Advanced Paramedic Practitioner

Job responsibilities

The Advanced Paramedic Practitioner will practice autonomously without direct supervision and provide the following services to patients:

Assess and triage patients with complex needs, including same day triage, and as appropriate provide definitive treatment (including prescribing medications following policy, patient group directives, NICE (national) and local clinical guidelines and local care pathways) or make necessary referrals to other members of the primary care team;

Actively take a personalised care approach and population centred care approach to enable shared decision making with the presenting person;

Use complex decision making to inform the diagnosis, investigation, complete management of episodes of care within a broad scope of practice;

Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition (as appropriate);

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

Prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and 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;

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

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

Support and manage health needs of women presenting for family planning, cervical cytology or sexual health consultation;

Assess, identify and refer patients presenting with mental health needs in accordance with the NSF for Mental Health;

Implement and participate in vaccination and immunisation programmes for both adults and children;

To recognise the need for, initiate and where appropriate interpret relevant diagnostic investigations and advice of relevant specialisms;

To have the ability to make clear decisions with confidence and communicate these effectively;

To prescribe medication and work within the limitations of current extended Non-Medical Prescribing legislation;

Discharge or refer patients as appropriate to internal or external clinical pathways;

The ordering, storage, administration and disposal of medicines in a safe, secure manner in accordance with current policy and legislation;

Manage undifferentiated undiagnosed condition and identify red flags and underlying serious pathology and take appropriate action;

Offer paediatric related services and clinics.

Communication

Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment;

Communicate with and support patients who are receiving difficult news;

Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating;

Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (e.g. PALS) and provide information in an acceptable format to all patients, recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate;

Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication;

Maintain effective communication within the practice environment and with external stakeholders;

Act as an advocate for patients and colleagues.

Delivering A Quality Service

Recognise and work within own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the HCPC;

Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures;

Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality;

Deliver care according to NSF, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care;

Assess effectiveness of care delivery through self and peer review, benchmarking and formal evaluation;

Initiate and participate in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across the organisation and its activities;

Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the team, implementing improvements where required;

Work collaboratively with the PCN team to improve the quality of health care responding to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate;

Evaluate patient responses to health care provision and the effectiveness of care;

Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation;

Use a structured framework (e.g. root-cause analysis) to manage, review and identify learning from patient complaints, clinical incidents and near-miss events;

Assess the impact of policy implementation on care delivery;

Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, and be aware of statutory child/vulnerable patients health procedures and local guidance;

To adhere to the Infection Prevention and Control policy for the service being provided;

Work with practice management to ensure the whole team have skills and knowledge regarding domestic violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour. Provide guidance and support to ensure appropriate referral if required;

Working at a masters level aware or equivalent that encompasses the four pillars of clinical practice, leadership and management, education and research, with demonstration of core capabilities and area specific clinical competencies.

Leadership

Act as a clinical leader in the delivery of services ensuring that the needs of the patient are a priority;

Take responsibility for own learning and performance including participating in clinical supervision and acting as a positive role model;

Support staff development in order to maximise potential;

Actively promote the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice;

Encourage others to make realistic self-assessment of their application of knowledge and skills, challenging any complacency or actions that are not in the interest of the public and/or users of services;

Critically evaluate and review innovations and developments that are relevant to the area of work;

Enlist support and influence stakeholders and decision-makers in order to bring about new developments in the provision of services;

Work with practice management to ensure sufficient staff of appropriate ability, quality and skill-mix are available to meet current and future service delivery, that selection and recruitment processes are effective and that equality of treatment of the team incorporates quality HR principles and processes;

Contribute to the development of local guidelines, protocols and standards;

Maintain effective communication with those responsible for the overall commissioning and procurement process;

Maintain active involvement in the planning and processes of practice-based commissioning or similar initiatives;

Promote the role of the advanced paramedic practitioner in general practice.

Team Working

Understand own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time;

Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working;

Delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence;

Create clear referral mechanisms to meet patient need;

Prioritise own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team;

Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery;

Discuss, highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care

Manage and lead on the delivery of specifically identified services or projects as agreed with the practice management team;

Agree plans and outcomes by which to measure success.

Managing Risk

Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients.

Managing Information

Use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in planning, implementation and monitoring of care, presenting and communicating information;

Review and process data using accurate Read codes in order to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring and audit processes.

Learning And Development

Assess own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate;

Provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning.

Equity And Diversity

Identify patterns of discrimination and take action to overcome this and promote diversity and equality of opportunity.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Paramedic Science or Equivalent
• Have completed MSc level Advanced Clinical Practice education
• Professional registration with HCPC
• Driving Licence
• Registered as an independent non medical prescriber
• Completed relevant training in order to provide multi-professional clinical practice and CPD supervision to other roles within primary care

Desirable

• Mentor/teaching qualification
• Clinical supervision training and experience

Experience

Essential

• Substantial autonomous practice working and multi-professional team
• Can show evidence of using autonomous physical examination and assessment skills in practice
• Can demonstrate a broad and sound knowledge of complex and common conditions in primary care in both adults and children
• Recent primary/community Advanced Paramedic practitioner experience
• Management of minor illness, minor ailments and injuries
• Triage
• Compiling protocols and clinical guidelines
• Clinical Leadership
• Audit
• Research
• Experience of prescribing

Desirable

• Project management
• Working with community development initiatives
• Health-needs assessment

Personal Characteristics

Essential

• Ability to develop effective professional working relationships with colleagues and the public
• Able to use initiative/self-motivated
• Maintains a flexible and proactive approach to work
• Act with honesty and integrity
• Quality/patient focused
• Caring attitude and sensitivity to others
• Confident with the ability to take a lead role
• Ability to interact with people from varying cultural backgrounds and social environments
• Able to promote equality and value diversity
• Able to ensure care of own health and wellbeing to promote improvements to physical and emotional wellbeing
• Able to work within the trusts policy framework
• Demonstrates a positive and flexible approach in line with the changing nature of service delivery model
• Committed to the values based principles of high quality patient care to include; compassion; care; competence; communication; courage and commitment in all aspects of service delivery

Knowledge

Essential

• Advanced clinical practice skills
• Management of patients with long-term conditions
• Management of patients with complex needs
• Clinical examination skills
• Accountability of own role
• Local and national health policy
• Wider health economy
• Clinical governance issues in primary care
• Patient group directions and associated policy

Desirable

• Knowledge of public health issues
• Able to identify determinants on health in the area
• Knowledge of public health issues in the area

Skills

Essential

• Clinical leadership skills
• Can complete a concise clinical history and physical examination
• Can formulate a differential diagnosis and management plan
• Demonstrable awareness of
• accountability in clinical practice
• Can give evidence of using effective communication skills within practice
• Computer literate
• Is able to use negotiation skills, employing critical thinking
• Ability to identify individual client needs
• Able to prioritize, effective time management.
• Facilitation & negotiation skills
• Communication of difficult messages to patients and families
• Negotiation and conflict management skills
• Change management
• Teaching and mentorship clinical setting
• Resource management

Desirable

• Primary care experience
• Healthcare experience within NHS, nursing or voluntary organisation.
• Experience of supervision, mentorship and development of a range of clinical staff in relevant practice settings.

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).