Nurse Practitioner (PCN Lead)

Job responsibilities

Job Description

Title:Advanced Nurse Practitioner/PCN Lead

Responsible To:Clinical Team Manager

Main Purpose of the Post:

A Nurse Practitioner at Portsdown Group Practice will be an experienced nurse who, acting within their professional boundaries, will provide care for patients presenting at the practice from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of care. They will demonstrate safe, clinical decision making and expert care, including assessment and diagnostic skills, for patients within the general practice. The post holder will demonstrate critical thinking in the clinical decision-making process.

They will work collaboratively with the general practice team to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures, and providing leadership as required.

Duties & Responsibilities of the Post:

Main Duties:

• To deliver a high standard of patient care as Nurse Practitioner (NP) in general practice, using advanced autonomous clinical skills, and a broad and in-depth theoretical knowledge base
• To manage a clinical caseload, dealing with presenting patients needs in a primary care setting.
• To lead the Primary Care Network team and ensure the highest standards of care are

provided for the patients.

Provide assessment and development of care plan/treatment for patients with frailty either within the surgery setting or in their own homes as appropriate

• Provide the choice of direct access to a NP, both in the Surgery and over the telephone, for general practice population.
• Make professionally autonomous decisions for which he / she is accountable.
• Provide a first point of contact within the Practice for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, making use of skills in history taking, physical examination, problem-solving and clinical decision-making, to establish a diagnosis and management plan.
• Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings / reports.
• As an independent prescriber: to prescribe safe, effective and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework.
• Provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care.
• Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate an on-going plan of care / support, with an emphasis on prevention and self-care.
• Promote health and well-being through the use of health promotion, health education, screening and therapeutic communication skills.
• Refer patients directly to other services / agencies as appropriate.
• Work with nursing, medical and health care assistant colleagues to ensure that National Service Frameworks (e.g. Coronary Heart Disease / Older People / Diabetes / Mental Health) are being delivered.
• Contribute to the practice achieving its quality targets to sustain the high standards of patient care and service delivery.
• Participate in identification of community health needs and develop patient / family-centred strategies to address them.
• Help develop and set up new patient services and participate in initiatives to improve existing patient services.

TEACHING AND MENTORING ROLE:

• Promote a learning environment for patients, nurses and other health professionals.
• Contribute to the planning and implementation of the teaching for existing staff, such as medical students, NP students, GP registrars, Health Care Assistants, within the Surgery.

PROFESSIONAL ROLE:

• Promote evidence-based practice through the use of the latest research-based guidelines and the development of practice-based research.
• Monitor the effectiveness of their own clinical practice through the quality assurance strategies such as the use of audit and peer review.
• Maintain their professional registration.
• Participate in continuing professional development opportunities to ensure that up-to-date evidence-based knowledge and competence in all aspects of the role is maintained.
• Work within the latest NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Record accurate consultation data in patients records in accordance with the latest NMC guidance and other pertinent standards.
• Keep up to date with pertinent health-related policy and work with the practice team to consider the impact and strategies for implementation.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues within and external to the Surgeries.
• Demonstrate leadership.
• Pro-actively promote the role of the NP within the Surgeries, and externally to key stakeholders and agencies.
• Act as nurse advisor to other members of the Primary Healthcare team.
• Encourage and develop teamwork within the Practice.
• Participate in multi-disciplinary protocol and Patient Group Directions development.
• Help the Practice operate in a cost-effective manner.
• Identify and manage nursing care risks on a continuing basis.
• Participate in the Practice clinical meetings.
• Participate in audits and inspections as appropriate.
• Ensure that all Practice Policies are fully implemented.
• Work closely with the doctors and administrative managers in the setting up and / or improving systems for monitoring / measuring performance against Clinical Governance and Quality Indicator targets.

AREAS OF PRACTICE EXCLUDED FROM THE POST-HOLDERS REMIT:

• All aspects of antenatal/obstetric care.

Confidentiality:

As per both Government legislation and Practice Policies ensure that all confidentiality, data protection and information governance policies and guidelines are followed and strictly adhered to, reporting any infringements to the Operations Office immediately.

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
• Reporting potential risks identified
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
• Reporting potential risks identified.

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.

• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual staff performance review.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Lead on induction and training of new staff at site
• 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.

Communication/Information:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the practice and management team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• 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

Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive, but to indicate the main areas of responsibility. It may be changed after consultation with the post holder. The employee shares with the employer the responsibility for review and modification of duties. Suggestions and discussions are welcome.

Policies and Procedures - the duties and responsibilities of the post will be undertaken in accordance with the policies, procedures and practices of the Practice, which may be amended from time to time. You are required to be flexible and the practice reserves the right to alter such fixed hours as may be considered necessary to ensure the surgery runs smoothly.

The business operates between the hours of 0700 2100 hours Monday to Friday (0800 1300 Saturday), with possible requirement for some future evening and weekend working as the business develops.

Experience

Essential

• Previous post registration experience
• Evidence of appropriate continuing professional activity to maintain up to date knowledge and ongoing competence in all aspects of the NP role
• Evidence of working autonomously and as part of a team
• Proven ability to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of their own clinical practice

Desirable

• Interpreting and implementing local and national policy agendas for health
• Experience in managing long term conditions i.e. asthma, COPD, diabetes, CHD
• Compiling protocols and clinical guidelines

Knowledge

Essential

• Understanding of accountability arising from the NMC Code
• Understanding and knowledge of policy developments related to the delivery of primary care services including General Practice, clinical governance and QoF
• Knowledge of systems to gain an understanding of the health needs of the Practice population as they relate to care.
• Understanding of evidence based practice
• Knowledge of national standards that inform practice
• Understanding of equal opportunity and diversity issues

Skills

Essential

• Ability to assess and manage patient risk effectively and safely
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft applications
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Reflective practitioner
• Time management and ability to prioritise workload
• Able to analyse data and information, drawing out implications for the individual patient / impact on care plan
• Able to establish and maintain effective communication pathways with the organisation, the local CCG and with key external stakeholders

Desirable

• Experience of use of medical software package
• Proven record of effective use of networking and influencing skills
• Ability to think strategically
• Experience of presenting information to a wider audience

Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum 5 years post registration work experience
• Nurse led management of minor illness, minor ailments and injuries
• Leadership in quality initiatives such as clinical benchmarking
• Audit
• Accountability of own role

Desirable

• Advanced clinical practice skills
• Management of patients with long term conditions
• Management of patients with complex needs
• Local and national health policy
• Clinical governance issues in primary care
• Patient group directives and associated policy
• Nurse led triage including telephone triage
• Independent Nurse Prescriber
• Primary Care and / or Community Experience

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).