Job summary
The GP
Support Unit, GPSU, has been established to provide support to general practice
in Somerset. In this exciting new role, you will work across
programmes and portfolios and your work could include setting up new clinical
services, developing audit or quality improvement programmes, researching
effectiveness and communicating our work clearly. Spending much of the time
visiting practices, PCNs and other NHS sites, you will thrive on building
relationships with diverse groups of people. You are likely to already be
multi-skilled and open to new challenges; this role will give you plenty of
variety and opportunities to develop your career.
Main duties of the job
To develop and implement the overall approach
of the GPSU in supporting primary care services, ensuring that the needs of our
shareholders the 62 practices are addressed by the services we provide.
To ensure a strong voice for patients and the
public in this work.
To take responsibility for ensuring an
effective and productive relationship between the GPSU and key partners
including Primary Care Networks, Practices, HS Trusts, Integrated Care Boards,
Local Authorities, and others.
To deputise for the Head of Service
Development when needed.
To take responsibility for implementing
programmes and ensuring requirements are met.
To work with others to join up our work on
primary care across the organisation.
To work flexibly to support the overall
priorities of the organisation, including supporting other programme areas,
special events and other tasks as needed.
To lead on particular areas of work, using
autonomy and self-motivation to identify problems and creative solutions.
To assist
in the development of a culture of positive innovation and change for primary
care.
To line manage other staff as necessary.
About us
The GP
Support Unit, GPSU, exists to champion, support, and amplify general practice
in Somerset. Acting as an extension of the practice team, we help GPs and primary
care professionals navigate challenges, embrace innovation, and thrive. Through
collaboration, shared expertise, and hands-on support, we deliver high-quality
services that reduce burden, unlock system value, and ultimately improve
patient outcomes. Trusted by practices and recognised across the Somerset
system, the GPSU is here to make general practice stronger - now and into the
future.
Job description
Job responsibilities
About the Role: You will work across programmes and portfolios and your work could include setting up new clinical services, developing audit or quality improvement programmes, researching effectiveness and communicating our work clearly. Spending much of the time visiting practices, PCNs and other NHS sites, you will thrive on building relationships with diverse groups of people. You are likely to already be multi-skilled and open to new challenges; this role will give you plenty of variety and opportunities to develop your career.
Key responsibilities of the role
To develop and implement the overall approach of the GPSU in supporting primary care services, ensuring that the needs of our shareholders the 62 practices are addressed by the services we provide.
To ensure a strong voice for patients and the public in this work.
To take responsibility for ensuring an effective and productive relationship between the GPSU and key partners including Primary Care Networks, Practices, HS Trusts, Integrated Care Boards, Local Authorities, and others.
To deputise for the Head of Service Development when needed.
To take responsibility for implementing programmes and ensuring requirements are met.
To work with others to join up our work on primary care across the organisation.
To work flexibly to support the overall priorities of the organisation, including supporting other programme areas, special events and other tasks as needed.
To lead on particular areas of work, using autonomy and self-motivation to identify problems and creative solutions.
To assist in the development of a culture of positive innovation and change for primary care.
To line manage other staff as necessary.
Policy & Service Requirements:
- Work collaboratively and effectively as part of an integrated team.
- Stay up to date with National and Local legislation, guidelines, policies, procedures, protocols, and code of conduct related to the role.
- Participate in and contribute to the effective introduction of new systems and initiatives leading to the improvement and development of patient services.
Responsibility for Financial & Physical Resources:
- Have a personal duty of care for all equipment and resources used.
Generic Responsibilities:
- This post is subject to continual development. The job description is intended as a guide to the key responsibilities and duties of the post. It is not inclusive of all duties, and you may be required to provide additional support at the request of the line manager.
Job description
Job responsibilities
About the Role: You will work across programmes and portfolios and your work could include setting up new clinical services, developing audit or quality improvement programmes, researching effectiveness and communicating our work clearly. Spending much of the time visiting practices, PCNs and other NHS sites, you will thrive on building relationships with diverse groups of people. You are likely to already be multi-skilled and open to new challenges; this role will give you plenty of variety and opportunities to develop your career.
Key responsibilities of the role
To develop and implement the overall approach of the GPSU in supporting primary care services, ensuring that the needs of our shareholders the 62 practices are addressed by the services we provide.
To ensure a strong voice for patients and the public in this work.
To take responsibility for ensuring an effective and productive relationship between the GPSU and key partners including Primary Care Networks, Practices, HS Trusts, Integrated Care Boards, Local Authorities, and others.
To deputise for the Head of Service Development when needed.
To take responsibility for implementing programmes and ensuring requirements are met.
To work with others to join up our work on primary care across the organisation.
To work flexibly to support the overall priorities of the organisation, including supporting other programme areas, special events and other tasks as needed.
