General Practice Assistant GPA in Preston

AshTree House is currently recruiting enthusiastic, forward thinking GP Assistant. This is an exciting opportunity for a General Practice Assistant (GPA) to join our friendly and dynamic team. The post is permanent working 37.5hrs pw.

LOCATION: Ash Tree House Surgery, Kirkham

RESPONSIBLE TO: Clinical: Partners Administration: Practice Manager

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Partners

General Duties

We are looking for highly motivated individuals who will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide support in improving patient access and releasing highly qualified staff to concentrate on treating and managing patients with more complex conditions. Improving patient flow within surgery hours, increasing the time efficiency of appointments, and reducing waiting times. Reduce time spent by GPs on managing correspondence. You will be expected to develop links with local GP practices, colleagues within the service and local communities to ensure delivery of integrated, patient-focused care, demonstrating flexibility in the role and a caring attitude towards patients. You will have excellent organisational, interpersonal and communication skills together with a good working knowledge of primary care and the challenges facing patient care in the NHS.

About us

Ash Tree House Surgery in Kirkham is a progressive Training Practice housed in a beautiful listed building. Ash Tree House provides a full range of primary care services to a population of over 12,032 patients. We are committed to giving our patients the highest quality service by maintaining a caring, respectful and mutual confidence between Doctor and Patient. There are 5 GP Principals working closely with 5 salaried GP's and a dedicated Practice team which includes an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, a team of Practice Nurses, a Clinical Pharmacist, Counsellors and support staff. The Practice is also supported by Community staff including a Community Matron, District Nurses and Health Visitors and a resident Physiotherapist. The Practice is also a member of the Kirkham & Wesham PCN.

Job responsibilities

Our GP Assistant will support the smooth running of clinics by performing routine administration and clinical tasks on behalf of the GP. They could support the GPs/ANPs with urgent admin such as fast tracks, x-rays, scans and referrals generated from our patients with an urgent acute condition.

• Sorting all clinical post and prioritising for the GP in terms of actions.
• Signposting some post to others such as clinical pharmacist etc as appropriate.
• Extracting all information from clinical letters that needs coding and adding to notes.
• Supporting with QOF reviews.
• Arranging appointments, referrals, tests and follow up appointments of patients.
• Completing basic (non-opinion) forms and core elements of some forms for the GP to approve and sign such as insurance forms, mortgage, benefits agency forms etc.
• Explaining treatment procedures to patients.
• Helping the GP liaise with outside agencies e.g. getting an on-call doctor on the phone to ask advice or arrange admission while the GP can continue with their consultation(s).

General

• Ensure that all activities are monitored and evaluated.
• Attend internal meetings as required.
• Work in accordance with the policies, including the equal opportunities policy and practice.
• Attend any training courses and supervision sessions as required.
• Work with due regard to the Health and Safety Policies across the PCN, ensuring that all practices and procedures are undertaken in accordance with issued guidelines.
• Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required from time to time.
• To be prepared to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends if required.

Care Quality Commission

Work with the general practice teams to ensure the practices are compliant with CQC standards.

Quality

Under supervision and support of GPs in practices, the post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practices, and will:

• Participate in clinical governance activity and contribute to the improvement in quality of health outcomes through audit, risk management and the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
• Alert other team members to concerns about risk, quality and safety.
• Participate in investigation of incidents and events as required.
• Identify, apply and disseminate research findings relating to our PCN.
• Collect data for audit purposes and use clinical audit to monitor quality in the service and implement change according to findings.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team's performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients' needs.

Confidentiality

Under the Data Protection Act 2018 (alongside the EU General Data Protection Regulations) the post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients and staff. The work is of a confidential nature and information gained must not be communicated to other persons except in the recognised course of duty. Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information will result in disciplinary action and may lead to your dismissal. While 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 PCN's practices policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Equality and Diversity

Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with the organisation’s procedures and policies, and current legislation. Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues. Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Health & Safety

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) to ensure that the agreed procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for patients, visitors and staff, including infection prevention and control.

Infection Prevention and Control

It is the responsibility of all members of staff to provide a high standard of care to patients they are involved with. This includes good infection prevention practice. All staff have a responsibility to comply with Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures, this includes:

• Completing mandatory infection prevention training.
• Challenging poor infection prevention and control practices.
• Ensuring their own compliance with the PCN practices Infection Prevention and Control policy and procedures for example, standard precautions, hand hygiene, prevention & management of inoculation incidents.

Safeguarding

To be fully aware of and understand the duties and responsibilities arising from the Children’s Act 2004 and Working Together in relation to child protection and safeguarding children and young people as this applies to the worker’s role within the organisation. To also be fully aware of the principles of safeguarding as they apply to vulnerable adults in relation to the worker’s role, which will include recognising the types and signs of abuse and neglect and ensuring that the Clinical Director is made aware and kept fully informed of any concerns which the worker may have in relation to safeguarding adults and/or child protection. Everyone within the organisation has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, children and young people and for ensuring that they are protected from harm.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

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.

Special Working conditions

The post holder may have contact with body fluids, i.e. wound exudates, urine, etc while in clinical practice. To be prepared to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends if required. The post holder is likely to need to visit patients in their own home.

Flexibility

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The post-holder will be expected to adopt a flexible attitude towards the duties outlined which may be subject to amendment at any time inline with the needs of the organisation. The post holder may be required to fulfil other duties, as agreed with the Clinical Director, to meet the needs of the organisation. This will involve travel to other sites within the organisation.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths
• Qualified to NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care

Experience

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working in a health care setting
• Experience of working as a General Practice Assistant
• Experience of electronic patients records

Knowledge and skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Able to deal with service users sensitively
• Able to work as part of a team and autonomously
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Office and Outlook
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow policy and procedure

Personal Qualities and Attributes

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and co-operative
• Motivated
• Forward thinker
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure

Other

• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours if required
• Ability to travel within our community PCN if required.

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.