ROLE DESCRIPTION Job Title: Location: Responsible To: Responsible For: Service hours: Urgent Care Practitioner Level 2 (a) Variable locations including Triage Face to Face, Home Visiting, GP surgery Clinical Team Manager No direct reports. The service runs 24/7 provides both in out of hours' services. Postholders will work part-time/shift patterns to ensure that these hours are effectively covered. 1. JOB SUMMARY As a qualified experienced nurse, paramedic or physician s associate you will work as a member of the Shropdoc team be involved in assessing patients clinical needs liaising with a range of health care professionals organisations to co-ordinate best care pathways for patients. Central to the role will be the use of critical thinking advanced decision making skills in order to accurately assess manage patients with a wide range of clinical conditions/illnesses. This may be over the phone (or via other forms of media such as video calling Skype) or face to face in the patients home or in the primary care setting (GP surgery or Shropdoc base) Safe effective patient care will be delivered by using clinical skills, incorporating history-taking, physical assessment, diagnosis liaising where appropriate with other healthcare professionals. The post holder will contribute to the continuous improvement, development delivery of a high quality professional service.
2. KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 2.1 Clinical Professional Responsibilities 1. Accurately assess patients with a wide range of undifferentiated undiagnosed problems, using a variety of techniques, to make an assessment of their health care needs, based on highly developed extensive knowledge skills such as physical examination. 2. Utilise skills of clinical history taking/physical examination in order to formulate/test hypothesis reach differential diagnosis. 3. Supply or administer medication treatments according to agreed procedures/patient Group Directions within scope of practice. 4. Provide an in-hours triage service via the telephone or other forms of media such as video calling Skype triage service for patients accessing their GPs; accurately collate clinical information, arrange admission to secondary care or direct to the most appropriate primary care service. 5. Deliver an out of hours triage service as above accurately assess prioritise patients using a variety of techniques to elicit interpret the history of an event/illness, including past medical drug history, in order to reach a clinical decision. 6. Build close links communicate networks with other local health or social care services/agencies, private voluntary agencies signpost refer patients to these services. 7. Independently assimilate interpret call information, accessed directly on the IT system or forwarded by Shropdoc Call Hlers, make professionally autonomous decisions appropriate to Level 2 in a timely professional manner to the patient or carer. 8. Use the freedom to act in accordance with professional knowledge base as to the best course of action or treatment, avoiding further patient assessment wherever possible accepting accountability for those decisions. 9. Provide evidence based healthcare advice which contributes to the diagnosis, care or treatment of a range of clinical conditions. 10. Develop, with the patient, a plan for ongoing care with an emphasis on health education, preventative measures promoting healthy living options; where appropriate act as a patient advocate. 11. Train patients/carers/relatives in necessary procedures to ensure a safe care environment for patients nursed in their own homes or within a care home. 12. Work within the Code of Professional Conduct or Guidelines of relevant professional body e.g. NMC, College of Paramedics, Health Care Professions Council, Royal College of General Practitioners. 13. Maintain promote dignity respect to patients their carers through communicating effectively by ensuring that those who are at risk because of cultural, language, disability, age other protected characteristics barriers are helped to underst, access make use of the various services available. 14. Accurately record all patient contact care related activity utilising the electronic system for all episodes of patient interaction including any adverse events, child protection issues other notifiable matters.
15. Raise adult child safeguarding other notifiable concerns through the appropriate policies, procedures protocols keeping the adult or child at potential risk at the heart of everything which is done. 16. Work collaboratively with other health care professionals disciplines which will include communicating effectively with team members to ensure a safe effective hover when required. 17. Keep Professional Registration Continuous Professional Development up-to-date undertake formal informal education in order to reinforce/develop skills used in all types of telephone consultations; attend matory training ongoing in-house training/education as identified by Shropdoc. 18. Provide receive regular structured supervision mentorship through a robust clinical supervision framework. 2.2 Management Responsibilities 1. Maintain personal professional development through evidence of continuous professional development (CPD), including demonstrating a personal awareness of advisory papers current national issues that may have a local impact for the service 2. Participate in the development of the Urgent Care Practitioner roles other health care professionals through teaching, mentoring assessment; this will include the provision of evidence based healthcare advice to Urgent Care Practitioners which contributes to the diagnosis, care or treatment of a wide range of clinical conditions. 3. Actively participate in the mentoring of colleagues participate in the delivery of internal training material. 2.3 Service Improvement, Development Implementation 1. Participate in the development continuous improvement of an integrated unscheduled primary care service that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 2. Assist in the development of protocols stards of care to meet identified health needs. 3. Contribute positively to the development of the health care team based within Shropdoc. 4. Ensure the maintenance of clinical professional stards in all areas of work share in the efficient running of the services provided. 5. Responsible for the security care of equipment used. 6. Contribute to research audit processes assist as required with service performance reviews. 7. Participate in appropriate projects, as they arise, in agreement with the management team. 8. Comply with responsibilities under Statutory Health Safety Fire Regulations internal complaints procedures in accordance with organisational guidelines. 9. Act as a positive representative of an ambassador for the organisation. 10. Report any adverse clinical incident, in line with the Shropdoc s clinical incident policy, making recommendations where appropriate to improve clinical practice within the team. 11. Demonstrate a personal awareness of advisory papers, national enquiries current issues. 12. Actively participate in the mentoring of colleagues participate in the delivery of internal training material.
