Job responsibilities
JOB TITLE:Clinic Assistant
REPORTS TO: Operations Manager
HOURS:37.5 hours per week
SALARY:£ 25000 per annum
About the Islington Community ENT Service
The Islington GP Group Limited, trading as Islington GP Federation (IGPF), is a rapidly growing organisation representing the interests of general practice in Islington.
The Islington Community ENT Service, as part of the IGPF, is a longstanding service into which Islington GP practices can refer patients to be seen in the community. The aim of this service is:
- To manage an estimated third of ENT referrals in the community rather than in secondary care.
- To ensure the patient is seen by the right clinician with the right skills in the right environment.
- To support management of adult ear, nose and throat conditions in a non-acute setting.
- To ensure there is access to diagnostics to enable effective management.
- To improve the patient journey through the development of safe and effective integrated care pathways between primary, community and secondary care services.
- To enable consistent standards in the management of ear, nose and throat conditions and improve health outcomes.
- Develop and provide a feedback mechanism to improve the skills and knowledge of referring clinicians and so increase the proportion of patients managed in primary care.
Job summary
The post holder will work under clinical supervision supporting the ENT GPs in community-based clinics. The primary function is to assist the clinicians in the delivery of safe and efficient care to the patients referred to the Service. The Clinic Assistant will undertake tasks and duties delegated by those clinicians, the Operations Manager or a suitably qualified regulated professional. Though this role is primarily within the Community ENT Service, the Clinic Assistant may be required at points to work in the Community Gynaecology Service.
The role will also involve undertaking some administrative tasks to support safe patient care. Under the supervision of the Operations Manager and the Senior Administrators, the Clinic Assistant will use their administration experience to support the day to day running of clinical services.
Job Responsibilities
- Act in a professional and calm manner at all times.
- Treat colleagues, patients and relatives with respect and dignity.
- De-escalate any arising conflicts quickly and effectively.
- Act as a chaperone.
- Assist clinicians during procedures, ensuring that the appropriate equipment is readily available.
- Support the receptionist in managing the process of booking patients in when they arrive at clinic sites.
- Assist with pre-screening patients prior to their appointments, providing reassurance to all service users that their safety is our primary focus when providing care.
- Act as an infection control assistant who will physically support clinicians during clinic sessions ensuring that rooms or any areas accessed by patients are sanitised after each use and equipment used is cleaned to prevent contamination.
- Assist with labelling, recording and dispatching of specimens/samples taken in clinic.
- Follow-up patient results with pathology laboratories and ensure all results are received back in a timely manner to avoid delays in patient care.
- Be responsible for completing weekly checks on Emergency Medicines and Equipment held at clinic locations.
- Be responsible for checking, logging and maintaining sufficient and in-date stock at the clinic sites.
- Be responsible for completing the daily infection prevention control checks at whichever site they are working at each day.
- Record information and activities undertaken with patients and carers in an accurate and timely fashion using manual or computer systems as appropriate.
- Undertake, record and follow guidelines for the tasks for which you have received appropriate training.
- Maintain confidentiality or information relating to patients, relatives, staff and the practice.
- Take the necessary precautions when transmitting information and understand relevancy of and comply with GDPR.
- Demonstrate flexibility in working pattern, times and location to support best patient care; in mutual agreement with the Operations Manager.
Communication
- Communicate effectively with other team members.
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising their needs for alternative methods of communication.
Personal and people development
- Take responsibility for own developmental learning and performance, including participating in supervision.
- Take responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal development.
- Work with management on any new training requirements
- To recognise and understand the roles and responsibilities of individuals working in the Community Services.
- Be aware of statutory legislation relevant to the service and the role of a basic Chaperone/ HCA
Health, safety and security
- Use the personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines.
- Identify the risks involved in work activities and undertake them in a way that manages the risks.
- Use appropriate infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting of any potential risks identified, including:
1. hand washing
2. universal hygiene procedures
3. collection and handling of laboratory specimens
4. segregation and disposal of waste materials
5. decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment and work surfaces
6. reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
7. dealing with blood and body fluid spillages
8. assist patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures
- Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs within area of responsibility
- Know the general principles of first aid and resuscitation to be able to undertake initial actions as appropriate
- Be aware of statutory child health procedures and statutory local guidance and referral criteria
- Be up to date with adult and child safeguarding processes and highlight any area of concerns to the appropriate clinicians and/or managers
- Know the health and safety policies and procedures within the workplace, including fire procedures, maintaining documentation, monitoring and maintaining of equipment and furniture within your area of responsibility
- Use the computer monitor safely and in line with patient confidentiality protocols
- Be able to identify the risks to health of microbiological and chemical hazards within the working environment according to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Service improvement
- Be aware of and, if appropriate, assist in current clinical audit
- Work with colleagues in the team on the development of current and new services and other initiatives
- Deal with requests from patients and clinical staff for health information leaflets
Quality
- Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk in the care of patients
- Ensure own actions are consistent with clinical governance systems
- Practice in accordance with agreed standards of care
- Enable patients to access appropriate professionals in the team
- Ensure patients understand how to complain
- Ensure stock items under your control are ordered and available in the treatment and consulting rooms
- Know how clinical governance affects the HCA role and bring to the attention of more senior staff any specific risk situation
- Know the organisations policies, especially the whistle-blowing policy, available in the practice staff handbook
- Be able to manage your own time effectively
Equality and diversity
- Act in ways that recognise the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with procedures
- Respect the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients and carers
- Understand basic legal and communication issues regarding child abuse, family violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour
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, staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Federation 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 Federation may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Federation policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
