Practice Nurse

Ashburton Surgery

The closing date is 23 May 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Practice Nurse to join our team at Ashburton GP Surgery. This position will work in partnership with our other Practice Nurses, Trainee Nurse Associate, Health Care Assistant and Phlebotomist.

The ideal candidate will have a desire to contribute to the delivery of high quality, patient centred healthcare. They will have a proven record of their excellent clinical skills. The successful candidate will be dynamic, have excellent interpersonal and organisational skills, coupled with a pro active can do attitude. The candidate will be able to work well as part of a team, as well as being able to work independently using their own initiative. The practice is open to discussion around the working hours for this position.

Main duties of the job

Working as a member of the practice multidisciplinary team, the post holder will effectively deliver high quality nursing services to our patient population.

In partnership with colleagues the Practice Nurse will be responsible for a number of clinical areas such as infection prevention and control, health promotion, chronic disease management, as well as actively supporting the practice management team in the reviewing and delivery of clinical policy and procedure. Our ideal candidate will have a special interest in diabetes.

About us

Ashburton Surgery is a high achieving, friendly, rural surgery on the edge of Dartmoor, providing primary care services to a growing list size of 7200 patients. Part of South Dartmoor and Totnes Primary Care Network we are strong advocates for collaboration.

We are a 5 partner Practice, supported by a multidisciplinary team including salaried GPs, retained GPs, Practice Nurses, a Trainee Nurse Associate, Health Care Assistants, a highly experienced other /Administration team, Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Health and Wellbeing Coaches, Social Prescribers and Care Coordinators.

We are a training practice, hosting GP registrars, F2 doctors and medical students.

The Practice also has a special interest in the promotion and development of their Research portfolio for both commerical and non-commercial research projects, working closely with the Research Development network agile nursing team.

Date posted

17 April 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

A1906-25-0000

Job locations

1 Eastern Road

Ashburton

Newton Abbot

Devon

TQ13 7AP


Job description

Job responsibilities

The core responsibilities of the role include the following, although on occasion, there may be a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

  • To oversee the provision of chronic disease clinics, delivering patient care as necessary/appropriate.
  • As required, to diagnose and manage acute and chronic conditions
  • to ensure the appropriate maintenance and use of chronic disease registers
  • To implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for chronic disease patients that promote health and wellbeing
  • To review patient medications to enhance compliance
  • To support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines (within own scope of practice)
  • To provide guidance to patients in the use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications regarding side effects and dosages
  • To prescribe medication for patients in accordance with PGDs and own scope of practice
  • To request pathology services and process pathology results as required
  • To prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately
  • To identify, manage and support patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects to patients health
  • to promote and participate in group clinics as required
  • To maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation
  • To develop, implement and embed health promotion and wellbeing programmes
  • To deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate
  • To implement vaccination programmes for adults and children including participating in seasonal vaccine campaigns.
  • To co-ordinate the provision of travel medicine services
  • To assist GPs with minor surgery when required
  • To delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately (ensuring safe practice and the task is within the scope of practice of the individual)
  • To understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour
  • To ensure read codes are used effectively by all members of the nursing team
  • To ensure compliance with the practice chaperone policy
  • To support the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) lead and to work to the IPC Policy supporting the implementation of audits, training, support and evidence of compliance to the practice manager
  • To support the clinical team with all safeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies
  • To support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Practice Nurse may be requested to:

  • Develop and review audit protocols and process for the practice, effectively utilising the audit cycle
  • Develop, review and implement nursing protocols in conjunction with the partners
  • Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
  • Support and participate in shared learning within the practice in order to improve patient care
  • Continually review clinical practices, responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate
  • Participate in the review of significant and near-miss events applying a structured approach, i.e., root cause analysis (RCA)
  • Support the planning and implementation of changes within the nursing team, enhancing the provision of services to patients
  • Support the practice team with the reviewing and implementation of practice policies and protocols, ensuring conformance to legislation

Job description

Job responsibilities

The core responsibilities of the role include the following, although on occasion, there may be a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

