Job summary
Trinity Health Group PCN is has built excellent working relationships with our member
practices and colleagues across the PCN. This is an exciting time to join Primary Care and
shape the future of patient care at the first points of contact. General Practice Assistants
(GPAs) form part of a multi-disciplinary team within primary care, and provide a support role,
carrying out administrative tasks, combined in some areas with basic clinical duties, helping
to free up clinicians time, contributing to the smooth running of appointments and improving
patient experience.
Main duties of the job
General Practice Assistants are a key role in General Practice they are able to support
General Practice by;
- Improving patient access and releasing highly qualified staff to concentrate on
treating and managing patients with more complex conditions
- Improving patient flow within surgery hours, increasing the time efficiency of
appointments, and reduction of waiting times;
- Reduce time spent by GPs on managing correspondence.
A GP Assistant must also meet the following criteria,
- Hold or be prepared to attain a GP Assistant Certificate qualification.
- Be willing to participate in an annual individual performance review, including taking
responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional
development
- Take responsibility for own development, learning and performance and
demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
- Attend all relevant annual training updates.
- Inform their line manager of any concerns regarding GPA role and any professional
development needed.
- Be aware of own professional boundaries and what to do when you have reached
them.
- Have excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
- Understand and employ appropriate methods of communication between different
groups of people and situations.
- Support patients with access to ensure that their communication needs are met.
About us
Trinity Health Group is a PCN made up of four practices on the west of the district (Trinity
Medical Centre, Maybush Medical Centre, Crofton and Sharlston Medical Practice and
Warrengate Medical Centre). Our vision is that all our patients should have the same chance
at a happy, healthy life. We believe that a sustainable, resilient Primary Care Service working
collaboratively with volunteer and community services and social enterprise organisations
supports this vision. Our Mission is to add years to the lives of our patients and to add life to
those years.
Conexus Healthcare Ltd is a GP confederation. Conexus supply training to primary care on a
local and national level, hold the contract for GP Care providing clinical services across the
district and host the staffing and finance for a number of PCNs across the district. Conexus
reinvests its profits into Primary Care with the aim of building resilience and improving
population outcomes. Please note this is not an Agenda for Change Contract, however we are
able to offer the NHS Pension Scheme to the successful candidate(s).
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a new role in our PCN the role of the GPA will evolve over time, however we envisage
that they GPA may take on all or some of the following duties;
- Sorting clinical correspondence and prioritising for the GP and other team members
in terms of actions.
- Ensuring that clinical correspondence is directed to the most appropriate clinician.
- Extracting information from clinical correspondence for coding and adding to patient
notes.
- Arranging appointments, referrals, tests, and follow-up appointments for patients.
- Preparing patients prior to their appointment, taking a brief history and basic clinical
observations in readiness for the appointment.
- Dipping urine, taking blood pressure, carrying out ECGs & phlebotomy where
necessary.
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients
- Explaining and promoting healthy lifestyle choices
- Liaise with outside agencies.
- Support with immunisations/wound care.
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practices and PCN, and will;
- Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk,
- Work to practice/PCN protocols,
- 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.
- 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a new role in our PCN the role of the GPA will evolve over time, however we envisage
that they GPA may take on all or some of the following duties;
- Sorting clinical correspondence and prioritising for the GP and other team members
in terms of actions.
- Ensuring that clinical correspondence is directed to the most appropriate clinician.
- Extracting information from clinical correspondence for coding and adding to patient
notes.
- Arranging appointments, referrals, tests, and follow-up appointments for patients.
- Preparing patients prior to their appointment, taking a brief history and basic clinical
observations in readiness for the appointment.
- Dipping urine, taking blood pressure, carrying out ECGs & phlebotomy where
necessary.
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients
- Explaining and promoting healthy lifestyle choices
- Liaise with outside agencies.
- Support with immunisations/wound care.
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practices and PCN, and will;
- Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk,
- Work to practice/PCN protocols,
- 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.
- 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.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working/volunteering in a healthcare/voluntary sector
- Experience of working with the general public
Desirable
- Experience using SystmOne
- Experience with General Practice as a Healthcare Assistant, Admin or Reception role
- Experience of dealing with a range of clinical conditions
Disposition
Essential
- Patient centered and caring
- Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
- Flexible and cooperative
- Able to work accurately under pressure
- Hard working, reliable, honest, pleasant and approachable
- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
- Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
- Commitment to ongoing personal/professional development
- Polite and confident
- Flexible and cooperative
- Ability to follow organisational policies/procedures
- Ability to use own initiative, discretion, and sensitivity
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
Other
Essential
- Independently mobile and able to travel across the Wakefield District
- DBS Check
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE pass in Maths, English and Science or equivalent
Desirable
- GP Assistant Certificate qualification/willingness to undertake a GPA training course
- Care Certificate
Knowledge
Essential
- Information governance standards
- Confidentiality
- Infection prevention and control
- Safeguarding
- Equality and diversity
- Accurate record keeping
- Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to seek support
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
Desirable
- Able to effectively support with basic wound care
- ECGs
- Chaperone procedure
- An understanding of the aims of current healthcare policy, including the new GP contract and the new NHS Long Term Plan
- Ability to record accurate clinical notes
Skills and Aptitude
Essential
- Highly organised
- Excellent time management skills
- Ability to work independently, seeking assurance from the wider clinical team if necessary
- Excellent communication skills
- Adaptable and quick to make relationships with new teams
- Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with people at all levels, by telephone, email and face to face
- Demonstrate ability to develop and maintain good working relations across multidisciplinary teams
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working/volunteering in a healthcare/voluntary sector
- Experience of working with the general public
Desirable
- Experience using SystmOne
- Experience with General Practice as a Healthcare Assistant, Admin or Reception role
- Experience of dealing with a range of clinical conditions
Disposition
Essential
- Patient centered and caring
- Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
- Flexible and cooperative
- Able to work accurately under pressure
- Hard working, reliable, honest, pleasant and approachable
- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
- Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
- Commitment to ongoing personal/professional development
- Polite and confident
- Flexible and cooperative
- Ability to follow organisational policies/procedures
- Ability to use own initiative, discretion, and sensitivity
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
Other
Essential
- Independently mobile and able to travel across the Wakefield District
- DBS Check
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE pass in Maths, English and Science or equivalent
Desirable
- GP Assistant Certificate qualification/willingness to undertake a GPA training course
- Care Certificate
Knowledge
Essential
- Information governance standards
- Confidentiality
- Infection prevention and control
- Safeguarding
- Equality and diversity
- Accurate record keeping
- Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to seek support
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
Desirable
- Able to effectively support with basic wound care
- ECGs
- Chaperone procedure
- An understanding of the aims of current healthcare policy, including the new GP contract and the new NHS Long Term Plan
- Ability to record accurate clinical notes
Skills and Aptitude
Essential
- Highly organised
- Excellent time management skills
- Ability to work independently, seeking assurance from the wider clinical team if necessary
- Excellent communication skills
- Adaptable and quick to make relationships with new teams
- Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with people at all levels, by telephone, email and face to face
- Demonstrate ability to develop and maintain good working relations across multidisciplinary teams
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.
