situations arising in the clinical area, e.g. breaking bad news or following an unexpected event.

Promote and monitor adherence to Health and Safety and Trust policy designed to protect healthcare staff and service users from known hazards.

Support the frequent attenders programme and carry out case review with specialist teams

Navigate hospital systems to support GPs and ED in delivery of clinical care, prioritising timely decision-making at the front door and safe patient transfers to the most appropriate clinical area.

Liaise with community-based GPs with regard to discharge planning when required.

Communicate with and refer to turnaround pathways when required.

Develop and maintain strong links with Matrons, GMs and specialty teams.

Take a proactive role in service development, proactively seeking out ways to streamline processes.

Working with clinical leads, take joint responsibility for CPD programme and co-ordinating events, also overseeing programme attendance.

Undertake audits across the Trust, CCG and community partners to identify and evaluate different ways of working to support admission avoidance and early hospital discharge.

Manage Corporate Services Main Duties

Accountable for own actions in accordance with Code of Professional Conduct. Will contribute towards corporate objectives, acting within local, Trust and statutory guidelines and policies at all times.

Manage Strategy Main Duties

Promote the organisations Trust values and annual objectives, with particular reference to the Divisional business objectives, service strategies and developments

Contribute to the creation, implementation and evaluation of the Divisional service plans by reviewing ward performance against organisational objectives, identifying cost pressures and exceptions and proposing service developments to the Divisional Management Team

Contribute to the implementation and evaluation of Divisional service strategies and contracts by establishing systems to monitor performance at ward level.

Manage Services Main Duties

Initiate and implement change and improvement in services and operational systems to meet Divisional service strategies and contracts.

Monitor, maintain and improve service delivery against quality and functional specifications, encourage staff to share innovations and good quality practice when visited by external regulating bodies.

Participate in the development and implementation of Integrated Care Pathways within the clinical area.

Benchmark services against published best practices, whilst ensuring that they meet statutory standards and professional guidelines.

Identify and contribute to the Divisional Management Team innovative service development ideas and proposals in line with evidence-based practice and the principles of clinical governance.

Manage People Main Duties

Recruit and select staff by defining future personnel requirements, determining specifications to secure quality people, and assessing and selecting candidates against Trust Values and organisational requirements.

Support the rotation of all staff through the 24 hour period

Develop and implement accessible clinical supervision for all staff.

Monitor and evaluate sickness/ absence trends and act accordingly in line with Trust policies and procedures.

Work collaboratively with the Humans Resources Department to proactively manage poor attendance, lateness, capability and performance issues in line with Trust policies and procedures.

Develop teams, individuals and self to enhance performance to achieve organisational objectives and Divisional service strategies.

Plan, allocate and evaluate work carried out by teams, individuals and self. Undertake role mapping to establish the levels of competence for all grades of ward / department staff. Develop and implement a performance appraisal system supported by a dynamic development programme to meet staff training needs.

Create, maintain and enhance effective working relationships by involving and informing staff of service developments, performance against actual plans, and future plans - honestly, timely and sensitively.

Ensure staff comply with Trust policies and procedures at all times and take appropriate disciplinary action to deal with staff who disregard these obligations in the course of their employment.

Develop and maintain a robust system for checking professional registration of nursing staff on appointment and annually thereafter comply with Trust policy

Manage Information Main Duties

Seek, evaluate and organise information for action by analysing data relating to utilisation of resources, identifying work flow patterns and making recommendations to effect changes to meet service demands within existing constraints.

Exchange information to solve problems and make decisions by networking with departments within and outside the Divisional and the Trust.

Contribute towards the Divisional service plans by reviewing department performance against Divisional objectives and service strategies, identifying cost pressures and proposing service developments to the Divisional Management Team.

Contribute towards the Divisional service plans by reviewing department performance against Divisional objectives and service strategies, identifying cost pressures and proposing service developments to the Divisional Management Team.

Develop and maintain a robust mechanism for ensuring good communication is disseminated through the team & foster a culture of openness and candour to all patients, relatives and staff where there may be barriers to understanding. Measure the success of communication dissemination

Additional Notes

To ensure that NMC registration and validation is maintained

Qualifications

Essential

• First level nurse
• Degree in Professional Nursing/Health Studies
• Additional masters level qualifications/knowledge/experience.
• ENB 998 or equivalent qualification
• Post- registration management qualification or equivalent experience
• ILS/ALS
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• ENB course in Medical Specialties

Experience

Essential

• Experience in nurse management
• A minimum of 18 months experience at band 6 within acute hospital setting
• Experience of change management
• Experience of general medicine

Skills

Essential

• Presentation skills & relevance to question
• Sound knowledge of evidence-based practice in urgent care
• Knowledge and experience of audit process
• Evidence of involvement in change management

Desirable

• Some knowledge of business planning
• Experience of writing guidelines/protocols/policies

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Can demonstrate characteristics of effective leadership
• Demonstrates ability to motivate, train and develop staff
• Is innovative, positive and has ability to stimulate a productive team
• Able to set/achieve individual/team objectives and meet deadlines
• Able to role model both clinically & managerially

Other

Essential

• Up to date with current NHS priorities and nursing issues
• Flexible and adaptable in meeting changing service demand
• NMC registration and validation requirements are maintained according to NMC guidelines

Desirable

• Experience of project work and report writing

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).