  • To oversee the provision of chronic disease clinics, delivering patient care as necessary/appropriate.
  • As required, to diagnose and manage acute and chronic conditions
  • to ensure the appropriate maintenance and use of chronic disease registers
  • To implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for chronic disease patients that promote health and wellbeing
  • To review patient medications to enhance compliance
  • To support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines (within own scope of practice)
  • To provide guidance to patients in the use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications regarding side effects and dosages
  • To prescribe medication for patients in accordance with PGDs and own scope of practice
  • To request pathology services and process pathology results as required
  • To prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately
  • To identify, manage and support patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects to patients health
  • to promote and participate in group clinics as required
  • To maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation
  • To develop, implement and embed health promotion and wellbeing programmes
  • To deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate
  • To implement vaccination programmes for adults and children including participating in seasonal vaccine campaigns.
  • To co-ordinate the provision of travel medicine services
  • To assist GPs with minor surgery when required
  • To delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately (ensuring safe practice and the task is within the scope of practice of the individual)
  • To understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour
  • To ensure read codes are used effectively by all members of the nursing team
  • To ensure compliance with the practice chaperone policy
  • To support the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) lead and to work to the IPC Policy supporting the implementation of audits, training, support and evidence of compliance to the practice manager
  • To support the clinical team with all safeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies
  • To support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Practice Nurse may be requested to:

  • Develop and review audit protocols and process for the practice, effectively utilising the audit cycle
  • Develop, review and implement nursing protocols in conjunction with the partners
  • Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
  • Support and participate in shared learning within the practice in order to improve patient care
  • Continually review clinical practices, responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate
  • Participate in the review of significant and near-miss events applying a structured approach, i.e., root cause analysis (RCA)
  • Support the planning and implementation of changes within the nursing team, enhancing the provision of services to patients
  • Support the practice team with the reviewing and implementation of practice policies and protocols, ensuring conformance to legislation

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Fully qualified registered Practice Nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council)

Desirable

  • Mentor or teaching qualification
  • Post graduate diploma or degree (Chronic Disease Management)
  • Nurse prescriber
  • Family planning qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a primary care environment
  • Experience of working as a practice nurse or community nurse Experience of chronic disease management
  • Experience of working autonomously
  • Experience of infection prevention and control measures Wound care/removal of sutures and staples ECGs Venepuncture New patient medicals
  • Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
  • Understanding the importance of evidence-based practice
  • Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
  • Ability to record accurate clinical notes
  • Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
  • Womens health (cervical cytology, contraception, etc.)
  • Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
  • Chronic disease management including diabetes
  • To be able to produce
  • - evidence for nurse revalidation
  • - evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) commensurate with the role of a Practice Nurse

Desirable

  • Experience of diabetic management
  • Experience of managing elderly and housebound patients
  • Experience of quality initiatives, i.e., benchmarking- Travel medicine Spirometry
  • Broad knowledge of clinical governance
  • Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
  • Awareness of issues within the wider health arena Knowledge of health promotion strategies
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Fully qualified registered Practice Nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council)

Desirable

  • Mentor or teaching qualification
  • Post graduate diploma or degree (Chronic Disease Management)
  • Nurse prescriber
  • Family planning qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a primary care environment
  • Experience of working as a practice nurse or community nurse Experience of chronic disease management
  • Experience of working autonomously
  • Experience of infection prevention and control measures Wound care/removal of sutures and staples ECGs Venepuncture New patient medicals
  • Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
  • Understanding the importance of evidence-based practice
  • Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
  • Ability to record accurate clinical notes
  • Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
  • Womens health (cervical cytology, contraception, etc.)
  • Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
  • Chronic disease management including diabetes
  • To be able to produce
  • - evidence for nurse revalidation
  • - evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) commensurate with the role of a Practice Nurse

Desirable

  • Experience of diabetic management
  • Experience of managing elderly and housebound patients
  • Experience of quality initiatives, i.e., benchmarking- Travel medicine Spirometry
  • Broad knowledge of clinical governance
  • Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
  • Awareness of issues within the wider health arena Knowledge of health promotion strategies

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Ashburton Surgery

Address

1 Eastern Road

Ashburton

Newton Abbot

Devon

TQ13 7AP


Employer's website

https://www.ashburtonsurgery.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Ashburton Surgery

Address

1 Eastern Road

Ashburton

Newton Abbot

Devon

TQ13 7AP


Employer's website

https://www.ashburtonsurgery.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Practice Manager

Emma Howden-Knowles

emma.knowles11@nhs.net

01364652371

Date posted

17 April 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

A1906-25-0000

Job locations

1 Eastern Road

Ashburton

Newton Abbot

Devon

TQ13 7AP


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