To lead on particular areas of work, using autonomy and self-motivation to identify problems and creative solutions.
To assist in the development of a culture of positive innovation and change for primary care.
To line manage other staff as necessary.
Policy & Service Requirements:
- Work collaboratively and effectively as part of an integrated team.
- Stay up to date with National and Local legislation, guidelines, policies, procedures, protocols, and code of conduct related to the role.
- Participate in and contribute to the effective introduction of new systems and initiatives leading to the improvement and development of patient services.
Responsibility for Financial & Physical Resources:
- Have a personal duty of care for all equipment and resources used.
Generic Responsibilities:
- This post is subject to continual development. The job description is intended as a guide to the key responsibilities and duties of the post. It is not inclusive of all duties, and you may be required to provide additional support at the request of the line manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or significant equivalent previous proven experience of working at a similar level in a specialist area, such as practice management
- Demonstrable evidence of continuing professional development
Knowledge / Skills
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of specialist areas, techniques and tools, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent operational experience
- Significant prior experience of quality improvement, policy implementation or service development in primary care
- Understanding of current healthcare policy and the implications of this for our work
- Thorough understanding of the primary care policy agenda and its implications for practices and PCNS
- Ability to assimilate complex information, communicate clear options and take defensible decisions, including local interpretation and implementation of national policy decisions and local policy development
- Ability to form effective working relationships even in highly pressured situations
- Ability to work with a very high level of autonomy
- Ability to effectively manage substantial budgets with minimal oversight
- Business case development experience, including quality and risk management, equality and impact assessments
- Able to manage a team with appropriate performance and coaching skills
- Excellent working knowledge of all Microsoft Office packages
Training
Essential
- Further training or significant experience in project management, quality improvement, service development financial management or supporting change management processes
Desirable
- Desirable further training or significant experience in
- Negotiation and influencing skills
- Presentation skills
- Statistical analysis
- Information and governance principles
- Safeguarding vulnerable adults and children
- Equality and diversity
- Managing finance
- Service improvement tools and methodologies
- Patient safety and quality improvement
- Communication skills, including active listening
- Change management
- Qualitative analysis and surveys
- Capacity and demand modelling
- Leadership development and mentoring
- Report writing
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting at a senior level
- Proven experience of capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
- Experience of developing a new service or managing change across an organisation
- Experience of researching best practice (globally, private and public sector), interpreting its relevance and the processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve service improvement (advising on policy implementation)
- Ability to work with national and local policy on reporting of performance across the organisation, interpret national policy for use at a local level to ensure the organisation remains fully compliant
- Experience of managing risks and accurate reporting
- Experience of decision-making on difficult and/or contentious issues where there may be several possible courses of action
- Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity
- Ability to develop, write and implement local policies
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or significant equivalent previous proven experience of working at a similar level in a specialist area, such as practice management
- Demonstrable evidence of continuing professional development
Knowledge / Skills
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of specialist areas, techniques and tools, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent operational experience
- Significant prior experience of quality improvement, policy implementation or service development in primary care
- Understanding of current healthcare policy and the implications of this for our work
- Thorough understanding of the primary care policy agenda and its implications for practices and PCNS
- Ability to assimilate complex information, communicate clear options and take defensible decisions, including local interpretation and implementation of national policy decisions and local policy development
- Ability to form effective working relationships even in highly pressured situations
- Ability to work with a very high level of autonomy
- Ability to effectively manage substantial budgets with minimal oversight
- Business case development experience, including quality and risk management, equality and impact assessments
- Able to manage a team with appropriate performance and coaching skills
- Excellent working knowledge of all Microsoft Office packages
Training
Essential
- Further training or significant experience in project management, quality improvement, service development financial management or supporting change management processes
Desirable
- Desirable further training or significant experience in
- Negotiation and influencing skills
- Presentation skills
- Statistical analysis
- Information and governance principles
- Safeguarding vulnerable adults and children
- Equality and diversity
- Managing finance
- Service improvement tools and methodologies
- Patient safety and quality improvement
- Communication skills, including active listening
- Change management
- Qualitative analysis and surveys
- Capacity and demand modelling
- Leadership development and mentoring
- Report writing
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting at a senior level
- Proven experience of capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
- Experience of developing a new service or managing change across an organisation
- Experience of researching best practice (globally, private and public sector), interpreting its relevance and the processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve service improvement (advising on policy implementation)
- Ability to work with national and local policy on reporting of performance across the organisation, interpret national policy for use at a local level to ensure the organisation remains fully compliant
- Experience of managing risks and accurate reporting
- Experience of decision-making on difficult and/or contentious issues where there may be several possible courses of action
- Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity
- Ability to develop, write and implement local policies
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.