Job responsibilities
Clinical Practice
The Advanced Care Practitioner works autonomously
and is accountable for own professional actions.
Undertake clinical practice at an advanced level using expert knowledge and clinical
skills to deliver holistic care to people accessing primary care services.
Assess,
diagnose and treat patients attending surgery or via home visits with a
range of acute, non-acute and chronic medical conditions.
Assess, diagnose and treat patients in surgery or own home who require acute
medical attention and refer to appropriate agency.
Directly
admit patients to secondary care hospital in acute medical need.
Refer patients to other medical specialties for assessment if deemed appropriate.
Refer patients as appropriate to other members of the multidisciplinary team,
secondary care and to other statutory and voluntary organisations.
Undertake and interpret a range of diagnostic tests and routine clinical procedures
e.g. venepuncture, blood pressure monitoring etc.
Make critical judgements of the highest order to satisfy the expectations and
demands of the job e.g. first contact with patients presenting acutely and
manages care in the presence and absence of protocols.
Make decisions where precedents do not exist, where appropriate without
recourse to others e.g. direct referrals of patients to hospital
consultants without prior reference to other medical colleagues.
Advise
and support others where standard protocols do not apply.
Work
within professional guidelines and codes of conduct.
Work within all relevant practice policies and procedural guidelines e.g.
infection control, chaperoning and risk management.
Extended
and supplementary prescribing
Care and Programme Management
Develops and manages highly specialised programmes
of care and care packages and provides highly specialised advice concerning
care normally beyond the scope of normal working practice e.g. establishes
differential diagnoses, management/treatment plans and makes referral as
appropriate. Makes fast track referrals
Communicates highly sensitive condition related
information to patients, relatives and carers
Initiates the process of diagnosis with patients
suspected of have a chronic disease e.g. diabetes, COPD, asthma, IHD
referring to other clinical staff as appropriate
Contribute to practice targets e.g. QoF, Quality
Contracts, DES/LES
Audit outcomes against standards and initiate
changes as necessary
Actively be in involved in service development
within the practice e.g. DES/LES implementation
Health Improvement
Initiate and carry out programmes of health
screening and ensure other team members are aware of health agendas and
screening programmes
Work to introduce new developments that will
improve health outcomes for patients
Communication
Provides and receives highly complex, sensitive or
contentious information and frequently deals with situations which are hostile
or emotive
Uses developed communication, negotiation,
conflict managements skills which require empathy, reassurance and persuasive
skills where there can be significant barriers to acceptance which need to be
overcome
Regularly communicate service related information
to partners, practice manager, salaried GPs, nursing and administrative staff,
patients, relatives and carers
Management
Develop a leadership role within the practice
Encourage and motivate other members of the
nursing team
Develop and lead on evidence based practice
Actively participate in clinical and practice
meetings
Assist in the mentorship and training of new
nursing staff
Research and Audit
Continuous involvement in research/audit
Identify, apply and disseminate research/audit
findings relating to clinical practice
