Lead Practice Nurse

Bretton Park Healthcare is excited to offer an excellent opportunity for an experienced and motivated Lead Practice Nurse to join our friendly and supportive team.

We are a forward-thinking GP practice caring for just under 22,000 patients across Bretton Health Centre and Park Medical Centre. Our multidisciplinary clinical team includes GPs, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, Nurses, HCAs and Phlebotomists, supported by a knowledgeable administrative team.

As a registered training practice actively involved in research, we value education, professional development and continually improving the services we provide.

We are looking for someone with strong general practice experience, a passion for delivering high-quality patient care and the ability to lead, support and inspire our nursing team. This is an opportunity to take a key leadership role in the day-to-day running and development of our nursing service, while continuing to provide clinical care and working closely with the wider clinical team and practice management.

If you are looking for an opportunity to make a real difference, develop the nursing service and contribute to a supportive and forward-thinking practice, we would love to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

The Lead Practice Nurse will lead and coordinate the nursing team across both practice sites, combining clinical care with responsibility for staff development, clinical standards and service delivery.

Provide clinical leadership, supervision and support to nurses and healthcare assistants.

Coordinate the nursing team and make effective use of staff, time and resources.

Support staff induction, training, development and appraisals, identifying learning needs.

Deliver and oversee safe, high-quality nursing care in line with NMC standards and practice protocols.

Support long-term condition reviews, health promotion and preventative care.

Contribute to immunisations, cervical screening, wound care, women's health and other nursing services, within own competence.

Maintain accurate clinical records and ensure safe procedures and appropriate patient referrals.

Support clinical audits, policies, quality improvement and regulatory compliance.

Promote infection prevention, vaccine safety and safe management of clinical rooms, equipment and supplies.

Identify and elevate clinical risks, incidents and concerns.

Work with the wider clinical team and practice management to maintain effective communication and develop nursing services across both sites.

Undertake other appropriate duties in line with the needs of the practice.

About us

Bretton Park Healthcare is a modern, forward-thinking GP practice with a strong track record of innovation and service development. We are a GMS practice using SystmOne, Anima for digital consultations, Accurx and a range of AI, automation and other digital tools to support safe, efficient communication and improve the way we deliver patient care.

We are an approved GP Registrar Training Practice for the North Cambridgeshire GP Specialty Training Scheme and are also actively involved in research, providing opportunities to contribute to research activity and the development of primary care. We value learning, professional development and new ideas that help improve patient outcomes and the services we provide.

Job responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the Lead PracticeNurse. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks.This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

• a.To act as the Infection Prevention Control(IPC) lead and to work to the IPC Policy providing audits, training, supportand evidence of compliance to the practice manager
• b.To produce the IPC annual statement inconjunction with the practice manager
• c.To develop, implement and embed an effectivecare management programme for the frail and housebound patients registered atthe practice
• d.To assess the needs of patients ensuring theprovision of healthcare is appropriate, incorporating evidence-based practice
• e.To develop, implement and embed healthpromotion and wellbeing programmes.
• f.To implement and evaluate individualtreatment plans for chronic disease patients that promote health andwellbeing
• g.To identify, manage and support patients atrisk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects topatients health
• h.As required, to provide routine nursing careto patients in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF
• i.As required, to diagnose and manage acuteand chronic conditions
• j.To prescribe medication for patients inaccordance with PGDs and own scope of practice
• k.To provide guidance to patients on the useof prescribed and over-the-counter medications regarding side effects anddosages
• l.To co-ordinate the provision of travelmedicine services
• m.To request pathology services and processpathology results as required
• n.To oversee the provision of chronic diseaseclinics, delivering patient care as necessary, referring patients tosecondary/specialist care as required
• o.To maintain accurate clinical records inconjunction with extant legislation
• p.To ensure SNOMED CT codes are used effectivelyby all members of the nursing team
• q.To ensure the appropriate use of chronicdisease registers.
• r.To develop, implement, embed and participatein NHS Health checks.
• s.To ensure compliance with the practicechaperone policy
• t.To prioritise health issues and interveneappropriately
• u.To support the team in dealing with clinicalemergencies
• v.To recognise, assess and refer patientspresenting with mental health needs
• w.To implement vaccination programmes foradults and children
• x.To support patients in the use of theirprescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines (within own scope ofpractice)
• y.To liaise with external services/agencies toensure the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients etc.)
• z.To delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately(ensuring safe practice and the task is within the scope of practice of theindividual)
• aa.To support the clinical team with allsafeguarding matters, in accordance with local and national policies
• bb. Tounderstand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictivebehaviour, referring patients appropriately
• cc.To deliver opportunistic healthpromotion where appropriate.
• dd. Toattend and contribute towards all practice meetings relevant to the post.
• ee. Deliveryof own practice nurse clinics.

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Lead Practice Nurse may be requested to:

• a. Developand review audit protocols and process for the practice, effectivelyutilising the audit cycle
• b. Develop,review and implement nursing protocols in conjunction with the partners
• c. Supportall members of the nursing team, providing guidance when necessary,conducting appraisals and training needs analyses as required
• d. Participatein local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
• e. Supportand participate in shared learning within the practice in order to improvepatient care
• f.Continually review clinical practices,responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate
• g. Participatein the review of significant and near-miss events applying a structuredapproach, i.e., root cause analysis (RCA)
• h. Coordinatethe nursing team rota, ensuring sufficient staff are available to meetpatient needs
• i.Contribute towards the planning andimplementation of changes within the nursing team, enhancing the provision ofservices to patients
• j.Support the practice team with the reviewingand implementation of practice policies and protocols, ensuring conformanceto extant legislation

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council)
• Mentor or teaching qualification
• Post graduate diploma or degree (Chronic Disease Management)
• Nurse prescriber
• Completed or working towards formal infection prevention and control training
• Family planning qualification

Other requirements

• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours
• Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Occupational Health clearance
• Meet the requirements and produce evidence for nurse revalidation
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) commensurate with the role of a Lead Practice Nurse

Personal Qualities

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and co-operative
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort
• Motivated, forward thinker
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years experience of working in a primary care environment
• Experience in Long Term Condition management and delivering nursing care autonomously.
• Experience of chronic disease management
• Experience of working as a practice nurse or community nurse
• Experience of infection prevention and control measures
• Experience in delivering outcomes such as QOF, CQC inspection, LES and DES.
• Experience of leading a nursing team in a primary care environment
• Experience of managing elderly and housebound patients
• Experience of quality initiatives, i.e., benchmarking

Skills

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Strong IT skills and competent in clinical IT systems
• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes
• Experience with clinical risk management
• Clear, polite telephone manner

Clinical Knowledge and skills

• Wound care/removal of sutures and staples
• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Understanding the importance of evidence-based practice
• Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
• Chaperone procedure
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Chronic disease management
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies

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.