Practice Manager

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide leadership and management to enable the practice to meet its agreed aims and objectives within a collegial, profitable, efficient, safe and effective working environment.

Strategic management and planning

• Keep abreast of current affairs and identify potential threats and opportunities
• Contribute to practice strategy; formulate objectives and research and develop ideas for future practice improvements
• Monitor and evaluate performance of the practice team against objectives; identify and manage change
• Develop and maintain effective communication both within the practice and with relevant outside agencies
• Engage with external agencies as required, including but not limited to CQC, Primary Care Network, ICB, Healthwatch, Taurus Healthcare
• Prepare and update the practice development plan, and oversee the implementation of the aims and objectives
• Assess and evaluate accommodation requirements and manage development and expansion plans

Financial

• Manage practice budgets and seek to maximise profit
• Understand and report on the financial implications of contract and legislation changes
• Manage practice accounts; submit year-end figures promptly and liaise with the practice accountant
• Monitor cash-flow, prepare regular forecasts with the assistance of the accountants
• Manage bank accounts; negotiate/liaise with the practice bankers
• Oversee PAYE for practice staff
• Oversee contributions to the practice pension scheme(s)

HR

Oversee the recruitment and retention of staff and provide a general personnel management service

Ensure that all members of staff are legally and gainfully employed. Monitor skill-mix and deployment of staff

Manage staffing levels within target budgets

Evaluate, organise and oversee staff induction and training, and ensure that all staff are adequately trained to fulfil their role

Develop and implement effective staff appraisal and monitoring systems

Support and mentor staff, both as individuals and as team members

Implement effective systems for the resolution of disputes and grievances

Keep abreast of changes in employment legislation

Maintain up-to-date HR documentation (including job descriptions, employment contracts and employment policies)

Organisational

• Convene meetings, prepare agendas and ensure distribution of minutes as necessary
• Develop Practice protocols and procedures, review and update as required
• Ensure that Practice premises are properly maintained and cleaned, and that adequate fire prevention and security systems are in place
• Manage the procurement of practice equipment, supplies and services within target budgets
• Develop and review Health & Safety policies and procedures and keep abreast of current legislation
• Arrange appropriate insurance cover
• Ensure that the practice has adequate disaster recovery procedures in place
• Arrange appropriate maintenance for practice equipment

Quality:

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

• Implement an effective complaints and incident reporting management system
• Manage the Practice Risk Register to identity and mitigate risks and alert other team members
• Prepare and update the practice improvement plan and oversee the implementation of quality improvement initiatives
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• 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

Patient services

• Adopt a strategic approach to the development and management of patient services
• Ensure service development and delivery is in accordance with local and national guidelines
• Ensure that the practice complies with NHS contractual obligations in relation to patient care
• Maintain registration policies and monitor patient turnover and capitation
• Oversee and manage an effective appointment systems
• Oversee surgery timetables, duty rotas and holiday cover, and support arrangements for emergency cover when needed
• Routinely monitor and assess practice performance against patient access and demand management targets
• Liaise with patient groups

IT

• Act a first point of contact for IT problems (software and hardware)
• Keep abreast of the latest development in primary care IT and regularly update the practice management team
• Motivate, support and monitor staff in the use of IT; organise, oversee and evaluate IT training
• Set targets and monitoring standards for data entry and data collection
• Ensure that the practice has effective IT data security, back-up, maintenance and disaster recovery plans in place
• Liaise with the ICB regarding systems procurement, IT funding and national IT development programmes.
• Act as Senior Information Risk Officer for the Practice and in collaboration with the Caldicott Guardian, ensure that the management of practice and patient information complies with data protection legislation.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder will implement and lead on the full range of promotion and management 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::

• Ensuring job holders across the practice adhere to their individual responsibilities for infection control and health and safety, using a system of observation, audit and check, hazard identification, questioning, reporting and risk management.
• Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of health and safety and infection control statutory and best practice guidelines and ensuring implementation across the business
• 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 across the business
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards, and initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed
• Actively identifying, reporting, and correcting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
• Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

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 recognises 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 that 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, with such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the 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

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of people management.
• Knowledge of employment law, health and safety legislation, risk assessment.
• Experience of staff appraisals, handling grievance and disciplinary issues
• Knowledge about recruitment, staff training and motivation.
• Experience of complex administration and record keeping in an office environment.
• Familiarity with a variety of Windows based software and Windows / Network environment.

Desirable

• Experience in dealing with external organisations at management level.
• Knowledge of finance and management accounts.
• Experience of working within health or social care.
• Experience of dealing with members of the public.

Other

Essential

• Willing to work flexible hours as necessary, including evening meetings

Desirable

• Current driving licence and access to own transport

SKILLS

Essential

• Excellent communication (oral and written) and inter-personal skills.
• Ability to listen and empathise.
• Ability to chair and co-ordinate meetings.
• Ability to manage teams including effective delegation, conflict management, change management.
• Ability to produce clear written reports and proposals.
• Competent in the use of IT software, e.g. email, MS Word and Excel.

Desirable

• Ability to manage upwards.
• Ability to interpret and present numerical and financial data.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• To have integrity and lead by example.
• A flexible and solutions focussed can-do attitude.
• Ability to adapt to a changing working environment.
• Ability to use own initiative, self-motivate and determine own workload priorities.
• Ability to identify own training needs and keen to learn.
• Enthusiastic, with energy and drive.
• A sympathetic and caring attitude.
• Good sense of humour.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge gained through experience.

Desirable

• Management Qualification (e.g. ILM).

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Kingstone Surgery

Address

The Surgery

Kingstone

Hereford

HR2 9HN

Employer's website

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