The following details are generic to all Shropdoc employees: 3. PROBATIONARY PERIOD This post is subject to the requirements of a six month probationary period for new staff only. 4. STANDARDS OF BUSINESS CONDUCT The post holder will be required to comply with Shropdoc Policies Procedures, at all times, deal honestly with Shropdoc, with colleagues all those who have dealings with Shropdoc including patients, relatives suppliers. All Shropdoc staff may be involved directly or indirectly with people who are receiving a health service. Therefore, Shropdoc is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) this post may be subject to a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure. 5. PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION 1. If you are employed in an area of work which requires membership of a professional body in order to practice (e.g. Nursing & Midwifery Council for Nurses), it is a condition precedent of your employment to maintain membership of such a professional body. It is also your responsibility to comply with the relevant body s code of practice. Your manager will be able to advise you on which, if any, professional body of which you must be a member. 2. You are required to advise Shropdoc if your professional body in any way limits or changes the terms of your registration. 3. Failure to remain registered or to comply with the relevant code of practice may result in temporary downgrading, suspension from duty /or disciplinary action which may result in the termination of your employment. 4. If you are required to have registration with a particular professional body or to have specific qualifications you must notify your manager on appointment of such fact provide him or her with documentary evidence of them before your employment commences or, at the latest, on your first day of employment. Furthermore, throughout your employment with Shropdoc, you are required on dem by your manager to provide him or her with documentary evidence of your registration with any particular professional body or in respect of any required qualifications. 6. CONFIDENTIALITY INFORMATION GOVERNANCE All staff may have access to confidential information about patients, staff or any Shropdoc or Health Service business. On no account must such information be divulged to anyone who is not authorised to receive it. Confidentiality of information must be preserved at all times whether at or away from work. Any breach of such confidentiality is considered a serious disciplinary offence, which is liable to dismissal /or prosecution under statutory legislation (Data Protection Act) Shropdoc s Disciplinary Procedure. All staff must act within legislation, policies procedures relating to information governance
7. DATA PROTECTION AND THE DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998 If you have contact with computerised data systems you are required to obtain, process /or use information held on a computer or word processor in a fair lawful way. To hold data only for the specific registered purpose not to use or disclose it in any way incompatible with such purpose. To disclose data only to authorised persons or organisations as instructed. All staff who contribute to patients health records are expected to be familiar with, adhere to, Shropdoc s Records Management Procedure. Staff should be aware that patients records throughout Shropdoc will be subject to regular audit. 8. HEALTH AND SAFETY All staff must act within legislation, policies procedures relating to Health Safety All staff must attend statutory/matory training as instructed. All staff must be familiar with Shropdoc s Health Safety Policy, including a thorough understing of personal responsibilities for maintaining own the health safety of others. 9. RISK MANAGEMENT All Shropdoc employees are accountable, through the terms conditions of their employment, professional regulations, clinical governance statutory health safety regulations. Staff are responsible for reporting incidents, hling patient feedback complaints appropriately, being aware of the risk management strategy emergency procedures, attendance at any relevant training as required. The post holder will ensure compliance with Shropdoc s risk management policies procedures. These describe Shropdoc s commitment to risk management, the recognition that our aim is to protect patients, staff visitors from harm stress that all staff have a responsibility to minimise risk. 10. INFECTION CONTROL All staff are required to be familiar with Shropdoc's infection control policies procedures national guidance in relation to infection control. All staff whose normal duties are directly or indirectly concerned with patient care must ensure that they complete matory infection control training are compliant with all measures known to be effective in reducing Healthcare Associated Infections. 11. SAFEGUARDING Shropdoc is committed to ensuring the safeguarding of vulnerable adults children in our care. All employees are required to be familiar with their responsibilities to raise any concerns as appropriate. An overview of Safeguarding is covered during induction staff will be required to attend additional training regarding safeguarding relevant to their position role. 12. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS The post holder will treat all colleagues, service users members of the public with respect dignity regardless of their gender, age, race, religious beliefs, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, social background, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, criminal background Trade Union status. Shropdoc has a policy on Equality Diversity it is the responsibility of all staff to ensure that it is implemented contribute to its success.
