Community Triage Assistant Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties & Responsibilities

1. Manage, monitor and be responsible for the phlebotomy waiting lists, simple wounds, ECGs and other non complex referrals for all community teams.
2. Process urgent and routine referrals for all blood tests, by using clinical and geographical knowledge to assess the information received in order to determine what is required and the priority response necessary.
3. Ensure referrals are prioritised according to service targets and patient need.
4. Use clinical reasoning skills to determine the priority of the blood test once each referral has been assessed and documented. This may differ from that on the referral.
5. Use clinical reasoning skills to triage simple wounds, ECGs and other non complex referrals as directed by a triage clinician.
6. Determine the Service Offered and Reason for Referral relating to NCHC service specifications and SystmOne categories.
7. Determine the correct care plans for need, and apply them adding due dates and priority
8. Assess the information given within the referral, and document using S1 triage notes, appropriately ensuring comprehensive detail, using good grammar and punctuation and adhering to NCHC record keeping policy.
9. Ensure that the referral details are entered accurately and timely on to S1 and the patients record is complete for audit purposes.
10. Ensure that if the referral is assessed as an Admission Avoidance i.e. a 4 hour response, they will make immediate contact with the relevant clinician and pass on the details.
11. Ensure that if the referral does not contain sufficient information in order to be accurately processed during the triage process, they will contact the referrer e.g. GP / Practice, hospital or patient to obtain the relevant information.
12. Assess any risk factors associated with the impending visit, and ensure they are fully documented in the triage notes, and the clinician is made aware prior to the visit.
13. Maintain patient confidentiality and adhere to the information governance policy.
14. Fully utilise S1 and the integral processes while triaging referrals and allocating patients to clinicians.
15. Liaise and communicate with the general public, GPs, other health care professionals, and multi-agencies as required.
16. Work with all health care professionals, and statutory/non statutory agencies to provide a seamless, integrated service to our service users.
17. Undertake a daily audit of the referrals received within this role to prevent any errors / omissions.
18. Identify any improvements / developments which could be made to the service provided to improve the efficiency and / or processes within the Single Point of Contact.
19. Will reprioritise own workload as required to meeting the changing demands and priorities of the patients referred to the service.
20. Where there are barriers to understanding, such as hearing impairment, mental capacity impairment and other difficulties in comprehension, communication will require adjustments in order to gain understanding, consent and concordance.
21. Be able to use tact and persuasive skills in order to gain the patients, or other referrers co-operation in gaining any additional information which may be required.
22. Liaise with GP surgeries, other health care professionals, patients and carers to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
23. Manage the referrers expectations if the service is unable to respond as urgently as requested; remain calm, apologetic and provide a firm commitment to ensure the care is provided as soon as able.
24. Participate in integrated team meetings as appropriate.
25. Demonstrate the necessary IT and keyboard skills to use S1, and the Trusts computer systems.

Clinical Responsibilities

1. Undertake clinical practice one shift a week in order to maintain clinical competencies.
2. Be required to undertake patient care following care plans, and make adjustments to care using clinical knowledge that has been acquired through training and experience.
3. Will provide care to patients within their scope of competence across the locality where the need requires.
4. Competencies that may be undertaken will include but is not limited to, therapy and nursing skills; diabetic injections, ECGs, wound management, venepuncture, catheterisations, leg ulcer clinics, assessment for basic equipment.

Professional

1. Work predominately independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner.
2. Be aware of limitations of own scope of practice and competency, and when to involve a qualified practitioner.
3. Support all team members within the integrated team, respecting them, their roles and contributions.
4. Actively contribute to team working and express ideas on improving services for users and the team.
5. Provide advice/training/support to less experienced staff and contribute to the induction process for new staff.
6. Actively contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings and other meetings where appropriate.
7. Be responsible for safe use and maintenance of equipment and supplies.
8. Remain accountable for own actions as determined by the professional bodies
9. Will be able to make own travel arrangements to base and meetings etc, as required.
10. Follow Trust policies and use discretion in interpreting local policies according to the setting and circumstances.
11. Comment on draft policies.
12. Maintain own continued development.
13. Ensure own workload is planned and prioritised.
14. Attend in-house training as required to develop current job role.
15. Demonstrate leadership skills within own competence.

Organisational

1. Undertake mandatory training as required.
2. Participate in a Personal Development Review process.
3. Take part in clinical supervision as per Trust Policy.
4. May be required to demonstrate own duties to students, new starters and/or less experienced staff.
5. Ensure absence reporting is undertaken as determined by Team Leader and Trust Policy.
6. Contribute to clinical audit as required.
7. Complete the staff survey as required.
8. Complete risk assessments and incident forms as required.

Effort Factors:

1. Physical Effort

On a weekly basis the post holder will be involved in patient activities, and may be required to manoeuvre patients. For the majority of the time, the post holder will be sitting at a computer inputting to the computer systems.

1. Mental Effort

The post holder will be required to have frequent periods of concentration while triaging referrals, and allocating patients to clinicians, and / or ledgers. They will also need to concentrate when providing patient care and record keeping for example. This work pattern is predictable.

1. Emotional Effort

There may be occasions where they are exposed to aggressive or challenging behaviours both within SPoC and with patients. Within SPoC they may be required to renegotiate dates for blood tests and visits, and this may not go down well with the patient / referrer. They may also have to deal with issues such as missed visits etc. Within the community you can frequently encounter patients who demonstrate aggressive behaviours towards clinicians.

1. Working Conditions

They will be exposed to bodily fluids during their clinical visits, and while in SPoC they will be required to adapt to a noisy environment and frequent changes in temperature. They may be exposed to verbal / physical aggression during both components of the role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ 3 in healthcare of equivalent knowledge and experience
• Educated to Diploma level or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

• Knowledge of Community Nursing / Therapy
• Clinical Skills including wound care, venepuncture
• Good interpersonal skills / team player / flexible

Desirable

• Experience in SystmOne documentation

Skills Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Highly motivated with a can do attitude

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.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Address

Wymondham Health Centre

18 Bridewell Street

Wymondham

NR18 0AR

Employer's website

https://www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)