Assistant Business Manager

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

To help manage and coordinate all aspects of the practices day-to-day business, motivating and managing staff, optimising efficiency and financial performance, and ensuring that the practices achieves its long-term strategies.

Accountability

Accountable to the Business Managers and GP Partners.

Duties and Responsibilities

Practice Development, Contract Management and Legal Requirements

Support the BMs & GP Partners with strategic planning with project planning and financial reports.

Identify efficiencies and new business opportunities

Ensure all contracts and service agreements are prepared and signed as agreed by the partners

Monitor the implementation of all contracts and service agreements

Management responsibility for the requirements of the Care Quality Commission to include accurate recording of the practices and partners on the CQC register and an accurate Statement of Purpose.

Compliance with CQC requirements.

Complaints Manager for all complaints and investigations.

Management of Human Resources:

Ensure Practices are staffed and resourced within the budget by people with appropriate skills, experience and commitment to provide the professional, technical, administrative and inter-personal expertise needed.

Ensure HR and training policies are up to date.

Assist in developing the communications structure in the Practices so that all meetings have an identified purpose, feed into each other, and function effectively.

Ensure the effective recruitment, selection and induction of new staff.

Provide clear and up-to-date contracts of employment, employment policies and procedures, and staff handbook in line with good employment practice.

Manage performance and ensure appropriate supervision of staff.

Ensure optimum staffing levels at all times and manage holiday and sickness absences.

Develop teamwork, ensuring well-run regular staff meetings and organising away-days and social functions.

Continue to run the existing effective staff appraisal scheme.

Ensure the personal development and training of all staff.

Deal with grievances and disciplinary matters as may be required in conjunction with the BMs and GP Partners.

Maintain proper personnel and attendance records.

Review pay and conditions of staff and advise the BMs and GP Partners accordingly.

Ensure that all statutory requirements are fulfilled and adopt changes as and when they occur.

Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times and encourage the professionalism of all staff.

Ensure training needs are identified and develop with each staff member an annual training plan as part of the appraisal system. Ensure that training is carried out either in-house or externally.

Management of financial resources:

Responsible to the Business Managers and GP Partners for the effective use of practice finances, working closely with the practice accountant to plan effective budgetary control, ensuring cost efficiencies and maximisation of profitability.

Ensure efficient working methods and best use of resources.

Ensure sensible control of expenditure whilst ensuring necessary investment in resources.

Ensure all income-generating opportunities are explored and maximised.

Provide budgetary and cash flow forecasting to the partners.

Ensure policies and procedures to protect the practice against fraud and financial mismanagement.

Ensure the outsourced payroll function is properly managed, including payment of staff salaries, tax, NI, management of the NHS Pension Scheme and submission of end of year financial information.

Ensure correct payment of supplies and expenses.

Ensure correct billing for services and systems to reclaim monies owed to the practice.

Ensure appropriate control of the petty cash account.

Management of Information Technology systems:

Ensure the effective management of information within the practices and with outside agencies.

Ensure the functioning and best use of the practices clinical computer systems EMIS & TPP (SystmOne).

Ensure that appropriate computer searches, audits and reports are carried out.

Ensure the training of all personnel and users of the practice IT systems.

Ensure maintenance of hardware and replacements as required.

Ensure policies against the misuse of the Internet and emails.

Explore further development of practice website, on-line appointments and prescribing systems.

Ensure confidentiality of data and conformity to the Data Protection Act and Medical Records and Reports Acts, the Freedom of Information Act and the Caldicott Report.

Annual IG Toolkit compliance and submission.

Management of partnership issues:

Provide support to the BMs and GP Partners to ensure excellent team-working and a sound legal framework.

Ensure effective meetings with clear agendas, minutes and action plans.

Assist in the recruitment of new staff.

Ensure decision-making relating to the partnership is documented.

Ensure medical indemnity for all clinicians is up-to-date.

Ensure clinical staff rotas and holiday arrangements are managed efficiently.

Management of operational systems:

Ensure the effective and efficient working systems and operational systems within the practice.

Review and ensure that all operational systems, including the appointments system, messages, visits, results, prescribing systems, access, incoming mail, scanning, etc. function at an optimum level at all times.

Ensure systems under the Quality and Outcome Framework (organisational and clinical) and enhanced services operate at optimum levels to achieve the highest targets possible.

Management of premises, equipment and stock:

Advise the practice in making full and effective use of its current premises, equipment and stock.

Ensure that the purchase and control of supplies, drugs and equipment meets the current and future needs of the practice.

Ensure maintenance, decorating and cleaning of premises is effectively carried out.

Ensure appropriate insurance of premises, equipment and stock.

Ensure security measures of premises and personnel, including intruder alarms, fire alarms and panic buttons. Be prepared to respond to out of hours alarm calls.

Ensure adherence to health and safety and fire procedures throughout the practice and relevant training and updates are undertaken as required by all practice staff.

Ensure CQC compliance through risk assessments.

Patient Services:

Develop services which best serve the needs of the practices patient population.

Manage the Patient Participation Group. (currently do not have a group in all Practices)

Ensure health promotion campaigns targeted to relevant groups.

Develop child and family-friendly policies.

Carry out and reviewing patient satisfaction surveys.

Manage patient complaints, either informal or formal, using the practices in-house complaints procedure.

Ensure significant event audits and learning plans.

Ensure patient information is up-to-date and available, such as the patient leaflet and web site.

Personal Development:

Manage own time effectively, plan and meet personal and practice targets. Ensures own personal development through reflection and feedback from BMs and GP Partners and colleagues. Ensure that personal continuing training needs are identified and being met.

Other Appropriate Duties

Any other duties that may arise appropriate to the manager of a general practice.

Essential Attitudes

Essential

• Commitment to delivery of excellent clinical care to the practice population
• Ability to cope with change and manage change within the practice
• Ability to manage own workload with initiative, flexibility and autonomy
• Attention to detail
• High standards of professionalism and honesty; tact and patience when dealing with colleagues
• A commitment to non-discrimination, both in recruitment and in service delivery

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Strong financial management skills, including budget control and planning and financial analysis and reporting
• A logical approach to problem solving
• Computer literacy, including good word processing skills
• Ability to build strong teams
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Ability to make effective decisions under pressure
• Understanding of the importance of high standards of medical care
• Understanding of the importance of confidentiality

Desirable

• Qualifications in management/practice management, degree level qualifications
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation
• Some knowledge of Employment Law
• An ability to troubleshoot technical problems with IT equipment and systems

Experience

Essential

• At least 2 years management experience
• Strategic planning
• Dealing with the public
• Successful team working and leadership
• Financial record keeping, including PAYE
• Developing new systems and services
• Chairing and minuting meetings

Desirable

• Previous experience of NHS management, either in primary and/or secondary care.
• Experience of staff recruitment and selection
• Teaching/training staff members

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).