Job responsibilities
The Deputy Practice Manager will be expected to support the team in achieving goals and targets using a combination of personal involvement, motivation of other staff and delegation where appropriate.
Main duties of the job
To manage and coordinate all aspects of the organisations day-to-day business, motivating and managing staff, optimising efficiency and financial performance, and ensuring the partnership achieves its long-term strategies.
Job Responsibilities
Human Resources
Ensure that the practice is staffed and resourced within the budget by people with the appropriate skills, experience and commitment to provide the professional, technical, administrative and inter-personal expertise needed.
- Develop HR and training policies.
- Ensure the effective recruitment, selection and induction of new staff.
- Ensure clear and up-to-date contracts of employment, policies and procedures and staff handbook in line with good employment practice.
- Ensure performance is managed and there is appropriate supervision of staff.
- Ensure optimum staffing levels at all times with holiday and sickness absences managed.
- Develop teamwork, ensuring well-run regular staff meetings.
- Oversee the running of existing staff appraisal scheme.
- Ensure the personal development and training of staff.
- Review patterns and methods of work and skills-mix for both individuals and teams to ensure their efficient and effective functioning.
- Deal with grievances and disciplinary matters as may be required in conjunction with the Practice Manager and Partners.
- Ensure personnel and attendance records are maintained.
- Review pays and conditions of staff and advise partners accordingly.
- Ensure that all statutory requirements are fulfilled and adopt changes as they occur.
- Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times and encourage the professionalism of all staff.
- Ensure training needs are identified and develop an annual training plan as part of the appraisal system. Ensure that the training is carried out either in-house or indirectly.
Management of Financial Resource
Responsible to the Partners for the effective management of practice finances, working with the partners and Practice Manager to plan effective budgetary control, ensuring cost efficiencies and maximisation of profitability.
- Understanding the range of income received into the practice.
- Understanding of XERO.
- Be able to use all online banking facilities of the practice.
- Ensure efficient working methods and best use of resources.
- Ensure controls 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 the payment of staff salaries, tax, NI, management of the NHS Pension Scheme.
- Ensure the appropriate payment of partners drawings.
- Ensure management of the practices bank account.
- Ensure correct payment of supplies and expenses. Previous experience using Xero software or similar desirable.
- Ensure correct invoicing for services and systems to reclaim monies owed to the practice.
- Ensure appropriate control of the petty cash account.
- Ensure the accurate record keeping, monthly bank reconciliations and preparation for the practice accounts.
Partnership Management
Provide support to the partners and the partnership to ensure excellent team-working and a sound legal framework.
- Ensure effective meetings with clear agendas, minutes and action plans.
- Provide management advice and information to the partners in order for them to make decisions about the running of the practice.
- Deal with partnership changes retirements, new appointments, legal, financial and patient-related implications.
- Ensure decision-making relating to the partnership is documented.
- Ensure appropriate profit-share payments of partnership drawings.
- Ensure medical indemnity for all clinicians is up to date.
Management of Information Technology
- Ensure the effective management of information within the practice and with outside agencies.
- Develop the practices IT strategy.
- Ensure the functioning and best use of the practices clinical computer system and implement new software systems to aid the efficiency of the practice.
- Ensure that appropriate computer searches, audits and reports are carried out.
- Ensure development of the practices internal intranet and other IT systems.
- Ensure the training of all personnel and users of the practice IT systems.
- Lead on IT business continuity and develop systems to protect security of data.
- Ensure policies against the misuse of internet and emails is adhered to.
- Explore further development of the practice website.
- Ensure confidentiality of data adhering to GDPR regulations.
Health and Safety Compliance
- Act as the Health and Safety Officer for the practice.
- Ensure all health and safety policies and procedures are up to date and recorded on the intranet.
- Ensure risk assessments are undertaken when necessary and the assessment is logged and periodically reviewed.
- Ensure the security of the premises advising staff on actions to take if a breach or unauthorised visitor is found.
- Ensuring workstations are fit for use and staff have the equipment they need.
- Ensure the cleaning up spillage policy is followed.
Premises and facilities management
- Ensure access to rooms/cupboards is controlled as required and keys are stored in key safes.
- Maintain the surgery premises, organising repairs to the building and contents as required to maintain health and safety and infection control standards.
- Managing the rubbish and clinical waste removal contracts.
- Working with the Clinical administrator to ensure medical equipment is maintained and serviced.
- Ensure the Practice has Business Continuity Plan and communicate it to all staff.
Policy and Planning
Regularly review the organisation and developments within and outside the practice which will impact directly and indirectly.
- Assume responsibility for developing a practice business plan.
- Participate and work with groups determining future policy.
- Develop business cases and tenders to provide future services.
- Explore innovative ideas for provision of services to suit the needs of the practice population and the professionals working within the practice team.
- Explore opportunities to optimise use of practice facilities.
- Liaise with other local practices through the practice managers forum.
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 telephone system, appointments system, messages, visits, results, prescribing systems, access, incoming mail, workflow, scanning, etc. function at an optimum level all times.
- Ensure the summarising of clinical information on to the patient medical records and summarising of notes is kept up to the necessary levels.
- Ensure the correct registration and deduction of patient records in line with recommended procedures.
- Liaise with the partners and clinical staff regarding systems for the management of information systems to and from patients.
- Ensure systems under the Quality and Outcome Framework (organisational and clinical)
- Evaluate and implement enhanced services.
Care Quality Commission
Advise the partners on action needed to maintain compliance with the CQC requirements.
- Responsibility for ongoing maintenance of practice CQC compliance
- Manage the process by which the practice maintains registration under the CQC.
- Working with the partners in preparation for CQC inspections
- To achieve a good rating from CQC inspections
- Leading and working with the partners through CQC inspection visits
- Implement and follow up any action or improvements required by the CQC in order to maintain registration.
Patient Services
Develop services which best serve the needs of the practices patient population.
- Develop, maintain and market new and existing patients services.
- Liaise with relevant patient forums and the patient participation group.
- Embrace links with other healthcare providers and social services as laid out in the Governments plans to develop a patient-led NHS.
- Ensure health promotion campaigns targeted to relevant groups.
- Develop child and family-friendly policies.
- Review patient satisfaction surveys.
- Manage patient complaints, either informal or formal, using the NHS complaints procedure.
- Management of significant event audits and learning plans.
- Ensure patient information is up-to-date and available, such as the practice brochure, patient newsletter, and patient leaflets.
Personal Development
Report to the Practice Manager, manage own time effectively, plan and meet personal and practice targets. Ensure own personal development through reflection and feedback from partners and colleagues. Ensure that personal continuing training needs are identified and met.
Any other duties that may arise appropriate to the manager of a general practice.