Lead Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

The Lead Practice Nurse will be responsible for the management of the practice nursing team, consisting of nurses and HCAs.

The Lead Practice Nurse will be responsible for several clinical areas such as infection prevention and control, health promotion, chronic disease management, health prevention, well women and well man clinics, as well as supporting the practice management team in the reviewing and delivery of clinical policy, audit and procedure.

The Lead Practice Nurse will be responsible for the implementation of processes for the effective management of patients with long-term conditions using evidence-based practice including care for elderly and housebound patients.

Working as a senior member of the practice multidisciplinary team, the post holder will ensure nursing services are delivered effectively to the entitled patient population.

The following are the core responsibilities of the Lead Practice Nurse. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

a. To act as the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) lead and to work to the IPC Policy providing audits, training, support and evidence of compliance to the practice manager

b. To produce the IPC annual statement in conjunction with the practice manager

c. To develop, implement and embed an effective care management programme for the frail and housebound patients registered at the practice

d. To assess the needs of patients ensuring the provision of healthcare is appropriate, incorporating evidence-based practice

e. To develop, implement and embed health promotion and wellbeing programmes

f. To implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for chronic disease patients that promote health and wellbeing

g. To identify, manage and support patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects to patients health

h. As required, to provide routine nursing care to patients in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF

i. As required, to diagnose and manage acute and chronic conditions

j. To prescribe medication for patients in accordance with PGDs and own scope of practice

k. To review patient medications to enhance compliance

l. To provide guidance to patients on the use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications regarding side effects and dosages (within their scope of practice)

m. To co-ordinate the provision of travel medicine services

n. To request pathology services and process pathology results as required

o. To oversee the provision of chronic disease clinics, delivering patient care as necessary, referring patients to secondary/specialist care as required

p. To maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation

q. To ensure SNOMED CT codes are used effectively by all members of the nursing team

r. To ensure the appropriate use of chronic disease registers

s. To develop, implement, embed and participate in well woman clinics

t. To develop, implement, embed and participate in well man clinics

u. To ensure compliance with the practice chaperone policy

v. To assist GPs with minor surgery when required

w. To prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately

x. To support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies

y. To recognise, assess and refer patients presenting with mental health needs

z. To implement vaccination programmes for adults and children

aa. To liaise with external services/agencies to ensure the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients etc.)

bb. To delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately (ensuring safe practice and the task is within the scope of practice of the individual)

cc. To support the clinical team with all safeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies

dd. To understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately

To deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

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

a. Develop and review audit protocols and process for the practice, effectively utilising the audit cycle

b. Develop, review and implement nursing protocols in conjunction with the partners

c. Support all members of the nursing team, providing guidance when necessary, conducting appraisals and training needs analyses as required

d. Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care

e. Support and participate in shared learning within the practice in order to improve patient care

f. Continually review clinical practices, responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate

g. Participate in the review of significant and near-miss events applying a structured approach, i.e., root cause analysis (RCA)

h. Coordinate the nursing team rota, ensuring sufficient staff are available to meet patient needs

i. Lead the planning and implementation of changes within the nursing team, enhancing the provision of services to patients

j. Support the practice team with the reviewing and implementation of practice policies and protocols, ensuring conformance to extant legislation

Personal Qualities and Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Competent in clinical IT systems
• Polite and confident
• Flexible and co-operative
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort

Desirable

• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes
• Experience with clinical risk management
• Good IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Motivated, forward thinker
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
• Effectively utilise resources

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse

Desirable

• Mentor or teaching qualification
• Post graduate diploma or degree (Chronic disease management)
• Nurse prescriber
• Completed or working toward formal infection prevention and control training
• Family planning qualification

Clinical Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• 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
• Chaperone procedure
• Womens health (cervical cytology, contraception, etc.)
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Chronic disease management in [list as appropriate]
• Spirometry

Desirable

• Travel medicine
• 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

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• Experience of leading a nursing team in a primary care environment
• Experience of chronic disease management
• Experience of working autonomously
• Experience of working as a practice nurse or community nurse
• Experience of infection prevention and control measures

Desirable

• Experience of managing elderly and housebound patients
• Experience of quality initiatives, i.e., benchmarking

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.

UK Registration

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