13. HARASSMENT AND BULLYING Shropdoc condemns all forms of harassment bullying is actively seeking to promote a workplace where employees are treated with dignity, respect without bias. All staff are requested to report any form of harassment bullying to their line manager or to the Personnel Manager or any other Manager within Shropdoc. 14. QUALITY It is the responsibility of all staff to adhere to company procedures as defined in the Quality Manual, ensuring high quality in patient care at all times. Shropdoc conducts its patient care related services: - Through a commitment to good patient care to the quality of its clinical practices - By ensuring that all patient care related services are conducted according to established protocols specified requirements; - By requiring all personnel to be familiar with trained in the quality policy, the quality management system related documentation, practices administration - Through commitment to provide patients, Member GPs associated LHBs PCTs at all times with a service that confirms to Shropdoc s quality management system. 15. TRAINING All staff must attend statutory /matory training as instructed. 16. NO SMOKING POLICY There is a smoke free policy in operation in Shropdoc. In accordance with this policy smoking is discouraged is not permitted anywhere within the buildings or within 15 metres of Shropdoc main buildings. 17. REVIEW OF THIS JOB DESCRIPTION The above duties responsibilities are intended to represent current priorities are not meant to be an exhaustive list. The post holder may from time to time be asked to undertake other reasonable duties responsibilities. The Job Description will be reviewed at least annually in conjunction with the post holder. Any changes will be made in discussion with the post holder according to service needs. 18. JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT Post Holders Name:.. Post Holders Signature:..... Date: Line Managers Name:.. Line Managers Signature: Date:..
PERSON SPECIFICATION URGENT CARE PRACTITIONER Level 2 (a) (Supporting our Policy on Equal Opportunities in Employment) Shropshire Doctors Co-Operative has declared its commitment to equality of opportunity in employment set stards which enhance individual rights protected at law. These are set out in the written Policy document which is freely available to applicants for employment to existing staff. The under mentioned are the job-related requirements for this post: Requirement Essential Desirable Evidenced by Education qualifications Professional registration (RGN, NMC, RCGP, College Paramedics, HCPC) BSc Degree or willingness to undertake degree pathway Form Physical Assessment Skills Level 6 ECDL or equivalent Willingness to undertake independent prescribing Evidence of continuing post registration development Experience A minimum of 2 years post registration experience Some experience of delivering patient care in an urgent care primary care or community setting Good experience of delivering patient care in an urgent care primary care or community setting Form Some experience of multi-disciplinary working Skills/Abilities Excellent communication interpersonal skills including emotional intelligence to in order to deal effectively with complex sensitive patient information, distressed or aggressive patients, or those with an impaired level of understing. Ability to liaise communicate effectively with all members of the multi-disciplinary team other services Able to use various forms of media IT systems such as video calling Skype Ability to perform holistic assessment, critically analyse patient information or situations make clinical judgements decisions as to the best course of action Ability to act independently within occupational guidelines Clinical skills: - Initial/re-insertion of male female urethral catheters re-insertion of suprapubic catheters Care of acute/chronic/postoperative wounds Care management of bowels Care management of patients with end of life needs Set up/re-priming syringe drivers Administer IV Therapy Verification of death Care of PEGs Form Skilled in clinical history taking
Knowledge Broad understing of managing patients in a primary care of emergency setting Clear understing of professional responsibility accountability Practical knowledge across a wide range of clinical conditions Understing of equality diversity issues in a healthcare delivery setting Knowledge of current professional issues relating to nursing changes in the NHS related to Primary Care Knowledge of advisory papers, national enquiries current issues. Knowledge of current clinical evidence based practice Knowledge understing of local health social care pathways Knowledge understing of clinical governance Knowledge of Shropshire Community Trust s Care of the Dying Pathway Specialist theoretical practical knowledge across all aspects of catheter care, palliative care, COPD management Specialist theoretical practical knowledge across a range of clinical conditions Other attributes Excellent communication, listening interpersonal skills Ability to concentrate for prolonged periods of time Ability to use own initiative prioritise work Confident decision maker Systematic approach to problem solving Other general requirements Ability to attend work on a regular basis meet the requirements of the role with any reasonable adjustments which have been notified arrangements made under the Equality Act Flexibility in working in a rostered environment including night shifts Ability to meet the transport needs of the post with a full clean driving license