Home Visiting Paramedic

Job description

Job responsibilities

To practice as part of Channel Health services working as a paramedic within the home visiting service. The role is to be part of a team that completes home visits for primary care practices across the south Kent coast. Providing on the day assessment and up to 72 hours follow up for patients to prevent hospital admission. The role is to provide care for patients with a variety of illnesses, completing clinical assessment and formulating diagnosis which is discussed with the GP to formulate a treatment plan. The post holder will work collaboratively within the team and complete referrals to relevant organisations to support patient care.

The post holder will support the delivery of high-quality care and will support service development and improvement of the local unscheduled care system, working within the team, across practices and with partners where appropriate. Committed to the development of innovative practice and expanding evidence-based care which will contribute to the enhancement of the paramedic role. The Post Holder will:

Provide and maintain a high standard of clinical assessment, treatment of patients presenting with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions and patient management for ongoing conditions.

Provide support to the GPs and other members of the Health and Social Care services.

Deliver care within the boundaries of their role and competence. Use advanced clinical skills to provide education to patients, promoting self-care and empower them to make informed choices about their treatment.

Contribute to service development, transformation and improvement:

o Proactively attend MDT meetings when within general practice to discuss frequent service users in order to put comprehensive care packages in place that lead to more optimal use of services

o Mentorship and supervision of junior colleagues and peers

o Contribute to peer reviews, group work and case reviews to improve individual practice and care provided to patients.

o Be open to learning from other professionals, to expand the scope of your own practice and holistic care.

Clinical Responsibilities

Use appropriate skills as defined within the Mandatory and Essential to role training matrix.

To provide high quality holistic patient care and treatment

Supply medications as appropriate following scope of practice, policy, patient group directives and local pathways.

To advise and support junior members of the team in the care, treatment and anticipatory care planning for patients.

Participate in setting standards for care and auditing clinical outcomes.

Identify and complete necessary interventions, within scope of practice and following guidance from existing policy and procedures.

When necessary refer to facilitate further advanced assessment and guidance from the wider team.

Work closely with other care providers and agencies to ensure quality and safety.

Refer any safeguarding concerns, using established safeguarding referral pathways.

Accurately and professionally document all patient contacts, following all relevant organisational policy and procedure.

Know own limits in relation to scope of practice and recognise when a requirement exists to refer to or seek advice from a more senior clinician.

Ensure compliance with organisational policy and procedure in relation to information sharing, patient confidentiality and other relevant policies.

Provide care in the patients home by holistic assessment, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care as appropriate.

Participate in setting and monitoring standards to ensure effective care and delivery of evidence-based practice.

Involvement in team discussions to ensure best practice.

Ensure that professional standards are maintained and within the guidance by the Department of Health, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) .

Use appropriate physical and clinical examination skills to undertake the assessment of individuals with health care needs and those presenting with illnesses, using a range of evidence-based assessment tools and consultation models to enable accurate diagnostic decision making and recognition of other potential differential diagnoses.

Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions and care for patients

To provide high quality holistic patient care and treatment including physiological and psychological perspectives and plan clinical care accordingly

Comply with set standards, policies and procedures, contributing to audit of clinical outcomes.

Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition and refer to the GP to consider further interventions where appropriate.

Advise and guide patients to support compliance with and adherence to prescribed treatments

Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication on medication regimens, side-effects and interactions

Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective urgent care

Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles, and apply principles of self-care

Identify and refer or signpost patients presenting with mental health needs as appropriate

Provide information, advice and support to patients face to face Demonstrate the use of a variety of techniques to elicit the history of an event/illness, including past medical and drug history. Including patients with communication impairments

• To evaluate clinical information from examination and history taking and discuss appropriate treatment and referral back to patients own GP.
• To interpret clinical diagnostics and take appropriate action to manage patient care, whilst distinguishing between abnormal and normal findings in order to relate them to a possible diagnosis.
• To use broad clinical guidelines (NICE etc) relating them to individual cases, aiding and feedback to the organisation and others on how these should be interpreted.
• To signpost appropriately to other services in the identified healthcare pathway as appropriate
• To discharge or treat, as appropriate and within the scope of practice.
• To maintain accurate and systematic documentation of patient interactions and clinical care provided, including adverse events.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional Registration/ registered clinician & registered with regulatory body
• Good communication skills and educated to GCSE grade A-C in English and Maths.
• Basic IT skills

Desirable

• Minor Illness course Level 6 or equivalent
• Advanced clinical examination skills
• Teaching and assessing qualification.
• Completed mentorship programme.
• Relevant Degree / MSc
• Completed Clinical Leadership Programme or similar
• Non-medical prescribing

Experience

Essential

• Ability to manage and prioritise workload.
• Proven ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Current knowledge of government targets, initiatives and NICE guidelines and their impact on clinical practice.
• Understanding of professional Code of Conduct.
• Knowledge of adult and child protection issues.
• Understanding of clinical governance and its significance and impact upon practice.
• Good communication skills.
• Basic IT skills in word processing and e-mail.
• Experience in using I.T based patient documentation systems.
• Sound organisational skills.
• Able to professionally and appropriately challenge differing opinions as a patient advocate.
• Record keeping skills.
• Experience of triage/initial assessment.
• Able to work autonomously, completing clinical examination, using own clinical judgment to form a diagnosis.
• Skills for managing minor illness
• Skills of multi system assessment.
• Knowledge of medical model of documentation.
• Understanding of health education/promotion.
• Able to give relevant discharge advice.
• Experience of following referral pathways.
• Evidence of experience / competency in the form of a professional portfolio.

Desirable

• Ability to manage long term conditions
• Ability to manage wounds
• Experience of performing a social assessment.
• Experience as a practitioner in an A&E Department or similar emergency care centre, ambulance service.
• Experience of clinical audit.
• Leadership skills.
• Able to motivate other team members.
• Able to promote a learning environment.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Channel Health Alliance

Address

1 Waterloo Crescent

Dover

Kent

CT16 1LA

Employer's website

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